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Review by Stacey Mann
Have you ever wondered if you could achieve quality prints of your layouts from your home ink jet printer? I am one picky customer and I am here to tell you it is possible.
One of the biggest factors in getting a quality print is your paper choice. You can have a goregous layout, but print it out on cheap paper and it doesn't attract much attention. Treat your layouts like the works of art they are, printing them on fine papers, (which are more affordable than you might think) and you will have a treasure that will last for generations to come. I received a set of sample papers from Amy Lemelin at Hawk Mountain Papers ( www.hawkmtnartpapers.com) to play with and was impressed by the quality.
Their papers, named after birds, are designed for art purposes. They come in various sizes from 8.5" x 11" up to 44" x 50". Several are designed to be used with ink jet printers including those I tested.
I have to admit I have not been a big fan of matte finishes because I didn't think they could produce a high enough quality image through my inkjet printer. I have printed on cardstock before and was disappointed. My photos looked washed out and all the detail was lost. But that is not the case at all with both the Merlin Photo, Grayhawk I, and Grayhawk2 Britewhite papers. I printed out 2 different layouts on each of these papers and was pleased with all six results. I showed my husband who also has a graphic design background and even he was impressed. The Merlin Photo is thicker, heavier stock. The Merlin papers are 100% cotton. The Greyhawks are acid and lignin free cellulose. All of them held the ink well and showed the detail in my layouts.
I also received a couple sheets of Merlin Photo Textured which has a matte finish and a woven texture. It produces a really nice effect for layouts that you want to have a homey or fabric feel. The details of my photos showed a little less clearly because of the texture so you would want to be choosy about which layouts you print on this one. I did one with no photos, just a silhouette, some papers, and a poem and love the result.
The Sharpwing Glossy sure lives up to its name. Its the shiniest, slickest paper I have seen and it doesn't show fingerprints when I touch it. There is also a Sharpwing Lustre which is less glossy but still has a sheen. It is the perfect compromise between glossy and matte photo paper.
The other thing I noticed about all the papers from Hawk Mountain compared to the Kodak Photo Paper I usually print on, is that they are much thicker and sturdier. When I thumb through my album the Hawk pages stay stiff instead of curling under like the Kodak papers. They are a little tough to get in my page protectors, lol, but definitely worth it for the substance.
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