Printmaking and Book Papers

There are a wide range of printmaking and book papers available, each tailored to specific printing processes. For book printing you may consider the Fabriano Bioprima, while for oil based silk screen printing try Arches 88. New to the range is Fabriano Unica; designed by artists from the Opificio della Rosa, this multi-purpose printmaking paper originates from many centuries of knowledge accrued by the experts of Fabriano paper mill. Ask your local retailer for more information, or contact us on +44(0)207 407 6474 to find out where you can purchase your chosen paper.

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Some notes on Offset Litho printing

We are often asked questions about many of the uncoated papers we distribute. There is no doubt that the fidelity of printed result is better with coated papers than uncoated papers, but that does not mean that uncoated papers are unsuitable. It will always be the case that uncoated papers have higher ink absorption and higher dot gain, giving less vibrant colour reproduction. The surface strength of uncoated papers is lower than coated papers and are therefore more prone to surface picking, depending on the extent of solid colour applied and the number of colours being printed. These problems can be reduced with low-tack inks and reducing machine speed. If there is experience of printing offset pulp boards, most people would apply the same sort of measures to assist. The relevance of this problem is also affected by the length of the print run and what is considered to be an acceptable frequency of washing blankets.

The relatively strong surface of our Maya range (see the Creative Craft and Display section) implies that its suitability for printing offset is well above average for the uncoated papers we have, but on machine proofing is the most certain way of ascertaining whether the printed result wanted can indeed be achieved.

Having said this, we do have papers which we consider to be totally unsuitable for offset litho, and cases where printers have insisted upon using them. This can give stunning results which have greater impact, simply because they are so unusual.

In this section

Acid Free Blotting, Arches 88, BFK Rives Blanc, BFK Rives Tints, Velin Arches Blanc, Velin Arches Crème, Veline Arches Noir (Black), Canaletto, Fabriano Bioprima, Fabriano Rosaspina, Fabriano Tiepolo, Fabriano Unica, Hahneumuhle Medieval Laid 105713, 105714, 105715, Hahnemuhle Etching 105738, 105735, 105740, 105745, 105752, 105746, 105757, 105758, Somerset Printmaking Satin, Somerset Textured, Somerset Velvet, Somerset Book Wove, Zerkall Printing, Zerkall Etching, 7648/1, 7648/1, 7648/2, 7648/3, 7624, 7625, 7626, 7317, Platinum Printing, Arches Platine.