Digital BW, The Print

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.

Thanks for your help!

--- 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

I have printed on Arches, tested on both cold and hot press. You will
need a driver like QTR, OPM/IJC, or a more expensive RIP if you want
anything near photographic results. The ink has to be carefully
limited, first for bleed, but before you reach that point you will see
mottle. Each ink must be looked at, not just overall limiting. Total
ink needs to be looked at as well.
After all these issues are taken care of, the result will be very nice
but more subtle than coated inkjet art papers. Lower dmax, and a bit
of a grainy quality.
If you don't care about photographis detail, and like some bleed, of
course you can do whatever you want. It comes in a few weights, so you
can find one the printer will pass without problems.
Tyler

--- 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.
> 
> Thanks for your help!

Hi Tim.

Another paper you might consider for this is the uncoated Somerset
Velvet. It can give highly satisfying results with either B&W or color.
Utilising Black only printing, it can also give nice photographic
detail as well.
Doing what you wish will take a bit of experimenting but is not difficult.

Regards.
Duane


--- 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.
> 
> Thanks for your help!

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

I am secure in my man-hood (and happen to have several blocks of the
hot-press laying around to play with)!

> What printer are you using?

I just purchased an Epson C86 and plan to use the MIS EZ inks to begin
the B&W printing, then apply watercolor to it for the effect I want.

> 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 ;)
> 

I don't plan to produce much at this time except perhaps the master
print.  Then I may make it into cards, etc. through a printer.

> 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

Thanks for making me feel welcome, Joe!

> Another paper you might consider for this is the uncoated Somerset
> Velvet. It can give highly satisfying results with either B&W or color.
> Utilising Black only printing, it can also give nice photographic
> detail as well.
> Doing what you wish will take a bit of experimenting but is not
difficult.
> 
> Regards.
> Duane
> 

Thanks, Duane for the tip on paper.  I know it will take some
experimenting and I have alot to learn about the digital workflow to
get  the image I want, but that is part of the excitment of
experimenting!  I am starting small/simple (Epson c86, MIS EZ inks,
Olympus c-8080, Photoshop 7) to start with.  Don't have a lot of
experience with doing the curves thing yet but will learn.

In fact I may not want as much detail and tones as for a normal
photographic print (although I will do those as well) for the
watercolor.  I don't plan on much dry brush but will work alot of
wet-in-wet washes over the various areas of the print, so the surface
will need to be receptive to that technique.