Digital BW, The Print

john dean wrote:
> 
> That's very interesting. WIlhelm did some impressive tests rating  Concorde Rag and the 
> Roland fully pigmented archival inkset several years ago but he never said WHICH Concord 
> Rag it was he tested. Those ratings were W 150+ years or so. Later I heard that some of 
> the carbon pigment inksets were giving less than stellar results with that paper. I know 
> one thig, the roll variety of the warm Concorde Rag ( Rolland also distributes an off white, 
> not really warm version also which makes it even more confusing and sometimes they call 
> that Providence Rag ) is thicker but simply not even the same paper as the thinner warm  
> sheet sold by Legion. The thick roll version of the yellow CR looked horrible when I tested 
> it two different times.
> 
> So, who knows. I know it is the only truely warm paper that I have found which looks 
> Platinum like, when used with warm carbon or Lyson inksets. I have done some really 
> beautiful work with that paper over the years but always sprayed it with UV spray.  I 
> noticed recently that Cone Editions suggests using it with their Carbon Sepia inkset for 
> Platinum appearance.
> 
> Does anyone know of a similar rag paper which can produce those golden yellowish 
> highlights that look so unique with warm toned images. I have't seen any. I always 
> wondered why someone else didn't make one, couldn't they just add warm pigment in the 
> production of the paper? 
> 
> john

Some days ago I saw a page on the net that said Concorde Rag is 
manufactured by Lana, Vosges/Alsace, France.  I think the paper 
itself may have its origin there but I doubt it is coated in 
France for the US market.  Legion could have used rag paper from 
other sources as well and sold it under the same name.  I have 
used Lana paper in the past in silkscreen printing and the 
quality was quite consistent for rag papers. Color of the paper 
is a mix of the paper itself and the coating, changes in color 
can happen with the paper and the coating. Sometimes that yellow 
discoloration disappears with enough light exposure.

It seems Lana is introducing new inkjet papers now but I didn't 
find a booth on the Photokina so couldn't test samples:

http://www.inspirationalarts.ie/content/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=138&limit=1&limitstart=3

Arches have changed their program as well and I tested some 
sheets but didn't like the print quality so far. There's a 
difference between the papers sold in Europe and the US though, 
so that may be the reason. Coating is done per continent. We 
don't have the Infinity. There is a new thick paper sheet range 
for mattes that can be printed.
The Canson Mi-Teintes Ivory inkjet paper is really warm (creme) 
but has a rough surface. Don't know whether that is distributed 
in the US.

Bergger has two nice papers. Arches paper but much better 
coating. At least for the European quality.

The best news is Innova.  In my opinion it could be better than 
Hahnemuhle's quality. Two former HM people are in charge there. 
Excellent prints with MIS7600 and Ultrachrome inks. Can hold more 
ink than Photo Rag.  With the same PR profile. a 10000CF loaded 
with MIS7600 I got 1.55 Dmax on PR and between 1.51 and 1.54 on 
the range of Innova papers. Bleeding on Photo Rag was higher than 
on the Innovas so another profile and paper setting will bridge 
that small gap in density. In the printed sample book that I also 
got is a B&W print on the first page (Ultrachrome, 2200) that has 
a black area with a 1.67 Dmax, Fibaprint paper. That's the same I 
can make on PhotoRag with Ultratone inks on PhotoRag. In my 
opinion a good example that the Innova papers are the ones to get 
now. Price is much lower than HM in the US as I understand it.

www.innovaart.com

Innova will be at the NYC show next week.

No stockholder :-)

Ernst