Choosing the right paper for Fine-Art printing

To make your choice easier, today I'm revealing my criteria for selecting the perfect Fine-Art paper, which I've gathered over my 45-year career as founder and managing director of Authenticphoto.

In these Tips & Tricks, I'll only be talking about Fine-Art papers. I'll leave aside for the moment the so-called photographic papers.

Holding a successful image in your hands as a Fine-Art print is an exciting step for any visual artist, and adds a new dimension to the creative process of photography.

Many visual artists sometimes forget this important detail. They choose the Fine-Art paper they like, but don't associate the Fine-Art paper with the images they wish to represent and/or the visual aspects they wish to convey. And that's exactly what I'd like to guide you through.

But first a word about ISO 9706 and lightfastness.

All Fine-Art papers must comply with ISO 9706. If it doesn't, it can't be called Fine-Art paper.

If the paper meets the ISO9706 standard, it may not contain acids or brighteners (which yellow over time). Printing must have been carried out with inks complying with the ISO 9706 standard, such as the Epson HDR inks we use. The result is colorfastness and resistance to UV rays for over 100 years. Tests on a wide range of paper types are available at www.wilhelm-research.co

To make your choice easier, I've divided fine art papers into 4 distinct groups

1. Smooth or RAG Fine-Art papers
2. Structured Fine-Art papers
3. Mixed Fine-Art/photographic papers
4. Economical Fine-Art papers

Of course, some papers can fall into more than one category...

1. Fine-Art Smooth and RAG papers

Hahnemühle Photographic Rag Ultra Smooth Fine-Art Paper

Paper surfaces with very little texture and reflection have the advantage that colors and details stand out particularly well, and the focus is primarily on the subject:

A pronounced paper structure could draw the viewer too much into the two-dimensionality of the paper and thus lose some of the attention to the motif itself, making your photograph visually “inferior” in some circumstances.

Subjects such as architecture are ideally suited to paper with a smooth surface, such as Fine-Art Hahnemühle Ultrasmooth. This paper is also perfect for Diasec applications (bonding behind Acrylic Plexiglas). The Diasec itself adds extra depth to the image, and clearly visible paper structures would seem distracting here.

Their rendering is generally matte, with very smooth color transitions. Which reproduces gradations wonderfully, with great nuance and subtlety.

The term RAG means that these papers are based on cotton rather than paper pulp.

Some papers in this category:

• Hahnemühle Photographic Rag Ultra Smooth
• Canson Baryta Photographic II Mat
• Canson Rag Photographic

2. Structured Fine Art papers

Hahnemühle Torchon Fine Art Paper

A characterful paper with a tactile texture can help contextualize and deepen the impact of your print. The structure of Fine-Art paper subtly supports the images. The structure may be barely visible, but it's there. When grain is present in the image, this type of structured paper supports the image.

• Hahnemühle Rag 308 is such a paper.
• Hahnemühle Bamboo also belongs in this category.

The structure can be very present and, together with the image, determine the true “image atmosphere”. In this case, paper and image work together to determine the visual appearance.

Subjects such as nostalgic portraits, flowers and reproductions of paintings are served with Fine-art papers with a clear structure. Similarly, for reproductions of paintings, drawings and illustrations, the structured look is reminiscent of the art papers of yesteryear and adds an extra dimension to the printed image.

The visual and tactile rendering of prints is maximized if the paper is left bare, laminated on dibond for example, with a protective spray, so as to retain all its visible grain and structure.

Some papers in this category:

• Hahnemühle Torchon
• Hahnemühle William Turner

3. Fine-Art/Photographic mixed papers

PhotoArt White Baryta

These papers offer the advantage of 2 types of paper (photographic rendering and ISO9706 resistance).

Ideal for high-contrast photography, with very deep blacks and a light grain structure.

The coating on these papers is satin-gloss, reminiscent of traditional photographic papers.

Some papers in this category :

• PhotoArt White Baryta
• Canson Platinum

4. Economical Fine Art papers

"Budget" Fine Art Paper

Finally, after many years, economical Fine-Art papers have been developed by paper manufacturers.

These Fine-Art papers are printed with the same inks as the more expensive Fine-Art papers and are therefore equivalent to the more expensive versions. The difference lies in the paper support, which is different. As a result, economy papers generally have a whiter appearance and the color gamut is slightly smaller.

But if your budget takes you in that direction, then I recommend these papers. They are equivalent in terms of color guarantee and ISO 9706 standards. At least according to the manufacturers' information. They contain no bleaching agents and do not yellow.

These papers generally have a smooth structure and belong to the Fine-art category with subtle structures.

Some papers in this category:

• Fine-Art “Budget

How to present your prints on Fine-art paper?

There are 3 options:

1. Behind glass.
2. Behind Diasec acrylic
3. Collage on Dibond

1. Behind glass

2. Behind a Diasec Acrylic

Diasec "A la Carte" Glossy

Diasec Acrylic is a good solution for smooth Fine-Art papers with a subtle structure.

Diasec Acrylic preserves color intensity and intermediate tones, but also preserves deep blacks.

Acrylic is available in gloss, satin and matte finishes.

 

Discover Our Diasec

3. Mounting on Dibond

Protective Film or Spray Varnish

Hahnemühle Protective Spray

Applying a protective film is one solution, but bear in mind that color intensity and black depth are weakened, as are the intermediate tones, which acquire a flatter appearance. It's the protective film that determines the look, not your Fine-art paper.

Without a protective film in a shaded joint frame, this is a new and often overlooked possibility. An invisible spray (or varnish) is used in place of the protective film.

One product that really deserves more attention is Hahnemühle Protective Spray.

It's an invisible varnish that won't yellow, protects your Fine-Art print from fingerprints and makes dusting/cleaning easier.

The big advantage of Hahnemühle protective spray is that the visual appearance of your Fine-Art paper is preserved. If you apply Hahnemühle protective spray, you can present Fine-Art prints in a shaded joint frame.

This is the most economical solution, yet offers protection while preserving the visual appearance of your Fine-Arts.

Unfortunately, mixed fine-art/photographic papers are incompatible with this spray varnish.

Floater Frames