Digital BW, The Print

Bear with me if I am asking a question that has already been answered 
but at the moment all the information I have seems to be in something 
of a tangle. I have an Epson 2100 (2200) and am printing black and 
white with the Epson ultra chrome inks both as black only and using 
all seven colors and using the matte black ink on Epson Archival 
Matte paper and various different permajet acid free fine art papers 
from a sample pack and also using the photo black ink on Epsons semi-
matte paper. I am happy with the matte prints but frustratingly I am 
not really happy with the bronzing on the semi-matte (and this 
opinion is supported by most of the different non-photographic people 
I have sought opinions from). I am a great fan of the photo-feel of 
this paper (again the non-photographic people are not keen on the 
finish of the matte surfaces, even though they seem to have better 
sharpness and tonality). 

I am trying to find out if there is an ink/paper combination I can 
use on the 2100 that will give me semi-matte (which to me looks like 
the same type of finish you get on a darkroom semi-gloss paper?!) 
without bronzing (or at least with a significantly reduced amount of 
bronzing.) Failing that my printer is still within it's one month 
return policy, so I would also ask if there are any inkset/paper 
combinations that will do the same, i.e. give me bronzing free semi-
matte prints (probably excluding cone piezography for the moment as I 
am not sure if my budget will stretch that far!).

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!

Tim Robberts......

timrobberts@...

I haven't tried any of the gloss papers, just mat but-

http://www.inkjetart.com/EpsonStylusPhoto2200/media.html

Look for Pictorio and "professional glossy paper". Pictorio is said 
not to bronze by a couple folks on this list if I remember accurately, 
and pgp is highly recomended as close to a fiber based air dryed print 
(inkjetart.com). I haven't tried either myself.
Jim H.




--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Tim Robberts 
<troberts@b...>" <troberts@b...> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Bear with me if I am asking a question that has already been 
answered 
> but at the moment all the information I have seems to be in 
something 
> of a tangle. I have an Epson 2100 (2200) and am printing black and 
> white with the Epson ultra chrome inks both as black only and using 
> all seven colors and using the matte black ink on Epson Archival 
> Matte paper and various different permajet acid free fine art papers 
> from a sample pack and also using the photo black ink on Epsons 
semi-
> matte paper. I am happy with the matte prints but frustratingly I am 
> not really happy with the bronzing on the semi-matte (and this 
> opinion is supported by most of the different non-photographic 
people 
> I have sought opinions from). I am a great fan of the photo-feel of 
> this paper (again the non-photographic people are not keen on the 
> finish of the matte surfaces, even though they seem to have better 
> sharpness and tonality). 
> 
> I am trying to find out if there is an ink/paper combination I can 
> use on the 2100 that will give me semi-matte (which to me looks like 
> the same type of finish you get on a darkroom semi-gloss paper?!) 
> without bronzing (or at least with a significantly reduced amount of 
> bronzing.) Failing that my printer is still within it's one month 
> return policy, so I would also ask if there are any inkset/paper 
> combinations that will do the same, i.e. give me bronzing free semi-
> matte prints (probably excluding cone piezography for the moment as 
I 

> am not sure if my budget will stretch that far!).
> 
> Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!
> 
> Tim Robberts......
> 
> timrobberts@y...

On 1/24/03 7:52 AM, "jim hayes <jimhayes@...>" <jimhayes@...>
wrote:

> I haven't tried any of the gloss papers, just mat but-
> 
> http://www.inkjetart.com/EpsonStylusPhoto2200/media.html
> 
> Look for Pictorio and "professional glossy paper". Pictorio is said
> not to bronze by a couple folks on this list if I remember accurately,
> and pgp is highly recomended as close to a fiber based air dryed print
> (inkjetart.com). I haven't tried either myself.

Jim, thanks for these mentions.  Its important to note that the paper touted
as being "close to a fiber based air dryed print", while it may look like
that, doesn't perform like one with the Ultrachromes.  Check the epson web
site for details:

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/ProductMediaSpec.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@080
2725156.1043514184@@@@&BV_EngineID=eadcgffllhglbfdmcfjgckidnf.0&infoType=Ove
rview&oid=-10391&category=Paper+%26+Media

Epson only rates this paper as "fair" for archivability and gives it 50
years with the Ultrachrome inks.  Now of course its hard to say what this
low rating is from given that they rate it at over 100 years with the 10000
inks.  That said, it may be an excellent candidate for a quad ink made out
of the Epson Archival Black ink...I believe one of Paul Roark's current
approaches.  I'm going to pick some up and give it a try with the
ultrachromes.

Robert