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Studio Notes: Paper Behavior (page 3)
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Magnani Incisioni
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Snow white, thick and absorbent, this is very much like Arches
88 except somehow it behaves better. It is especially suited for
wood engravings or for embossing (surprise, since those two print-acts
require such different characteristics).
For a white
paper, this is definitely the king. It is very smooth and accepts
buckets of ink, layer after layer. It is a strong paper that
tears smoothly. |
Magnani Pescia Blue/Cream/White
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This paper is thick and soft and of an unusual
light blue color. Pescia also comes in a beautiful cream and pure
white. The surface is very smooth with no grain. Tears or cuts remarkably
well. Basically "acts" like Arches 88 but better quality all around.
It works well wet or dry, shrinks evenly (so it registers
well), and takes much abuse so it is equally suitable for hand or
press printing. It embosses well because of the thickness
and will take many layers of ink. It also accepts engravings and
other printmaking methods, truly a king of papers.
Pine
Creek Escapade is printed on Pescia. |
Masa
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This is a great practice paper but also very very very! suitable
for engravings. It is a Japanese paper, so it is thin and strong.
comes heavily sized on one side, smooth like typing paper--no, smoother.
The other side clearly shows the typical long fibers of Japanese
papers (a great and affordable teaching tool).
Other
than that, it is snow white, thin and affordable. I buy it by the
roll and keep it for proofing but also for engravings to get all
that wonderful detail. |
Mexican Bark
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This hand-made paper is expensive and difficult to work with.
Another one of those challenges! Unsized, tough, thick; made by
beating bark "to a pulp" then forming sheets. It feels like thin
layers of bark and absolutely will not accept ink unless dampened
thoroughly. This doesn't mean it has to be soaked, just let the
dampness travel well overnight. Printing requires a gel additive
or the paper will stay on the block.
It comes in ivory,
chestnut, buckskin, and marble (a mixture of chestnut/buckskin and
ivory). It is specially suited for simple images and will emboss
nicely.
It will also tear nicely, not always where
you want. It is impossible to cut or tear in straight lines, but
wetting with a paint brush causes the paper to separate beautifully.
A nice challenge for specially planned images. |
Mulberry Natural
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This is a thin, unsized, decorative paper that
is tough to use in prints. The best use I can think of is for one-color
prints, since the speckled greenish background of the paper adds
plenty to the image.
It behaves much like Japanese papers,
that is, it loves ink and is strong, although not as strong and
malleable as okawara or hosho. If you havea specific image
in mind like the Joshua Forest pictured, then it is a great paper
and no other will do. I keep using it to print desert images. |
Murillo Printmaking
 |
This is a thick, cardboard-feeling, chunky and
tough paper. It absorbs the ink well, but has to be soaked to print
because in its dry state it is HARD!
It comes in the
pictured Chestnut and many other bright and buff colors. The cream
Murillo is especially attractive. It has a distinct wavy pattern
which will show in the finished print. After soaking and drying
it is likely that it will buckle much like watercolor paper, so
it has to be dried under weights between blotters.
Murillo
Chestnut was used for Hija Del
Sol. |
Niggeden
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A meaty, German mould-made paper with very distinct
waves running through the fibers. It is hard to the touch and medium
weight, has to be dampened for printing. The waves will show through
the finished print, so if you don't like that, don't use it.
It absorbs the ink readily, although dry printing does not
yield good results. The warmth of the tan paper is difficult to
find in others, except Arches tan and Kitakata. Renaissance
was printed on Niggeden. |
Okawara
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This is a thin, lightly sized on one side, beautiful
paper that is a dream to print on. It works equally well dry or
dampened, it is lightweight, warm in color. It prints equally well
on the sized side and the unsized side, giving beautiful results
either way (oil inks). Tears well, feels soft and strong.
If you are planning a big run, get all your paper in one
order because the rolls (36"x72") can vary quite a bit in color.
Also, there are different qualities, some hand-made and some machine
made which are cheaper but lack the "gorgeousness."
Lady
of the Wood was printed on Okawara. |
Rives de Lin
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This very expensive paper is so full of personality that I
can't help using it, even though it's really meant for drawing.
When I try to explain to someone how beautiful paper can be, I merely
show them a sheet of this stuff.
Rives de Lin
is snow white and toothy, but don't let that stop you as it absorbs
ink as well as any of the Magnani papers. The images are softer
because the 'shallows' of the paper will remain white. It is a heavy
Western type paper that I love using for soft effects.
It will accept layer upon layer of ink and the final effect can
look like a watercolor. Tears beautifully and in fact the tears
are closer to a real deckle than when tearing any other paper.
It is, however, expensive but well worth it and comes in
rolls for the adventurous. |
Stonehenge
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A very affordable all printmaking purposes paper. Advantages
are numerous: comes in a variety of soft colors and black, it is
a Western heavy paper ideally suited for both woodcuts and wood
engravings, embosses well, prints great wet or dry.
It
is lightly sized internally, so it is a bit harder (non-spongy)
than the Magnani papers. It tears great and with a nice imitation
deckle edge. Comes in all sizes. Behaves in every ocassion and comes
in a wide range of creams, tans and off whites. I know we printmakers
are supposed to use more expensive papers, but this is a definite
winner with me and I can't see a downside.
Also comes
in rolls. |
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