I’m hoping that someone sees this and knows about some secret paper that I haven’t come across, and saves the day! Cost of the paper is not a factor, but processing time and effort are (i.e. I’m guessing this would require selenium toning to neutralize, which I’m hoping to avoid.īelow I’m going to list out the papers that I’ve tried, along with a description of why they don’t appeal to me. The surface finishes available (especially glossy) don’t appeal to me at all, and particularly with warmtone papers, the tones appear sickly and greenish. I’ve really reached out there for anything and everything, and have come back disappointed. All the papers that forum posters have describe as similar to the Kentmere have also been discontinued.
With the Kentmere paper sadly no longer manufactured, I made a decision to try to find something as similar as possible to print on that I can obtain long term.Īs some of you may have guessed, my search has so far been a total bust. Finally, the used stock I was relying on ran out, making the price a lot less advantageous. The bright white base with neutral toned image looks boring and dull. Now when I look at my RC prints, all I see is a thin plastic-y sheet with an image almost indistinguishable from an inkjet print. Holding and gazing at this print was like discovering what darkroom prints are all about. It’s a sturdy heavy weight paper that dries flat and feels amazing in the hands. The finish is an amazing almost leathery surface, appearing matt from a distance yet textured up close. The blacks are not true black, but rather a slightly washed out dreamy tone. The high contrast areas of the print pop perfectly without being harsh on the eye. It has a warm creamy paper base and what I believe to be a neutral to cool emulsion. The paper has the most gorgeous tones and finish I’ve ever seen. Eager to try printing one of my medium format negatives at this size, I went ahead and used the paper to make a few prints. The bulk of the stock is about 65 sheets of 16x20 Kentmere FinePrint Warmtone VC Semi-Matt, a discontinued paper.
I purchased an enlarger on Craigslist, and with it the guy threw in a bunch of packs of old expired fiber paper. Of course, the short development and washing times, easy handling, and flat drying have also been very helpful! B&H had a deal for “used” packs of 50 8x10 sheets for only $20, making it by far the most economical option for starting out. Since I put together my darkroom I’ve been doing print development and experimentation almost solely with Ilford RC Pearl paper. I need your help! I’m having trouble choosing a black and white paper and it’s driving me crazy.
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