I will be printing some salt/albumen prints soon and need to get some more paper soon. What papers can be recommended today? I have used Crane's 90 lb. Cover sheet, which worked well for me, and when I gave a piece to John Coffer to try out, he approved of it...but it is said to have been changed recently so I don't know if it can be trusted (I heard the same about the Strathmore 500). I was hoping to find something usable at the local art supply shop. Any ideas?

I have found the Revere paper sold by Bostick & Sullivan to work well and is reasonably priced. You are correct that the Strathmore 500 currently available is no longer suitable for albumen printing. This was the paper of choice a decade ago.

Paper For Albumen Printing

We always use Canson Crobb'Art acid free sketch paper in our albumen printing workshops. It is the only paper we have found that has the same feel as the original papers of the 19th century and once mounted with wheat starch paste, burnishes beautifully.

If you are used to making prints on Strathmore 500 series...this will be much thinner. We float the paper by folding up a small margin on two opposite ends. After coating we hang the paper with spring clip type clothes hangers in a box containing a hot plate. The faster you dry the paper, the more albumen stays on the surface.

We prefer to use a strong silver bath rather than a weak one, because a strong silver bath chemically hardens the albumen coating.

Best,

Mark

I got some of the Crob' paper years ago through an internet friend in France. By the way does anyone know what ever happened to Phillipe? He just dropped out a few years ago.

Is this stuff available anywhere but France now Mark?

Does it work well for salt prints?

Ive only used it for albumen. Maybe Mark can comment.

The paper is VERY thin.

I have seen Mark's prints on the Canson paper and they are just gorgeous. Freestyle is selling a Canson product claimed to be Crob' Art but the test prints I have made with this paper have been very disappointing. If anyone is aware of a source for this paper in the US I would love to know.

I started out using 100% cotton bond paperfor albumen printing, the same kind of stuf you get at a stationary or office supply store. The only problem is that the water mark can show up in the white areas of the ptint but otherwise it has worked very well for me.

I went to the strathmore 500 only because it is thicker. But try the bond paper and see how you like it,it's cheap. Just handel it a little more cafully because it is thinner and the wet strength is a bit less.

One other thing, it dries a little rumpeley so it is best to mount it damp with paste, the paste should dampen it up enugh.

I have only used cold pressed watercolor paper for salt prints but think hot press would be nicer because it is smooth surfaced, but a little pricey.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/01/2012 10:25PM by profkleindorf.