Digital BW, The Print

> > Do either Hahnemuhle FineArt Baryta 325 or Gold Fibre Silk need a
> > spray sealer to protect the surface? If so, which one do you
> > recommend? I'm assuming a solvent spray is best?

I don't know about those particular papers, but Premier Art Print 
Shield is what I sometimes use to spray glossy prints.  It does offer 
some protection against abraision, as well as hide gloss differential 
and bronzing.  This is a solvent based spray that does have the nasty 
VOCs in it.  Where I live an open garage works; gogles and a 
respirator (or just holding your breath) are recommended.

> ...
> unless ... throughly dried an overcoating can cause prints to 
> stick together when stacked, ...

I've found this only with the water based coatings. 

...
> The volatile organic compounds (VOC) in solvent based 
> sprays are bad for both your health (and everyone else's) 
> and for the environment. 

True.  Even the water based ones are not necessarily healthy.  They 
are most commonly suspensions of what one expert referred to 
as "gooey golf balls" of solvent and coating.  I think you'll see in 
the commercial field "100% solids" is where the industry is going to 
try and get away from these solvents.  I'm not sure we have any such 
coatings available to us.

I, frankly, prefer no spraying at all, but given the way our pigments 
tend to sit on top of the paper, they are all too easy to damage.  
Some type of over-coat would be nice.

Perhpas Daniela and Mantinieri are onto something with their gelatin 
coating.  See message 93834.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com