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  #1  
Old 29th January 2011, 07:58 PM
Timrudman Timrudman is offline
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Smile A new paper from Ilford: Ilford Multigrade Art 300

I only get around to checking into forums (fora?) occasionally but I don't see anything here about Ilford's new paper, Ilford Multigrade Art 300.

It will be launched at Focus on Imaging shortly and the news has been officially 'out' for a brief while, although not yet announced.

It is quite unlike anything currently on the market and I imagine would be of interest to those working in the photographic art genre.
I have released a couple of test reports on it in my last 2 newsletters over recent months and I have to say that the more I use it the more I am liking it.

If anyone is interested (and you might well be ) I will be happy to post the relevant cuttings here.

Tim
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Old 29th January 2011, 08:32 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Please do Tim. I feel sure that I speak for the rest of FADU friends when I say that your reports are always welcome.

Mike
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Old 29th January 2011, 09:16 PM
Neil Smith Neil Smith is offline
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I'll second that

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Old 29th January 2011, 11:05 PM
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Yes please, Tim.
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Old 30th January 2011, 01:18 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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I understand Ilford are launching the new paper at Focus in March

I also heard a rumour that Tim will be on the Ilford/Harman stand demonstrating the new paper and its Toning capability ?

Martin
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Old 30th January 2011, 06:46 PM
Timrudman Timrudman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Timrudman View Post
I only get around to checking into forums (fora?) occasionally but I don't see anything here about Ilford's new paper, Ilford Multigrade Art 300.

It will be launched at Focus on Imaging shortly and the news has been officially 'out' for a brief while, although not yet announced.

It is quite unlike anything currently on the market and I imagine would be of interest to those working in the photographic art genre.
I have released a couple of test reports on it in my last 2 newsletters over recent months and I have to say that the more I use it the more I am liking it.

If anyone is interested (and you might well be ) I will be happy to post the relevant cuttings here.

Tim
OK. Here are two cuttings from my December free newsletter and my January one ...

Product news:

• New Fine Art silver gelatin paper from Ilford Photo/Harman Technology:


Ilford’s much awaited new variable contrast Fine Art paper is now out on test with selected printers and if the feedback is good it may be launched early in the year in time for FOCUS at the beginning of March, otherwise further refinements might be made.
I must stress that 1) these are my preliminary tests only and 2) the product has not yet been finally approved for launch, although I understand that feedback so far has been good. But here are my insights into what may come:

This product (currently still without a name) is very different to anything else in the Ilford range and its appeal will depend largely of what sort of work is being done.

Out of the box this is a thick, almost flat, finely textured, matt heavyweight art paper at 300gsm. It does not look or feel like a typical silver gelatin paper and a slight curve and faint sheen give the clue to the emulsion side. Exposure is as for Multigrade Warmtone but I estimate about a tenth of a stop slower (paper speed not yet published).

In use, for straight B&W printing I think it is just beautiful and will really appeal to art photographers working in this genre. I suspect this is where it will really come into its own. The tones are rich and beautifully separated and the Dmax excellent for a matt paper.

It has many similarities to MGWT, a slightly warm emulsion on an ever-so lightly tinted base, which is just off-white. The surface texture and paper base are completely different to MGWT however. It accepts pencil and I imagine might be well suited to hand colouring, although I haven’t tested this. It dries commendably flat.

As far as toning goes, it responds well of course to sepia toning and gold over sepia is delightful. However, there is curiously little obvious response to direct selenium (Kodak or Ilford) or gold direct toners, which surprised me. Gold will produce a cooling of the image to neutral but no further as far as I could achieve. Different development might improve this response but given that the same thing occurs with lith, I suspect not.
This of course would be an advantage when toning is used for archival purposes without colour shift. I haven’t yet tested it with polysulphide toners.

Lith printing this paper is interesting. I found little or no infectious development ‘rush’ to the usual snatch point and progress of shadow tones was pretty linear in both LD20 and Moersch EasyLith and this limits the creative interpretation the paper can offer. It does yield an image in typical sandy coloured lith tones however, although control is mostly by exposure and contrast filtration and less by development timing. The image has a particular ‘old’ look which will suit some images more than others. Again, I found it peculiarly resistant to toning with selenium or gold, with colour shifts being very slight, which is most unusual for a lith print.

