Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Tim Taylor"
<tim@2...> wrote:
> I searched the archives and didn't find anything on this subject. 
> 
> Has anyone used watercolor paper, particularly Arches hot-press
> (smooth surface), acid-free, 100% rag, in printing B&W prints?  I do
> both painting and printing and would like to combine the two
> experimentally.

I use Arches Cold Press (much more beautiful than that wimpy hot
press, you girly-man, you).

I haven't heard of clogging problems, but I can picture it if the
paper is too thick and grazes the print head. What printer are you
using. On some, like the EPson 4000, you can specify the paper
thickness in 1/10 mm units, and get the head flying high above the
watercolor paper. This will reduce resolution, but keep the head safe
from head/paper contact...

Real watercolor paper will take about a 4x ink load before you run
into trouble, so if you're going to do B&W using QTR, try building a
curve with the ink limits at 100% on both the light black and the
regular black. Won't hurt the paper at all, but will use a ton of ink.

I've found printing on watercolor paper to be satisfying, but
expensive. The curves I've built use about twice as much ink as normal
printing ;)

Pigment ink printers like the Epson 2200, 4000, 7600, etc. lay down
ink that will stay put no matter what you do to the paper, so further
work in watercolors or guache won't bother the printed image at all.
Dye ink printers like the Epson 1270, R200, 7600 (loaded with dye ink)
will act just like watercolors, so you can "interact" with the printed
image.

Anyway, welcome to the mixed media world. Always nice to have another
on board (even if you are a namby-pamby smooth paper lover).

Ciao!

Joe