Alternatives to Epson Watercolor Radiant White

[Mike Sellers]

Are there other papers with similar texture? I don`t want smooth surface, it needs some texture.
Mike

[hugowolf]

There are lots of very good textured papers, and for the moment I can’t think of any that aren’t way better than Epson Watercolor Paper Radiant White – there are uncoated art papers that produce better prints than it.

There are heavily textured papers like Arches Aquarelle, medium textured papers like Hahnemühle German Etching and Museum Etching, lightly textured papers like the ‘velvet’ ones, including Epson Velvet Fine Art. And really great but expensive papers like Rives BFK, which is distributed by Canson as BFK Rives.

I’d buy sample packs from Canson and Hahnemühle. Texture is very much a personal choice and very image dependent.

Brian A

[Alan Goldhammer]

I don't know the Epson paper as I have not used it.  I do like Hahnemuhle William Turner for a textured paper and have made some very nice prints with it.  I agree with what Brian says, see if you can get some samples to try as textured papers are really a personal choice!

[howardm]

getting some sort of samples is critical.  the difference between textures of various papers is very noticeable.  The William Turner is like sandpaper it's so rough but it's always a very personal aesthetic choice among the papers.

[Ernst Dinkla]

See SpectrumViz. If you check the Light Textured categories within the Alpha Cellulose and Cotton paper groups you will see enough papers that come close enough to the texture of Epson Watercolor Radiant White and share a similar neutral paper white. Look for similar paper white Lab values instead of identical spectral plots, the EWRW depends a lot on OBA content for its neutrality, not a good thing. I checked my EWRW sample texture against several in that group. The light textured papers do not deviate as much as the medium, heavier textured or embossed textured papers. The EWRW is in the IJ Ordinary Papers map, it has an ECF paper base in best case, I have not seen a proper description so far. For comparable price you better avoid the Cotton category.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
December 2014 update, 700+ inkjet media white spectral plots 

[JRSmit]

Are there other papers with similar texture? I don`t want smooth surface, it needs some texture.
Mike

The texture, actually the whole paper character is subjective, and depends on image printed.

Just looking at measurable characteristics:
Is weight or basematerial important to you?
Have you tried Innova IFA14 (cotton, 315grm2) of IFA24 (cellulose, 210grm2)?
Alternative can also be Hahnemuhle PhotoRag 188 or 308
Both the IFA14 and de PhotoRag come close to the paper-white of EWRW, IF24 or IFA07 close to its paper weight.

[Mike Sellers]

any experience with the Finestra papers?
Mike

[hugowolf]

any experience with the Finestra papers?
Mike

I have never heard of them before, but they do 5 sheet packs. Their 'watercolor' paper isn't cotton, if that bothers you.

I see you have another post about Breathing Color Pura Smooth. If you are after a high white textured art paper, have you tried their Elegance Velvet? It is quite a nice paper, if you can take such a large OBA content.

Brian A

[Mike Sellers]

I haven`t tried Velvet yet so I will get a sampler.

[hugowolf]

I haven`t tried Velvet yet so I will get a sampler.

My best selling open edition print is on Elegance Velvet, but it is the only thing I do of mine on it. I have gotten more archival of recent.

Brian A