It does, however, respond beautifully to what I call ‘second pass lith development’ – bleach and lith redevelopment after conventional B&W processing. Here results are very similar to MGWT, a favourite of mine with this process, and the surface, texture and weight lend a good deal to the aesthetic feel of such images.
I wait with interest to see if any adjustments are made to this emulsion before its release.
_______________________________________

Product news:

Ilford's new 'ART' silver gelatin paper. Further thoughts:


I gave a description of this new paper in my previous newsletter, used both for B & W and Lith printing and toning. I can now tell you that this prototype is to be the final product and it will be launched at FOCUS On Imaging at the beginning of March.

Everything I said in my assessment of this new paper remains pretty much the same, but I have now had the opportunity to use it more in the larger format of 20 x 16" and the more I use it the more I really like it. I have made some 20 x 16" prints for display on the Ilford Stand at FOCUS and those of you attending will be able to judge for yourselves. It does not have the flexibility in Lith that I had hoped for, although it does respond to lith development and this is good news, but for B & W art prints there is nothing like it on the market and it will I am sure become much loved by fine art printers. Larger prints are even more suited to this very heavy textured near matt paper, which I am finding to be a joy to print with.

The Dmax is superb for any paper and especially for a matt paper and is improved by selenium toning. Colour shifts when toning in direct selenium and gold toners is very restrained - subtle if you prefer, which is good news or not depending on what you want. Those toning for archival purposes without colour change will be pleased. Toning with sepia or metal ferrocyanides is as one would expect from any silver paper and gold after sepia is very responsive. I haven't used selenium suphide bleach/redevelopment toner yet or any alternative bleaches but these may well expand its range, both in lith and conventional development. I hope we may include this in my Formulary workshops in September.

In handing it is robust and less prone to kinks and handling damage in large sizes and dries almost flat and presses easily. If you use a slot washer you will have to devise a method to keep the paper submerged. Like some of the now discontinued Kentmere Art papers, it floats up proud of the water surface. For smaller sheets in a large washer film clips on the lower edge will work well but for a 20 x 16" sheet in a 20 x 16" washer something is needed to hold the top edge under the water. I use clips from a Nova slot processor to weigh it down. It isn't necessary to clip into the paper, just to stop it rising above the surface.

I think this paper is a very welcome addition to the silver gelatin market, which has been shrinking in recent years.



In short, it is a lovely heavy weight art paper which prints well and has similar properties to MGWT but very slightly slower. It has good Dmax & Dmin with good tonal separation in highlights and shadows. Response to direct toners is very limited in terms of colour, which as always suits some people and not others, but any bleach based process be it toning or 2nd pass lith is very good.
I showed some examples to Trevor at Arena today so he can give you his impressions too.
Tim
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Old 30th January 2011, 06:54 PM
Timrudman Timrudman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Aislabie View Post
I understand Ilford are launching the new paper at Focus in March

I also heard a rumour that Tim will be on the Ilford/Harman stand demonstrating the new paper and its Toning capability ?

Martin
I have been invited to lurk around on the Ilford stand Martin but not sure what I shall be doing other than talking to people. I shall have some copies of The Toning Book and a pen too )
There are some prints on show demonstrating some things this paper can do and I am shipping 6 of mine off tomorrow as I am away for the rest of Feb. I imagine there will be others to but at present have no other information.
Tim
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Old 30th January 2011, 07:08 PM
PavelDerka PavelDerka is offline
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This seems a very close match for what I'm looking for in a paper and what I think is missing in availability right now. We are looking for a textured surface and exactly as you menitioned a "old time look" without being too warm in the paper base.

Thank you for posting this ... I look forward to more announcements and final availability.
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Old 30th January 2011, 07:55 PM
Timrudman Timrudman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PavelDerka View Post
This seems a very close match for what I'm looking for in a paper and what I think is missing in availability right now. We are looking for a textured surface and exactly as you menitioned a "old time look" without being too warm in the paper base.

Thank you for posting this ... I look forward to more announcements and final availability.
Availablity will be from the beginning of March I believe Pavel.
Tim
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  #10  
Old 30th January 2011, 08:06 PM
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Trevor Crone Trevor Crone is offline
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Having seen Tim's superb images on this paper today I must say how fine it looks. It is of a very heavy paper stock with a wonderful sheen to it. Tim showed some really beautiful lith prints, but I really went for the lightly toned/untoned look - just a personal choice.

I really could have done without seeing yet another beautiful paper - choices, choices
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