Digital Prints

Deciding on Paper
Choosing among all the different types of papers for inkjet printing can be either an exhilarating
or exhausting experience. The assortment available has become bewildering. Where
do you start? With the recommended printer papers.
OEM Printer Paper
Just like with inks, desktop inkjet printer manufacturers market their own lines of papers,
and this is how I define “OEM” papers or media, even though some paper suppliers take
issue with this since they consider themselves to be the true OEM suppliers.
In terms of choice, this is where Epson takes the lead with photographer-artists interested
in high-quality inkjet media. At this writing, Epson listed seven different 100-percent cotton
“fine-art” papers on its product list. This is in addition to all the other types.
HP comes in second with two different fine-art papers (by Hahnemuhle) and several photographic
papers.
So, again, as with inks, the question is: Do you stick with the recommended media of the
printer maker, or do you experiment with the smorgasbord of third-party choices that
awaits you? And again, the answer is: It all depends. If you’re happy with the recommended
papers, you can be confident that they will be optimally designed for the printer’s inks and
printing technology. The permanence of those combinations will have been researched
and well-advertised. In most cases, you know what you’re getting.
But what if you want to spread your wings a little? To see what’s on the other side of the door?
It’s time to open that door.
Third-Party Paper
The first thing to acknowledge is that printer OEMs discourage you from using nonrecommended
papers. The rationale is the same as it is with inks: (1) they lose money
if you buy your paper elsewhere, and (2) they lose control of the performance of their
product since you are now introducing an unknown element to it. OEM-branded
papers are designed to work in conjunction with OEM printers, drivers, and inks in a
coordinated system.
However, because there are no smart chips embedded in papers (yet), you are free to use
and print on whatever you can find, within reason. Of course, some papers will work better
than others depending on your needs. See Table 7.3 for only a partial list of third-party
media choices.
Key Paper Characteristics
What follows next are the key factors and characteristics you should be aware of (and questions
to ask) when going paper hunting, whether for OEM or third-party brands.
Chapter 7 ■ Choosing Your Consumables 233