Michaels comment is enigmatic and tantalising. One of the great things about this new technology is new papers. What luxury! The trouble is many are disappointing and don't live up to the hype.
A few points
* Rag papers (any surface) are made from cotton. Most of the rest are made from wood. Cotton is generally regarded as having better archival properties but it depends on how wood is processed. Getting rid of the lignin and other impurities in wood is expensive and not good for environment. No one asks where the wood comes from or how much water and pesticide the cotton uses. There are other fibres, e.g. kozo, gampi, hemp (such as in Awagami papers) and others. For gloss and close to gloss there are also synthetics (as in Pictorico gloss).
* Behind glass on acrylic the difference between photo type and matte type diminishes. All the same the qualities of both can be seen with good glass and framing. A paper with true deckle edges floating behind optically clear glass looks pretty swish.
* I don't care if the new papers look like silver gelatine papers or not. I am interested in if they can reveal fine detail, tonal gradations, wide colour gamut and deep blacks. I want the whites to look white, neutral or warm- not green or fluorescent blue. I want papers that resist scuffing and kinking.
I want papers that look the same under household fluoros , diffuse daylight or gallery lighting.
*An increasing number of prints are not displayed behind glass or plastic. This is especially appicable for prints above 1mx1m. I have printed up to 7.5 squ. meters and the demand for big prints - selling so far up to $15,000- is increasing. These are not framed in the old 19th or 20th century manner, but pinned, held with magnets or adhered to surfaced metals or other materials.
In these cases the surface characteristics of the paper is very important.
* New inks , dithering patterns , nozzle size etc. are all important in determining "look" of prints.
Paper coatings have an enormous influence.
* Individual taste is fascinating. I have papers some artists insist on as without peer, and the same paper is totally rejected by others as complete rubbish.
Cheers,
Brian,
www.pharoseditions.com.au