Paper for Portraits?

[Ernst Dinkla]

Hot pressed papers are passed through heated calendar rollers and are smoother than papers that are pressed through unheated rollers. Cold pressing rollers can be wrapped with fabric (cotton, linen), creating an even heavier texture.

Etching papers in general, are more heavily textured. BFK Rives would probably be best described as a velvet paper. And possibly isn’t described as such because St Cuthbert’s Somerset mill may have that term trade marked (conjecture, I don’t know for sure). The texture of BFK Rives is somewhere between Epson Cold(ed) Press and Epson Hot Press(ed) papers. Its surface is more similar to Epson Velvet Fine Art paper, which is another great paper, but only available in a lighter weight.

Most, if not all, the named ‘velvet’ papers, no matter what label they are sold under, come from the same source: St Cuthbert’s Mill in Somerset, England: http://www.stcuthbertsmill.com/

Epson Velvet Fine Art, Epson Somerset Velvet, Moab Enhanced Velvet, Canon Enhanced Velvet, they are all from the same paper mill.

Brian A

There was a Lumijet White Velvet 270 gsm distributed by Hahnemühle that is now available as HM White Etching or Velvet 270 gsm and more often in rebranded packages from other distributors. I do not think St Cuthbert’s Mill had a hand in that paper. However nothing is certain in the paper trade business.

Breathing Color and Mediajet have paper qualities with Velvet in the description that differ from the Somerset qualities.


--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
January 2014, 600+ inkjet media white spectral plots.

[Mike Guilbault]

Curious... does a manufacturer like St. Cuthberts change the 'formula' when making basically the same paper for different companies (Epson, Moab, etc), or is it all just re-branding the same paper?

[hugowolf]

There was a Lumijet White Velvet 270 gsm distributed by Hahnemühle that is now available as HM White Etching or Velvet 270 gsm and more often in rebranded packages from other distributors. I do not think St Cuthbert’s Mill had a hand in that paper. However nothing is certain in the paper trade business.

Breathing Color and Mediajet have paper qualities with Velvet in the description that differ from the Somerset qualities.

Yes the Breathing Color paper doesn't resemble a St Cuthbert's paper. It would probably difficult to trade mark Velvet, but I do see that what was once Epson Somerset Velvet is now Somerset® Velvet for Epson. So Somerset has been registered as a trade mark with regards to paper.

Brian A

[hugowolf]

Curious... does a manufacturer like St. Cuthberts change the 'formula' when making basically the same paper for different companies (Epson, Moab, etc), or is it all just re-branding the same paper?

I am sure some of it is the same but simply with a different name. And if a reseller demanded a unique product, it wouldn't be difficult to make a paper a little heavier or lighter. You could also have the same paper base with a different inkjet receptive layer.

It would take a better organization than the NSA to get anything out of a paper manufacture.

Brian A

[pikeys]

Paper Update onn R3000 Printer

Just wanted to post a note of thank you to Brian A & Mike Guilbault,and others,who helped me with the fine art paper choices.
I received the Epson Cold press Natural ,and today I had an opportunity to test it out.
The results were ..outstanding..
Beautiful warm tone ,and,razor sharp detail,smooth elegant look ...
Here is a link to some of the images,I need to get printed,like I said,it was mostly done in stage lighting,lots of silk,..so..not an ideal lighting setup.
http://Mike397x.zenfolio.com/p983833991
My Wife,who organizes most of the Thai Parties in the NY,NJ,Conn.,area
http://Mike397x.zenfolio.com/p983833991/e37b60a52

Brian A ,I expect delivery on the Hahnenmuhle German Etching,and the Velvet Fine Art--many ,many thanks to your posts..

TNX,
Mike