All posts by Bob Korn

Papers, so many choices, what to do?  My answer is to keep it simple.  As as far as I’m concerned there are two basic choices, matte or gloss, with matte being my go to. The idea that certain papers will yield better color, contrast, etc., has more to do with marketing than anything else. Yes there are differences, but it’s not the paper that makes the print this or that, it’s the person making it. I offer prints on a few different papers from a few different manufacturer’s, not because one is better than another, it’s because they have specific qualities. Cotton Rag is the most archival (160 to 200 years), but also the most delicate. Baryta is a fiber base, gloss paper, which has the look and feel of traditional silver papers. Pulp which is made with some wood instead of all cotton, is still archival (80 to 120 years) yet very economical. Canvas is canvas, not much else to say about it. Hahnemuhle, Epson, Moab, Ilford, and I’m sure others, all offer great papers. So when people ask what paper I use to print the gallery’s exhibitions, they can’t believe I use one of the least expensive matte papers, Epson Enhanced Matte. Just proves my point that it’s not the paper, it’s the printmaker.