Inkjet EssentialsPresented by Red River PaperMeeting in a Box

What we’ll cover Inkjet Papers Paper Weights & Measures Paper Sizes Borderless Printing Brightness vs. Whiteness Dye vs. Pigment Inks Printer Care Color Management Brief Sample Kit Project Cost of Inkjet Printing

Photo Inkjet Papers

Photobase RC Matte Fine Art Baryta Specialty

Photo inkjet paper can be broken into five categories.

Knowing the different paper options helps when considering new print projects

Photobase RC Paper

The look and feel of modern photo lab papers

Also called nanoporous or microporous

Three subtypes Glossy – Smooth reflective surface Luster / Satin – pebbled surface Semimatte – Lightly buffed gloss surface

Photobase RC PaperCompatible with dye and pigment inks

PROS

What people “expect” when they think of a photograph print

Compatible with any printer

Instant dry Withstands handling

CONS

RC paper does not resist fade as well as other paper types

Matte Photo Papers

Coated papers with no gloss or reflectivity

Capable of high quality photo reproduction and deep saturated colors

Available in many weights and double sided versions

Matte Photo PapersCompatible with dye and pigment inks

PROS

Non-reflective surface allows viewer to concentrate on details in photo

More “expressive” and “artistic” surface than RC papers

Savings – up to 80% less than other papers

CONS

Not the same level of saturation and pop as RC paper

Needs to be handled with care especially if printed with pigment inks

Fine Art Papers

Usually 100% cotton rag paper coated with inkjet receptive chemicals

Art papers are designed to offer an elegant look, feel, and higher perceived value

Two Categories Vellum / Hot Press – smooth surface Velvet / Cold Press – textured surface

Fine Art Papers

PROS

Cotton offers the most museum quality paper stock

Unique look and feel Perceived added value

to images printed on fine art media

CONS

Can be very expensive Should be handled with

care

Compatible with dye and pigment inks

Baryta Papers

Designed to mimic air-dried fibre papers

Excellent for those looking to mimic darkroom prints

Sophisticated coating technology that uses Barium Sulfate to add a lustrous cool white shade to the media

Baryta Papers

PROS

Interesting look and feel

Mimics fibre based papers of ye olde darkroom days

Good tonal range and deep blacks

CONS

Can be very expensive Not as durable as RC

photo papers Should be handled with

care

Compatible with dye and pigment inks

Paper Weight

Pound Weight – the familiar scale in the USA. Typical photo paper 65 lb – Copy paper 20 lb

Brochure paper 45 lb – Fine Art 80 lb

GSM Weight – Grams per Square Meter More “universal” measure. The easiest way

to compare weight from different sellers and paper mills.

Typical photo paper is 260gsm

Thickness Referred to terms of MIL A MIL is a thousandth of an inch Typical photo paper = 10.4mil Copy paper = 5mil Typical cotton art paper = 15mil

Paper Sizes Some typical sizes

you might encounter

4x6

5x7

8x10

8.5x11

11x14

11x17

13x19

16x20

17x22

Other Sizes in Printer Drivers

A4 = 8.3 x 11.7

Super A3/B = 13 x 19

US C = 17 x 22

Rolls13”17”24”

Custom Paper Sizes

Most printers allow you to define custom paper sizes. Custom sizes allow for more creative printing projects.

Create user defined paper sizes from your printer’s driver menu

Borderless PrintingYou can print borderless images on many Epson,

Canon & HP printers.

Some typical borderless sizes you can print:

Note: You cannot print custom borderless sizes!One exception: HP B Series printers

4x6 11x175x7 13x198x10 16x208.5x11 17x22

Borderless PrintingWhen printing borderless, your printer will expand the

image slightly.

You can control the amount of expansion in your printer’s driver dialog.

The Epson controls are shown at right

Check your printer manual for detailed help.

Brightness vs. Whitness

Brightness – A paper’s ability to reflect light Whiteness – The quality of reflected light. Refers to

the shade of the paper

Photographers should be more concerned with WHITENESS.

The shade of the paper (warm, neutral, cool) makes a much bigger impact on the final image than brightness.

Optical Brighteners & Whiteners

Optical brighteners are added to paper to help the paper look “whiter”. Also called OBAs

Pros – OBAs make the paper look clean, bright, and bluer white.

Cons – OBAs “burn out” over time when exposed to UV light. This causes the paper to return to its natural warmer shade

Optical Brighteners & Whiteners

OBAs are in the majority of photo inkjet papers. These papers will yellow slightly over time like traditional photo prints.

NO OBA Papers – Most Fine Art cotton papers have no OBAs for maximum archival rating.

***OBA content is NOT RELATED TO INK FADE! Only changes in the shade of the paper

Dye vs. Pigment Inks

The choice is important. Consider the costs and benefits of both

Dye Inks – Most printers still use dye inks Compatible with all photo inkjet papers Bigger color gamut (more saturated color) Fade much faster than pigment inks

Dye vs. Pigment Inks

Pigment Inks – Designed to resist fade Compatible with a smaller selection of paper They generally do not withstand handling as

well as dye inks (scuffing on matte and art paper) Pigment ink prints will resist fade for many

decades (30+ years)

If your intent is to make truly long lasting prints use PIGMENT INKS

Dye vs. Pigment Inks

Epson R1900 R2880 4880 7900/9900 Any C series printer

Canon Pro9500 Prograf series

HP B series Z series

Current printers with pigment inks

Printer CareKeeping your printer maintained and clean will

result in better prints and lower inkjet related stress

Learn how to run head clean and alignment Clean feed rollers regularly

Download Inkjet Essentials for more information

Inkjet Paper & Humidity

Paper takes and releases moisture. This can cause curl. Curl causes feed troubles

Keep paper in its box until used Try and regulate humidity in printing room Buy a hygrometer to measure humidity 50% RH is the best case senario

Color Management

Using color management will do two things: Make more accurate and consistent prints Save you time and money

Key Points Profiles are specific to paper, printer & ink They define the dynamic range of color and

density a printer and paper can reproduce

Color Management

Profiles are provided by printer maker or paper company

Printer profiles are NOT the same as monitor profiles

Never use a monitor profile in the print process

Download Inkjet Essentials for much more information and helpful screen shots

SAMPLE KIT PROJECT

Order any sample kit and get Free Shipping

Turn your sample kit into a Printed Buying Guide

STEP 1

Unpack your

sample kit

SAMPLE KIT PROJECTSTEP 2Go to Red River’s website and download ICC profiles for your

printer

STEP 3Make the same

print on each paper

Consider making a

montage of different

types of images

SAMPLE KIT PROJECT

STEP 4

Assemble your prints into a book

You have a ready guide for

how YOUR photos look on

different types of paper.

The guide will save TIME & MONEY

when choosing paper for your next

printing project.

Cost of Inkjet Printing

Red River conducted tests to determine the cost per print of a typical photo

Focus on the cost per print – not cost for a certain amount of ink

In general, inkjet printers are more cost effective than a photo lab for 5x7 and larger

Cost of Inkjet Printing

Inkjets also offer an intangible savings of time and flexibility. You choose when you print and how many you need.

For more information sign up for the

Inkjet Essentials download

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