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Author Topic: Matte Paper recommendations?  (Read 1386 times)

pikeys

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Matte Paper recommendations?
« on: June 10, 2018, 05:51:31 pm »

Recently I have sold a few prints,but my client has requested them to be printed on Matte paper.
I use 2 printers on my windows 10 machine.
Yesterday,I made a print on Canson's PrintMaking Rag,,which I think came out pretty well.
Can anyone ,give me some good recommendations on a good Matte paper,as,I normally use PK papers.
I have been told by a few printers,that I need to print with matte papers ,due to the stronger blacks??

Any suggestions,will be appreciated,thanks,
Pikeys
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Alan Goldhammer

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2018, 07:29:16 pm »

I like Moab Entrada Rag.  It's been around for a while and it's now my choice when printing on matte paper.  The other one I often use is Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth.
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Mark D Segal

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2018, 08:37:19 pm »

Recently I have sold a few prints,but my client has requested them to be printed on Matte paper.
I use 2 printers on my windows 10 machine.
Yesterday,I made a print on Canson's PrintMaking Rag,,which I think came out pretty well.
Can anyone ,give me some good recommendations on a good Matte paper,as,I normally use PK papers.
I have been told by a few printers,that I need to print with matte papers ,due to the stronger blacks??

Any suggestions,will be appreciated,thanks,
Pikeys

The Blacks are not stronger with matte paper. In fact their darkest tone is considerably above that achievable with a good luster paper. However, there are matte paper and ink combinations that have been designed to provide excellent black shading appearance notwithstanding the inherent limitation of matte paper in respect of its maximum black. You don't mention which printer and inkset you are using, but I would highly recommend either Canon's Premium Fine Art Smooth or Epson's Legacy Fiber. I have reviewed both of these papers on this website.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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pikeys

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2018, 09:02:16 pm »

Alan,Mark--thanks for your replies.

I will check out the papers you have recommended.
I use 2 printers,a Canon pro-1 with  precision Color inks,and,the Canon pro-10 with Canon OEM inks.

Mike
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Mark D Segal

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2018, 09:08:04 pm »

OK, Canon may have provided profiles for Premium Fine Art Smooth and those printers, but definitely not for Epson Legacy Fibre, in which case a close substitute would be Hahnemuhle Photo Rag 308, if they've profiled it for your printers. Of course you can always have custom profiles made.
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Mark D Segal (formerly MarkDS)
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TommyWeir

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #5 on: June 11, 2018, 03:50:05 am »

I've rarely printed on luster the past year or so.  I've had great success with Canson Rag Photographique and the Hahnemuehle Photo Rag.   The Canson is widely available here from services with wide format printers so I've had some predictability when I move up from my humble Epson.   That said, I really like the Hahnemuehle and it comes in a range of options, smooth, bright white etc.   I think they sell a multi-pack tester...

Things to watch with matte stocks are chipping, the pigment can flake off and getting your blacks right.  You might find, as I do, that below L values of 13 or so all tones end up black.   Printing is often a game of watching your lower tones and ensuring that they have sufficient impact without blocking up.  All a balancing act.

The blacks mathematically may not be as dark as luster on a matte stock, but there is a velvety quality to them that is particularly lovely.   That has its own impact and might be what the printers were referring to.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2018, 03:54:38 am by TommyWeir »
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HartmanPrints

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #6 on: June 11, 2018, 04:06:08 am »

I agree with Alan about the Moab Entrada Rag. I absolutely love that paper. It is my go-to fine art paper. You really can't go wrong with this choice (although I'm sure some might disagree haha).

I also agree with Mark about the Epson Legacy Fiber, also a great paper. I haven't had as much experience with this paper as others, but it seems to have great results, especially when using an Epson printer.

Another lower end option is Moab Lasal Photo Matte 230... I print on this quite a lot, and even though I wouldn't even remotely classify it as a fine art paper, it is insanely affordable, and available in sheets or rolls. It prints nicely and it really depends on what you are printing and what your clients needs are.

Cheers!
-Justin

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pikeys

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2018, 02:50:59 pm »

I just got the canon Premium Fine Art paper delivered,and called canon for the profile,and of course,they do not make a profile, for my Pro-1 printer.,only the Pro-1000.
Typical Canon BS..first they keep you on hold for 45 minutes,then they don't make a profile,for paper they make,to be used on the Pro-1-unbelievable!!
Guess I'll use ..."let printer control color" setting until I can get a custom profile made.

Pikeys
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patjoja

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2018, 04:13:04 pm »

Recently I have sold a few prints,but my client has requested them to be printed on Matte paper.
I use 2 printers on my windows 10 machine.
Yesterday,I made a print on Canson's PrintMaking Rag,,which I think came out pretty well.
Can anyone ,give me some good recommendations on a good Matte paper,as,I normally use PK papers.
I have been told by a few printers,that I need to print with matte papers ,due to the stronger blacks??

Any suggestions,will be appreciated,thanks,
Pikeys

My goto matte paper is Canson Rag Photographique.  After using a lot of this paper in my latest black and white project, I'm not sure I will go back to a PK paper.  Rag Photographique is OBA free yet has a very white smooth surface.  It also has a very high d-max for great blacks.  That means the overall dynamic range of the paper is very good.  I love it especially for my black and white prints, but color also looks amazing with it.

Patrick
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John Caldwell

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #9 on: June 12, 2018, 06:00:30 pm »

Since your client has requested matte paper, which I think of as an unusual request, the client may have an image of appearance, paper weight, paper texture, and such - the client may want a conspicuously textured and rustic material like HFA Museum Etching or William Turner. These papers are wildly different from a material like the Canson Rag Photographique, in that they contribute a huge surface element to the final print where, I'll argue, a paper like Canson Rag Photographique stays out of the way of the image.
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pikeys

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2018, 06:33:42 pm »

Thanks John,
I agree with you-one of other papers,I'm looking at is Hahnemuhle German Etching,I have a feeling my client will love it.
This client is unbelievably picky,a real pita,if you know what I mean.
Thanks for your input.

Pikeys
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John Caldwell

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2018, 06:44:59 pm »

Sounds good. I was never able to get proper color results with the German Etching, either with canned or custom profiles, for some reason that I could never understand. But it's a nice surface - a bit less extreme that Museum Etching or William Turner. If your fastidious client is looking for this kind of craft show, they'll like any of these HFA heavy matte materials I suspect.

Not to introduce an unneeded concern: Has the client seen the purchased images of concern on matte media, or only on PK papers or, perhaps even more misleading, on screen only? I mean no insult to you or to the client when I caution that, depending on the client's expectations, translation to one of these papers is pretty darn different. Again, I mean no disrespect to mention this.

John-
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pikeys

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Re: Matte Paper recommendations?
« Reply #12 on: June 12, 2018, 07:19:04 pm »

My client & I go threw this every time I sell him a print..
I will link up with him,next weekend,and,yes,the print is done..it came out pretty damn good..IMHO.,so,we'll see.

Pikeys
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