Fiber or resin coated, variable contrast or graded?

I'm working on an entry for the Ilford APUG contest so Kentmere and Ilford are the two choices I'm giving myself. The Kentmere is slightly cheaper than the Ilford and I've heard wonderful things about it so I'll go that route. When I decide I'm ready for fiber, which probably won't be until after the Darkroom is made, I'll go for the VC and then the graded Kentmere papers.

Thanks, all, for the assistance.

It is "Arista II" that is the same paper as Kentmere for much less $$.

trexx said:

I have been told Arista.Edu Ultra is the same paper. I have used that for all my RC work and am very pleased. Not only is the price right but I have found it to be the paper that just work consistently for my processing

YMMV


TR

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which paper

Tim Rudman suggests that one keep a wastee basket in the darkroom and that if you are not filling it with rejects and mistakes you are not learning to print. That said Arista Edu Ultra is a great deal on good paper(foma), its fiber based, tones very well and changes tone with developer readily i.e. LPD 2:1 gives a beautiful warm tone but Dektol and cold tone developers give a neutral tone. The base is not as shockingly white as Ilford but at the price its great for learning and if you want the shocking white base you can go to Ilford later.
For what it is worth I find RC prints just lack something for me...call it depth, tonality, whatever there just seems to be something missing. Kentmere FB is great, fast and has the very white base of Ilford and if purchased as Arista II is a fabulous deal.