Anyone using Ilford ART 300?

markbau · Jan 19, 2022

I'm curious to try some but before ordering thought I'd ask in here. I love air dried glossy FB paper. Every time I've tried a non glossy paper I've been disappointed. They always look as if they need to be printed 1/2 a grade harder. With my fondness for air dried glossy paper, do you think I'll be disappointed with this "eggshell" finish. Just how glossy is eggshell? Is it closer to a Pearl finish?

mshchem · Jan 20, 2022

markbau said:
I'm curious to try some but before ordering thought I'd ask in here. I love air dried glossy FB paper. Every time I've tried a non glossy paper I've been disappointed. They always look as if they need to be printed 1/2 a grade harder. With my fondness for air dried glossy paper, do you think I'll be disappointed with this "eggshell" finish. Just how glossy is eggshell? Is it closer to a Pearl finish?

This paper looks "handmade" there's no bayarta coat between the paper and the emulsion. It sort of sparkles. It's a unique look on very heavy stock and makes lovely prints. Not glossy, matte or pearl.

Pieter12 · Jan 20, 2022

The blacks are deep and velvety. The paper has an eggshell finish and an off-white color. Also note it is about 1 stop slower than Ilford MGFb Classic. The emilsion is more delicate, too.

Don_ih · Jan 20, 2022

And make sure you use an acid stop bath for long enough to kill all developer that's soaked into the paper, or it will stain when you put it in fixer. You get good contrast fairly easily on this paper.

Dusty Negative · Jan 20, 2022

…and, fully toned in selenium, it yields a pleasing (says I) brown tone.

otto.f · Jan 20, 2022

And eggshell gives more sharpness impression than matte and mostly also than pearl. Compared to glossy it conveys more depth in the image

markbau · Jan 20, 2022

Well it sounds like I'll order some to try, thanks for all the replies. I normally stop with citric acid, will this work or should I use acetic?

Juan Valdenebro · Jan 20, 2022

It's supposed to be the same Ilford warmtone MG paper emulsion, but on thick watercolor paper.
I like it, but some people don't, because -they say- its eggshell surface can't show as much detail as other papers: IMO photography has no relation with highest sharpness, resolution or finest detail.

ntenny · Jan 20, 2022

Juan Valdenebro said:
It's supposed to be the same Ilford warmtone MG paper emulsion, but on thick watercolor paper.
I like it, but some people don't, because -they say- its eggshell surface can't show as much detail as other papers: IMO photography has no relation with highest sharpness, resolution or finest detail.

I agree with you (and I like the paper), but I think it’s true that the eggshell texture eats some fine detail, and because of that, it works better for some images than others. I’ve had better luck with it for portraits than for landscapes, for instance.

I don’t think anyone has mentioned its tendency to float when processed/washed, which is pretty extreme compared to other papers. It’s not a serious problem but it requires a little careful management.

-NT

Juan Valdenebro · Jan 20, 2022

Oh, yes, it's true the paper eats some detail: I didn't mean to say those worried about that, were just imagining that detail loss...
A wonderful paper for sure!

NB23 · Jan 20, 2022

Deep blacks, excellent contrast. You will love it.

I have one here in front of me, as I read your post. Looks great.

Don_ih · Jan 21, 2022

markbau said:
I normally stop with citric acid, will this work or should I use acetic?

It'll work. I recently watched a sheet of it in stop and it produces streams of bubbles from both developer reacting with acid and air leaking out of the paper (it's like a sponge) for almost 2 minutes. Make sure your stop is fresh and let it sit in there a while.
Look up "Art 300 stain" and you'll find examples of what happens with insufficient stop.

markbau · Feb 8, 2022

Well I printed my first ART 300 prints today. I can definitely see a use for it with portraiture but sadly, like every non glossy surface I ever printed on, I'm not a fan. The surface texture in smooth toned areas just seems like a distraction. Listening to the print hiss in the stop bath was a hoot though! I'll print a few other negs with it to see. I printed it under a diffusion and condenser enlarger and strangely I preferred the prints from the diffuser enlarger!

Juan Valdenebro · Feb 8, 2022

Dusty Negative said:
…and, fully toned in selenium, it yields a pleasing (says I) brown tone.

Hello,
When I tried selenium long ago, I didn't like its purplish tone, so I never used it again. I guess it was with neutral MG IV back then...
It's said Art300 has the warmtone paper emulsion too: have you seen current MG warmtone go brown instead of purple in selenium?
Thanks.

Dusty Negative · Feb 10, 2022

Juan Valdenebro said:
Hello,
When I tried selenium long ago, I didn't like its purplish tone, so I never used it again. I guess it was with neutral MG IV back then...
It's said Art300 has the warmtone paper emulsion too: have you seen current MG warmtone go brown instead of purple in selenium?
Thanks.

I haven’t tried selenium on warmtone, as I do not usually use warmtone. That said, I do have a box somewhere, so it would be easy to compare.

I am familiar with the purple— I’ve seen it on RC and, to a much lesser extent, the Matte. Very different outcome on the Art 300.

Juan Valdenebro · Feb 10, 2022

That's good info, Dusty. I'll get some Selenium.
Thanks!

Juan Valdenebro · Feb 10, 2022

Possibly some forum members have a MG Warmtone or Art300 print, toned in selenium, just to see general tone...

Ian Leake · Feb 10, 2022

I love this paper – perhaps because the texture reminds me of my platinum print papers. It tones nicely and is easy to spot.

Juan Valdenebro said:
Possibly some forum members have a MG Warmtone or Art300 print, toned in selenium, just to see general tone...

This is sepia/selenium split toned, if that helps (https://www.photrio.com/forum/media/forest-path-allschwil-2022.66652/). I do not have an example with just selenium.

NB23 · Feb 10, 2022

Yes MGIVWT goes brownish in selenium

Pieter12 · Feb 10, 2022

Juan Valdenebro said:
Possibly some forum members have a MG Warmtone or Art300 print, toned in selenium, just to see general tone...

Juan Valdenebro · Feb 10, 2022

Great help, Pieter! Thank you!

cirwin2010 · Feb 10, 2022

I haven't tried many sheets of this paper yet, but selenium toning this paper after a light bleach and sulphide toner turned one of my prints a dark brown. The color was rather pleasing, though not the effect I was attempting. I've had other papers turn very brown after a light sepia toning followed by selenium toning. It is not unique to this paper and I haven't quite figured out why that happens yet.

Dusty Negative · Feb 10, 2022

Juan Valdenebro said:
That's good info, Dusty. I'll get some Selenium.
Thanks!

Just to be clear, I am talking about complete toning. I tone for about 8:00 minutes in a 1:9 solution. Less-than-fully toned can yield an eggplant tone I do not particularly like. But fully toned leaves a reddish-brown hue.

Good luck. I hope you like it.

Juan Valdenebro · Feb 10, 2022

OK, thank you very much.
Yes, I've seen sometimes tone changes a lot depending on time... I'll test complete toning!

markbau · Mar 31, 2022

I've now printed a few negs on ART 300. I must say I love the emulsion and love the way it tones but I can't get past the "eggshell" surface, it never looks truly sharp to me. It would be great to have this emulsion on a glossy paper!

Anyone using Ilford ART 300?

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