Digital BW, The Print

There are different levels of archival mat boards. In general you want to avoid paper mat boards. They are typically only used for "decorative" purposes. Bainbridge makes an archival alpha cellulose mat board called Alphamat that is very archival but their most archival is their Alpharag which is made of cotton (rag). Crescent makes a cotton rag board which is very archival but their most archival is their museum rag which is equivalent to the Bainbride Alpharag. Museum quality rag board such as Crescents or Bainbridge Alpharag place limits on the dyes used for coloring the mat board and the board is the same color all the way through. The beveled edge will be the same color as the surface. Lower end rag boards and alpha cellulose boards will have an archival core (which touches the art work), but then be laminated with a less archival surface material that provides the color. In that case the bevel will typically be white or black. Just a little less archival, but they allow for darker colors.

Regardless of what you go with you will want to get samples. Even if you have a color calibrated monitor and the website you are looking at did a good job placing accurate pictures online it wont be the same since your monitor is projecting light and the mat board will be reflecting light. The same color mat board will look different under different lights such as tungsten or florescent just as the paper will. You will want to place the mat board over the paper and view it under the light that the framed image will most likely be viewed under. Also keep in mind that UV filter glass or acrylic will also effect the color and cause additional color warmth. If using UV glazing you will want to view the mat and paper under that as well.

Cheers,
Mark 
President
Frame Destination, Inc.
http://www.framedestination.com/

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "kbee123456789" <dkbb1@...> wrote:
>
> Well I now have in house a (refurbished) Workforce 1100 and some eb4 ink.  They first few test prints are quite promising, I like them a lot. Enough to think that I might want to actually mat some eventually.
> 
> So that is my next question. Paul mentions using natural white mat board so as not overemphasize the warmth of the carbon print.  I am looking for some guidance on what mat board to use (and where to get it). Obviously it should be archival, but so far I have not found a color that says 'natural white.'  So all help appreciated.
> 
> Paul I can't thank you enough for your efforts in developing these inks and techniques. I can't believe that I can have such great output for only about $150 for ink and printer.
> 
> Happy New Year all.
>