Question; What is high quality enough for fine art print work, thin enough for layout work, inexpensive enough for production work, versatile enough for collage work, and eye catching enough for poster work?
Matte papers!
Let’s be honest. Most matte papers are the red haired stepchildren of the inkjet media world. There’s swoon-worthy fine art paper, wonderfully textured canvas, adhesive backed vinyl, metallic photo paper, glossy polypro film… and then there’s matte paper. Lowly, no frills, utilitarian matte paper.
But without matte paper, where would we be? Imagine proofing on vinyl. Imagine doing mock ups on glossy canvas. Imagine hanging artwork in a school hallway on fine art cotton rag paper. Shudder.
Thankfully, Epson has a variety of matte papers to fit almost any print job.
Single weight matte is the closest thing to a bond paper in the Epson world. Thin, economical, and available in 132’ rolls, it’s the perfect choice for “disposable” jobs. Print on it, use it once, and toss it. At only 120 gsm, you don’t have to feel terribly guilty about balling it up in the recycle bin.
Double weight matte paper is in the middle of the pack. It’s 180 gsm, heavy enough to hold up to sturdier jobs than the single weight matte, but still inexpensive enough to use only one time. This one would work great for those school hallway jobs! In fact, this is a great substitute for drawing paper if you’re inclined towards mixed media or collaborative works. It prints with fine detail and crisp text, but loses a little on color saturation and pop.
Enhanced Matte is the king of the hill. At 250 gsm, this bright white, coated matte paper is fine enough to be the paper of choice for world famous digital artists (I know this for a fact!), but economical enough to burn through for proofs. If you are looking for a high quality paper on a budget, this is your go-to item. Highly saturated color, fine detail, nice feel in the hand, and at affordable prices, this is one roll everybody should have in their studio.
Available in a wide range of roll and sheet sizes at fairly low price points, matte paper is a good catch-all paper to have on hand. You may end up using it for more than you anticipate!
Happy printing!
The inkjet team at ISI
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