[thomasgeorge]

What is your favorite type of paper for prints and why? With a whole bunch of different varieties from many different manufacturers, it could take a long time and a lot of bucks to try them all, so, who uses what and why? I use Epson Heavyweight Matte for about 98% of all my printing...it resists fading, abrasion and ink does not soak thru causing paper wrinkling, plus the colors dont seem to shift as with the glossy types. Tom

[Doug Nelson]

I also use the Epson Heavyweight Matte. I like the look, the feel, and it has a good storage reputation.

However, that doesn't mean I don't occasionally get a little curious, particularly when I read about some of the more exotic setups used by some of the members of mailing lists I subscribe to. I put some of the better resource links over in the suppliers section of our new links database.

Perhaps as restorers we're actually being limited. In "restoring", normalcy or plain-ness in paper choice is perhaps preferred. I doubt anyone would appreciate that Uncle Jethro's restored portrait was printed on ivory Bavarian rag or Japanese rice paper. Quite the opposite, probably.

[chris h]

I mainly use a brand called Ilford in a fairly heavy 230 gram quality. My printer will just about cope with it. My brother unearthed a case full of HP LX Glossy looks about 100gram which came from an office storeroom. Nice stuff I mainly use it for tests before using more expensive papers.

I've done some copy stuff for watercolour painters using various Hahnemule papers which reproduce very well for graphical stuff.