Apart from colour rendering and calibration, the selection of paper in fine art printing is essential on both artistic and technical levels. The best choice of paper is one that compliments the image, which helps to bring it to the next level of artistic expression and enhances its value for the collector. Technically, the paper is an essential part of printing and will determine if the printed image will endure for years to come. If it's the portrait of an elderly gentleman or the rolling landscapes of the English countryside, your choice of paper has a crucial role to play in fine art printing.

What are the qualities of a great fine art paper?

There are many factors that determine if the paper is appropriate to print long-lasting, precise prints. Here are some of the factors you should consider:

The paper's material paper

- Coating technology

- Colour of paper

- Paper weight or 'gsm' (grams per square meter)

Surface texture and the finish

Paper component

A top quality base paper for Astotin Lake printing should consist of at least 2 layers: the base paper and the coating which is applied on the base. The finest paper bases is composed of cotton (rag) fibre and wood cellulose, or a mixture of the two. Rag paper that is the most costly constructed entirely of cotton or linen fibre. They are also known to last for hundreds and years with no noticeable loss of color, discoloration, or weakness.

Another thing to consider is that the paper should be acid-free with a pH value of 7.0 or higher. The acid in paper will transfer to inks and cause it to fade or discolour. The pH of the paper is usually stated on packaging used by manufacturers of paper.

Whiteness and brightness

The rule of thumb is that the whiter the photo print paper, then the more contrast there will be between the colours printed out. This means that printouts will have a wider colour range and the print will benefit from richer shades. Hence, photographers looking to create vibrant, vivid images typically opt for bright white paper. The brightness of a paper is typically rated from 1 to 100. 100 being the most bright. For example, multipurpose bond paper that is used in copiers and office printers has a paper brightness rating in the 80 range. Inkjet photo papers, on the other hand, are rated between the mid- and high- 90 range and are able to reflect more light making it appear brighter.

To achieve the brightness, the paper makers either bleach the paper with chlorine or apply Optical Brightening Agents (OBA). Paper produced this way may not retain its brightness and over time, colour shifts will occur. If the durability of your print is important to your select paper without chlorine bleaching or OBA. To determine if a paper is optically brightened you need to shine a UV light onto the paper in a dark area. If it lights up brightly it means that optical brightener was added during production.

To find chlorine-free paper, it is important to be acquainted with the terms employed by the paper makers. For instance "Chlorine-free," which implies that no chlorine was used is not the same as "Elemental Chlorine-Free' (ECF). ECF-treated papers are made by using chlorine derivatives. Look for paper using pulp that bear the Totally Chlorine-Free (TCF) description.

Paper weight

The weight of paper is measured in grams per square millimeter (gsm or grams/m2). Heavy paper is ideal for fine art printing Astotin lake. It gives your print rigidity and prevents curling. Hence, many photographers prefer to use paper of at least 230gsm or greater. In order to make mounting larger prints simpler, it's a good idea to use more grammage of paper. However, do note that some printers are not able to handle the weighty and heavy paper, as most lack the ability to load paper from the rear.