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Author Topic: Epson Velvet Fine Art paper  (Read 5930 times)

Dave S.

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Epson Velvet Fine Art paper
« on: December 15, 2008, 10:06:33 am »

One of my favorite fine art papers is the Epson Velvet Fine Art paper. Printing with Matte Black ink installed in my Epson 7880 I get impressive black and whites with incredible contrast and color pictures come out absolutely stunning. Only problem was trying to figure out which side of the paper to print on. Epson is no help at all by instructing to print on the "whiter side" and a review by Luminous Landscape wasn't any better. Luminous said to feel the paper between your thumb and fore finger and print on the rougher side. I never could tell which side was rougher and even under strong light I couldn't tell which side was rougher. (and if you can feel which side is rougher don't print on the rougher side.)

Finally, after wasting several large sheets of Velvet paper I found out how to tell. Using a 4x loupe or stronger, examine both sides of the paper. The printable side is coated and smoother with a flawless slightly non-uniformed dimpled surface. The non-printable side has the same type of surface but it is rougher and has tiny loose fibers. The printable side looks like a plaster wall with a coat of flat wall paint where the non-printable side looks raw. Thought some people would like to know.
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Tim Gray

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Epson Velvet Fine Art paper
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2008, 12:27:25 pm »

This may sound a bit gross, but it's a tip I was given, and works...  Take a sheet a place a small corner between your lips - the "up" side will stick to your lip a bit more than the back side.  Then, for future reference, once you have the right side identified, fan the deck a bit and draw a small pencil line across the exposed edges of the sheets.

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Dave S.

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Epson Velvet Fine Art paper
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2008, 12:40:50 pm »

Quote from: Tim Gray
This may sound a bit gross, but it's a tip I was given, and works...  Take a sheet a place a small corner between your lips - the "up" side will stick to your lip a bit more than the back side.  Then, for future reference, once you have the right side identified, fan the deck a bit and draw a small pencil line across the exposed edges of the sheets.

You're right! It is gross but it also works. I tried it on other papers and it seems the coated side sticks on all of them. You could also wet your fingers and use them.
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JDClements

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Epson Velvet Fine Art paper
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2008, 07:36:01 pm »

Paper packaging standard: The side you print on faces the bottom of the package. So flip your paper package upside down, and when you remove the sheets, the print surface is up. Keep all the packages on your shelf upside down.

(This even applies to cheap photocopy paper. Most people will rip open the packages "upright" and load that way. Result is lots of paper jams. Take the pile out, flip it over, jams go away.)

If the Velvet paper is already out of the package, and you are not sure, then just slip another sheet part way out (with the package upside down) then overlay the sheet in hand and compare. You can see the difference when they are over top each other. (Or, if you don't see the difference, then you are looking at the side to print on.)
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davidh4976

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Epson Velvet Fine Art paper
« Reply #4 on: December 15, 2008, 09:06:00 pm »

Quote from: Tim Gray
This may sound a bit gross, but it's a tip I was given, and works...  Take a sheet a place a small corner between your lips - the "up" side will stick to your lip a bit more than the back side.  Then, for future reference, once you have the right side identified, fan the deck a bit and draw a small pencil line across the exposed edges of the sheets.

LOL!  you can do the same thing by moistening your index finger and thumb and holding the corner between them.  The print side will stick to your finger.
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iancl

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Epson Velvet Fine Art paper
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2008, 10:57:18 pm »

Quote from: davidh4976
LOL!  you can do the same thing by moistening your index finger and thumb and holding the corner between them.  The print side will stick to your finger.

Yes. I think that is actually what the hHanhemuhle packages suggest on the included instructions.
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william

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Epson Velvet Fine Art paper
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2008, 08:41:11 pm »

Quote from: JDClements
Paper packaging standard: The side you print on faces the bottom of the package. So flip your paper package upside down, and when you remove the sheets, the print surface is up. Keep all the packages on your shelf upside down.

This is true of all Epson papers.  Not necessarily true of all other brands, though.  I had several boxes of Innova paper where the printable side was facing the bottom/back of the package, and some others where it was facing the top/front.
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imagier

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Epson Velvet Fine Art paper
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2008, 08:32:32 am »

Quote from: Dave S.
Finally, after wasting several large sheets of Velvet paper I found out how to tell. Using a 4x loupe or stronger, examine both sides of the paper. The printable side is coated and smoother with a flawless slightly non-uniformed dimpled surface. The non-printable side has the same type of surface but it is rougher and has tiny loose fibers. The printable side looks like a plaster wall with a coat of flat wall paint where the non-printable side looks raw. Thought some people would like to know.

Thanks, Dave. I was just struggling with this question yesterday (using Moab's Somerset velvet). No more guessing now.
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Geoff Wittig

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Epson Velvet Fine Art paper
« Reply #8 on: December 17, 2008, 08:48:31 am »

Quote from: JDClements
Paper packaging standard: The side you print on faces the bottom of the package. So flip your paper package upside down, and when you remove the sheets, the print surface is up. Keep all the packages on your shelf upside down.


Ummm...not always. It depends on the brand. For Hahnemüle sheet paper that comes in a box, the printable side is actually the "up" side that faces you when you open the box. The damp fingertip test is pretty reliable, and I use it all the time when I screw up and put a few loose sheets on the desktop and forget which way I put them.
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