Choice of Paper

The choice of paper for fine art prints is very personal. More types of archival papers suitable for digital printing than ever are now available, providing artists with an incredible variety of choices. Such a plethora of choices can also be overwhelming, and I will work with you to find the best paper for your particular needs and artistic intent.

Most artists choose to print on matte, glossy, or semi-luster papers. Below I describe a few papers that I have found to produce stellar results for my clients, but I have many more in stock beyond these to fit any particular application. Another factor to consider is the presence of optical brightening agents (OBA's), an element added to many papers that adds additional brightness at the possible risk of decreased archival ratings. I use only the highest quality of papers and the costs of prints on any of these papers is the same.

I keep the papers listed below in stock in all sizes, and many other papers are potentially available upon request.

Fine art Matte Papers

Canson Infinity Rag Photographique 310

Canson Infinity Rag Photographique is a 100% cotton fine art paper that is bright without using optical OBA's. With a smooth surface, it is suitable for both art reproductions and any type of photographic print. A lovely, versatile paper that is a favorite of many. I use it for much of my personal work. (Very similar to Epson Legacy Fibre Rag 314 GSM)

Hahnemühle Museum Etching 350 GSM

A very thick and lightly textured art paper with no OBA’s, Museum Etching is wonderful paper and I use it for much of my personal work — if I had to choose only one paper, this would be it. It is a natural white and is not quite as white as Canson Rag Photographique, but it has a significant presence and feel in the hand because of its weight (350 gsm) and beauty. It is particularly suited for art reproductions but is great for any work that does not rely on intricate detail. Museum Etching also resists flaking and damage more than many other papers.

Canson Infinity ARCHES® AQUARELLE RAG 310GSM

Canson Infinity Arches® Aquarelle Rag is a 100% cotton fine art paper that is reasonably bright without using optical OBA's and has a more watercolor/cold press surface. It has become my favorite of the watercolor type papers with a very compelling texture and great image quality.

Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308

One of the most popular matte papers, HPR is a 100% cotton paper with slight OBA’s and a lightly textured surface. With good dynamic range and a very pleasing feel, it is one of the best general purpose papers. Very beautiful paper.

CANSON INFINITY ARCHES® 88

ARCHES® 88 is a 100% cotton fine art paper that is quite bright without using optical OBA's with a very smooth surface (310 GSM). A new paper, it is quickly becoming a favorite — if you are familiar with Rag Photographique 310, this paper is whiter and even smoother.

Hahnemühle natural line Bamboo 290 gsm

Bamboo is made from fibers of highly renewable bamboo grass and can be considered an environmentally-friendly option. It is a lovely paper with a decidedly warm tone compared to most other papers I use, and I find it particularly suited for black & white work.

fine art Lustre & Glossy Papers

Canson Infinity Platine Fiber Rag

One of the best papers for digital printing. Platine Fiber Rag is a fiber-based lustre paper with a 100% cotton rag base, no OBA’s, and a lightly stippled surface. Besides the very nice stippled surface, it has superb image quality (though not quite as much range as some of its competitors) and a great feel in the hand. Epson Legacy Platine is a strikingly similar paper and one I also recommend and stock.

HAHNEMÜHLE PHOTO Gloss Baryta 320

A fiber-based glossy paper with a very smooth baryta surface is the closest paper in many ways to a traditional gelatin silver black & white paper. A combination of some OBA’s and the baryta surface result in a relatively bright white base to the paper that is cooler than Photo Rag Baryta and Gold Fibre Silk. While this is one of the most popular papers for B&W work, it also excels for color work because of its great feel and ability to display a wide range of saturation and colors. This is my strong recommendation for a glossy print.

Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta 315 GSM

One of my favorite papers, HPRB is a fiber-based lustre with a 100% cotton rag base and a baryta surface with no OBA’s. It has a lightly textured surface that is one of the most pleasing of all the lustre papers. It is best for warmer images because of its lack of OBAs. One of the best for both color and B&W work.

Specialty Papers

Hahnemühle Photo Rag metallic 340 gsm

Photo Rag Metallic is an exciting new paper that has to be seen to be appreciated. It has a 100% cotton base with a textured, silvery surface and does not use optical OBA's. It is a combination of a metallic paper and a heavy cotton rag paper, which sounds like it wouldn’t work. It definitely is not a fit for every project, but for ones where it is, there is nothing like it.

MOAB MOENKOPI UNRYU 55GSM

Moab’s Unryu paper is another unique paper, a washi paper created in conjunction with Awagami in Tokushima, Japan. Coated for inkjet, semi-translucent, and with visible hemp and mulberry fibers, this paper provides a striking pairing with the right work.

Hahnemühle Photo Rag Book & Album 220 gsm / Canson infinity Rag PHotographique Duo 220

Two lovely papers suitable for use in handmade books, these two papers are relatively thin (but still high quality) and can be printed in high quality on both sides. Photo Rag Book & Album has a designated short grain on all sizes except for 17”x22” and is a little warmer and more textured, while Rag Photographique Duo is smoother and brighter (but without OBA’s) and is usually long grain. These are my two go-to papers for printing artist books for myself or clients.