I have spent the past couple of months printing B&W images for my upcoming show on Museo Silver Rag. It's a WONDERFUL paper (other than periodic flecks embedded in the paper). But I'll live with that, in return for it's great quality. I've gone through about eight rolls and will continue to use it!
Recently I started printing my color work for the show on Epson Exhibition Fiber. First off, I notice a "film" on the surface of the paper. You might call it a haze. If I touch the surface of the paper, it leaves a mark (that can be seen if light shines across the surface of the paper). I've been wearing white gloves, but even then, fingerprints show up. Just for grins, I took my gloved finger and rubbed it around on the paper .... as you would if you were dusting furniture -- the haze is removed when wiped .... leaving a trail where I wiped it.
But more annoying is the bronzing. The Museo Silver Rag paper showed no signs of bronzing -- none. Exhibition Fiber is really bad .... as bad as I've seen on any paper. It's showing up over dark areas. My prints have ink coverage on 100% of the surface, so that's not the issue. Many times bronzing shows up then.
Beyond this, when I cut the paper, I can tell that it's not 100% cotton rag (as is the Silver Rag). I recycle the silver rag, but assume that I can't recycle the Exhibition Fiber.
Ideas on the film issue; bronzing, or the recyclability of the paper?
