Printing Inks and Media  
Epson Photo inks and papers are the only consumables recommended by Epson for use in their machines, and there is no doubting their quality of reproduction. Apart from trying Lyson Fotonic inks, I usually steer clear of using third party inks for fear of damaging my printer, but I must admit to trying out other papers. There are some great alternatives around, when judged purely by surface quality and weight, but alas, they have not always lived up to expectation. It is very disappointing to read glowing magazine reviews about new, tried and tested ink jet papers, only to find that they take weeks to dry or cannot handle dark shades properly when used with Epson inks.

Promising results can be obtained with certain uncoated  materials, such as watercolour or archival paper, so long as the surface isn't too absorbent. The tendency of inks to 'bleed' on these papers can make the picture look tonally flat, or rather dull, and in extreme cases the colours merge together. A low print resolution of 360 dpi helps to overcome the problem, as does the choice of a suitable image; and some adjustments to the print driver colour settings may also be necessary. Attractive prints can be made this way, but they are not a substitute for the conventional glossy print; they have a pleasing quality of their own, not unlike that of a watercolour painting. Since writing this, specially coated art papers have become available through companies such as Lyson, and Schleicher & Schuell (Hahnemühle). For details, read on, but please remember that most of these comments were written prior to 2004, so may not accurately reflect current trends..

Lyson Inks & Papers
The archival quality of printing inks is a concern for anyone with a serious interest in printing or exhibiting their own work; but despite the tremendous advances in desktop printing, most of us still yearn for hardcopy that has a reasonable degree of permanence. Up until now, we have had to take particular care of our cherished prints, or risk them succumbing to the effects of Ultra Violet frequencies in sunlight; this is especially annoying if your work is to be displayed, or sold to other people.

A British company, called Lyson, developed the Fotonic Professional range of inks and media, for which they claim a display life of 25-30 years. Fotonic inks are now available in Epson compatible cartridges and, from what I have seen, they provide vivid hues and a wide colour gamut. Special cleaning cartridges, are required before changing ink types, but I have tried these inks without incurring any clogging problems or damage to my Photo EX. On the downside, however, I find it much harder to match printed colours to the screen - even with Lyson's custom profiles. The introduction, by Epson, of pigment ink photo printers, such as the 2100 (2200 in the USA, I believe), as well as more stable dye based inks, shows how serious Epson now is about archival issues. I may never need to consider third party inks again. The truth of this statement has since been confirmed by the continued development of ink jet printers and archival (or fade resistant) inks.

Lyson also distributes an interesting set of papers, from 180 gsm gloss to 310 gsm Fine Art paper, for use with Fotonic inks; and the print quality on the art papers is every bit as good as it is on the gloss paper. Unfortunately, the gloss paper has a tendency to buckle, which can make it difficult, if not impossible, to mount properly; and it is also rather susceptible to marking by Epson's paper feed wheels. The Fine Art papers  - Standard, Soft, and Rough - are definitely worth experimenting with, however. They are substantial papers with a slightly textured, matte finish. Most of these papers, I understand, are manufactured by the Hahnemüle paper mill in Germany.

The Epson Photo 1270 / Media
This addition to the Epson printer range was, in my opinion, a landmark in the development of desktop printing. In the space of relatively few years Epson transformed the humble office ink jet into a device capable of high quality photographic output; and at last they began to address the photographer's need for prints that last. Wilhelm Imaging Research, in America, confirmed that the inks for this printer are fade resistant for up to 10 years when used with Epson Premium Glossy paper, and about 25 years with their Heavyweight Matte. The gloss paper has a good weight (255 g/m²) and the look and feel of traditional photographic paper. When used with the Photo 1270, it can produce stunning, durable output. I even tried running one print under a cold water tap - without any noticeable ill effect. It looks as if the old Photo EX is now redundant.

Since writing this, there have been reports about the susceptibility of Premium Glossy to atmospheric contaminants, such as ozone, which causes cyan ink to fade prematurely. I can't say I have noticed this, but WIR recommend displaying PG under glass and away from direct sunlight. An improved version of this paper will soon be available. The matte paper seems to be the most reliable of the two, but despite its description as "heavyweight", is rather too thin for my liking, and has an uninteresting surface quality. Lyson's art papers are much better in these respects and they can be used successfully with the 1270 inks, although this may affect their archival characteristics.

Epson's successor to Premium Glossy is their new ColorLife Photo Paper. Wilhelm Imaging Research has given it a rating of 25-27 years, when displayed under glass, before noticeable fading occurs. It is also claimed to be less susceptible to ozone and other atmospheric contaminants. Like the Premium Glossy, the ColorLife paper is designed for use with the 870/1270 and 890/1290 photo printers; it has a pleasant satin matte, rather than a gloss, finish and should become available during August 2001. Epson has also made an ICC profile available for this paper, which may be downloaded from Epson Support. I have tried it and can confirm its worth. In fact, I suspect that without this profile it could be difficult to get accurate colour rendition. Epson provide instructions for downloading and extracting the profile, but don't seem to mention that it must be placed in the "Windows\system\color" directory if you are using a PC. A reference to printing with such profiles can be found on my Colour Management page.

Hahnemüle Fine Art Papers
The Hahnemüle paper mill in Germany has a long history of producing mould made paper for artists. They  now market a series of coated watercolour papers specifically designed for inkjet printing, and the similarity of a few of these to Lyson's Fine Art papers is probably not a coincidence. I have tried several sample sheets, ranging in weight from 140 g/m² to 335 g/m², with excellent results on my 1270 printer / Epson inks. Don't expect to find many gloss finishes here; these papers are for people who appreciate subtly textured matte surfaces, and they do not come cheap! Independent archival data on this combination isn't available yet, but all of the papers are 100% acid free. Hahnemule has a website www.hahnemuhle.com where further information and ICC profiles may be obtained. It is possible to order Hahnemühle papers, including a sample range pack, from www.on-linepaper.co.uk.