Best paper for Salt prints

[Terry Breedlove]

I made these photograms other day and I used drawing paper here. Very white paper and I am not fond of it. to white and not archival I am assuming. These are just little things that me and my granddaughter age 6 are working on and i want to make something i can frame. A Triptych piece is my goal and these two are just a test. So I am wondering what kind of paper should I look for. Would a hot or cold press water color paper be good ? I am thinking a cold press with the texture finish might be nice, thoughts ? Oh and the other thing is I like the brush strokes on the edges but that might be hard to keep under control enough anyone have experience with that ?

 

[NedL]

I think lots of papers will work and each will give you a different look.. so it is subjective. I like Lana Aquarelle hot press 300gsm, but sometimes I use Canson universal sketch ( comes in inexpensive pads ) which has a sort of nice pebbly surface and more of a bone white color. I think cold press watercolor paper might look great. Also, I think it is Jim Noel here at APUG who likes to use lightweight writing paper, especially linen... I've had my eyes out for some of that to try. Part of the fun is trying different kinds of paper and seeing which ones you like. It's not just the surface of the paper that affects how the print looks in the end, but the sizing and how much the image stays on the surface or sinks in. You'll get a difference in color and tones too.

Have fun, and we'd love to see what you come up with!

 

[Terry Breedlove]

Thank you I will buy some cold press water color paper today and give it a try.

 

[SMBooth]

Not sure if it's the best but it's very good - Bergger Cot 320.

 

[TheToadMen]

Fabria Artistico Extra White - fine grain and cold pressed

 

[Michael W]

I've tried a few. I liked some of the results from BFK Rives. Best, most predictable results were from Bergger COT 320, as recommended by Ellie Young of Gold St Studios.

 

[Terry Breedlove]

View attachment 161067 View attachment 161068 View attachment 161070 View attachment 161070 View attachment 161067 View attachment 161068 Just some cheap water color paper. I made the two photograms and then the photo of my granddaughter i made from a scanned 35mm negative and inverted and printed a paper negative on glossy paper not a transparent material. Very interested in how that works out because i am thinking about shooting paper negatives in a large pinhole camera. I might try that tomorrow if I have time.View attachment 161067View attachment 161068

 

[Terry Breedlove]

images

 

[NedL]

Just some cheap water color paper. I made the two photograms and then the photo of my granddaughter i made from a scanned 35mm negative and inverted and printed a paper negative on glossy paper not a transparent material. Very interested in how that works out because i am thinking about shooting paper negatives in a large pinhole camera. I might try that tomorrow if I have time.

Great!

Everyone has different tastes but I think the paper texture in those looks really nice.

I think you will find that paper negatives from a pinhole camera work very well for salt printing.

Transparency is not necessarily the best thing for a salt printing negative. I make calotypes ( a kind of homemade paper negative ) and when they are made on more translucent paper, I often cover them with a piece of white paper for part of the exposure ( a "diffuser" ) to extend the printing and build up contrast. I learned the trick from someone who knows a lot more about this than I do, and it adds a lot of control over the printing.

Are you adding a little citric acid to your AgNO3 solution? If not, you might try adding some. Maybe start with around 2% and increase up to about 6% until you are happy with the highlights being bright. Keep notes, because different kinds of paper need different amounts of CA.

I'm happy to see someone else here making salt prints and especially from pinhole paper negatives! It's addictive and fun and there are practically infinite variations you can try ( every little thing matters: paper, type of salt, gelatin, etc. ). There is something really special about seeing the print appear, and there is something very unique about how highlights look in a salt print.

 

[Terry Breedlove]

Thank you I am going to try some Bergger paper mentioned above next Hopefully i get this all kind of figured out so when I try Platinum/Palladium I will have an easier time of it because that is so much more costly.

 

[NedL]

I've built up a collection of different papers to try. I have a package of the Bergger COT 320 but have not tried it yet. I know a lot of people really like it. The FAEW that Toadmen mentioned is also a favorite. Have fun!

 

[pdeeh]

hmm I have several big sheets of fabriano artistico (though not the extra white) which I never use because I just "don't get on with it"

choice of paper and alt stuff is very personal.

I've mostly used a Daler mixed media paper the last 12 months. robust and washes so easily.

but am in a rather grizzly extended photographic hiatus at the moment. if I ever pull out of it I do want to give bergger a try or even the adox baryta.

Though it is damn expensive over here