Digital BW, The Print

John,

>... What papers would you suggest for archival printing?  
>I use an Epson 2200 with Image Print and a PC.  
>I have use both EEM and Luster, but if they are not archival, 
>maybe I should use something else.

I use EEM for display and non-archival uses.  It's a great paper and value
for many purposes.  However, the risk is, even with snapshots, for example,
that I make one not thinking about archival uses, but it turns out to be the
best image of an important person down the road years from now.  

So, how to balance longevity with other important criteria can be tough.
But I increasingly use cotton-based matte papers even for snapshots.

There are a number of cotton-based inkjet papers.  PhotoRag is probably the
most popular, in part because it has the best dmax of any of the current
papers. (Permajet Alpha will likely match it when released.)  However,
PhotoRag has a sensitive surface.  It and most cotton-based papers have
problems with flaking (small bits of coating coming off) that is a nuisance
to deal with, but can be largely eliminated by brushing or wiping the
surface off before printing. The surface is also very easy to damage by
abrasion and is sensitive to some chemicals.

I am occasionally invited to give talks to groups about archival printing
and old photo restoration.  To these groups, I recommend Epson Scrapbook
paper (also sold by PremierArt as Fine Art Hot Press and by Epson in rolls
as UltraSmooth).  It is a cotton-based paper with a surface that does not
flake significantly.  It also has no optical brighteners in it.  These make
a paper look whiter, but they burn out and make the paper look relatively
yellow after being exposed to light for long periods.  The byproducts of the
brighteners breaking down are very reactive and were apparently the cause of
some of the original RC paper problems.  Whether they will cause trouble in
long term storage or display of inkjet prints is unknown, but I favor papers
with no optical brighteners for long term display or storage. 

(Actually, with the 2200 and UT7 [perhaps with LC in the LM spot], Arches
Hot Press 90 may be the ultimate matte paper for longevity.  However, I
don't know how it prints with Image Print, and I doubt most will want to
deal with an uncoated paper.  It's in fade testing now.)
 
For glossy paper, Premium Luster very likely is archival.  The entire Epson
Premium line of papers (Semigloss, Gloss, Luster, & Semimatte) are the only
glossy papers that I've tested that have a buffered paper interior and print
well with pigments.  Wilhelm rates them at ">200 years" of dark storage.
This is the same rating he gives the best cotton papers.  However, so many
of us photographers got burned by RC photo papers in the past that I think
there will be a lot of distrust of this type of paper in terms of it's long
term stability.  

Hope this helps.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com 

For UT2 information, curves, and settings see:
http://home1.gte.net/res09aij/