Continuing my paper experimentation, I was offered some Awagami inkjet paper by my local paper pedlar. I’m hoping that there might be curves available or likely contenders for the various types. Any hints on printing with it would be happily received.
Hi Jeff,
We’ve made some Awagami curves, but Awagami makes 100s of different papers with many different characteristics.
What are the names of the papers you have been offered? I can check and see if we have produced curves for them.
Regards,
Jon
Hi Jon,
I really don’t have a clue about the papers. I would probably try Kozo, or get a sampler pack. I haven’t found a lot of info about them and the differences. I was hoping that you would have tried a few and have a recommendation for PZ. As you know, I like trying different papers. This couldn’t be anything like the recent EEF kerfoofle.
A bit more research points to Kozo for B&W. That seems like a good starting point for me unless you have an opinion to the contrary.
Awagami has been making papers for centuries.I prefer the traditional Awagami washi papers to their digital papers. I believe that prints produced on them have more character. Uncoated Japanese washi paper takes inkjet ink really well in comparison to uncoated Western pulp papers. The coating adds dMax and density of color to the washi. But, not to the degree that it does to Western paper. So you can actually print on uncoated Washi to a much better degree than you can on uncoated Western rag papers.
I’m not certain what papers you will be offered. There are literally 100s of wonderful Awagami papers. If they are digital papers it is possible that we may have a curve that you can use. On Monday, I can check in the studio for it and you are welcome to it.
Thanks Jon. It looks like Kozo Thick White is the way to go. It is a digital paper, and part of a limited range which is being imported into Australia. I would prefer natural but it in’t on the list. If you have a curve for it, that would be great.
Try these, which were made for two other customers, using a 4800 and 3880, which will both work with your setup:
K7-4800-CBN-AwagamiKozoThickWhite.quad.zip (2.85 KB)
K7-4800-CBN-AwagamiBizanWtMed.quad.zip (2.83 KB)
K7-4800-CBN-AwagamiThickNatural.quad.zip (2.84 KB)
3880-SpecEd-KozoThickWhite.quad.zip (2.82 KB)
3880-SpecEd-BizanWhiteMed.quad.zip (2.8 KB)
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Thanks Dana. The Kozo ones are interesting to say the least. I’ll check them out as soon as I get the paper.
Jeff, just wondering if you’ve had a chance yet to try out the Awagami Kozo? Like you, I am intrigued by these papers (and am delighted that Jon and Dana have a few curves already made for it).
I have tried it. Of the curves that Dana supplied the K7-4800-CBN-AwagamiKozoThickWhite was most linear on my 3880 and with a quick trip through Roy Harrington’s new droplet it is seriously linear. I’ll attach a screen grab to show it. I may be a philistine or just haven’t found the right image yet but I’m not excited so far. I’d love to hear how you go with it.
Thanks for the info, Jeff. I’ve ordered a box of A4 Kozo Thick Natural and a sample pack of various Awagami papers. Should be here the middle of next week. I’ll let you know how it goes…
Jager:
I have been printing with IJ-0324 Kozo Natural, 17x22 (which prints at 360 at native resolution) from Hiromi Paper Inc. (very easy to work with, very helpful in explaining their products), for about a year now. Epson 7880 Special Edition P2 Absent a specific curve, I used Canson Rag. Also got the sample pack, but was unable to find anything there made me want to try a different paper. I am going to order IJ-0324 Kozo Natural 8 1/2 x11 so that I can print different proofs before going to 17x22. That way I can try existing curves on different types of images. My experience so far is that the success of the prints is dependent on numerous qualities of the image exported to Q Print. Perhaps another way to say this is that all of the prints are interesting, but some have a knock your socks off quality which i believe is unique to this paper. I just finished an exhibition of portraits, all printed 17x22 on Cone 5. I changed one of these prints to the Kozo Natural, and consider it to be the most outstanding (24 prints). It really did stop people in the tracts as they were viewing. However, when I tried this paper with a few of the other images, I did not get the same unique results. So we have an interesting learning curve ahead. I look forward to reading about your experiences with this paper.
John
How about posting a link to the socks knocker? I’ve read the same sort of statement quite a few times. Awagami have a video with a guy claiming something magic about the images. I’d love to know what sort of image it would be. So far, my observation is that the Kozo Thick White is a nice paper but my socks are still on.
Bizan is an amazing paper as well (though I like all Awagami papers)!
I love that there are so many incredible papers available, and the wide range of effects that can be accomplished with different image/ink/paper combinations. Some images work best on certain papers, and it’s a fun/interesting process to explore papers and test different types of images to see what you prefer for your own work.
Happy printing~ Dana
A point of clarification, or really just saying I made a mistake in naming the paper from Hiromi. In fact I ordered and use with some success: Asuka IJ 13722 150N 17x22 I just ordered the same paper in 81/2 x 11. I looked at the website rather than referring to my invoice from Hiromi. The IJ-0324 Kozo comes as a 75g paper, whereas the Asuka IJ 13722 comes as a 150g paper. At the moment, I like working with the heavier paper. Have tried some Kozo 75g paper in the sample pact. Quite translucent.
John
Dana and John,
That’s really interesting. I like experimenting with different papers as Dana well knows. However, I would still love to see an example of the sort of image that works on the Awagami. As I said, my observation from the few prints that I have made is that is different but I’m not excited. I was hoping that someone may be willing to post an image that they thought was great on an Awagami paper, maybe even make a file available for others to use.
I’m reminded of a thread that I started on LuLa prior to committing to Piezography. It started out predictably with claims that ABW or Imageprint or whatever was the best. Recently, I posted a response about the new Proof of Piezography file in the hope that the proponents of other methods may try it and report. The silence was deafening.
Perhaps I have a naive approach to this but I am happy to share anything if it helps us learn.
Getting back to the subject of curves, are there any K6 curves available? I have just bought another 1430 which is looking good so far.
Aye, Jeff, LuLa seems to be attended by an odd community, sometimes. A little bit cloistered, not always open to new viewpoints. And although there is often much good discussion on various printmaking topics, I also have long sensed a subtle tinge of condescension from some of its senior members. Not the most welcoming internet forum I’ve ever come across.
I, too, was surprised your ‘Proof of Piezography’ link didn’t trigger more interest and discussion. But, then, thinking about it, not so surprised after all. Oh, well.
Back to the Awagami papers… looks like Friday before my sample pack gets here. I’m guessing that the kind of images that will best marry with the Washi papers are spare, low-contrast, low-dmax pictures. Stuff that already looks great on matte papers, but could be well-served by even more matteness - if that makes sense. Simple, muted images, like traditional Japanese watercolor. That might be a little bit of a stretch for someone like me, who still prints about 70% on glossy papers and who is not entirely averse to the modern trend of “let’s add just a touch more contrast.” But we’ll see. I’m looking forward to it!
John, thanks for the link to the Hiromi papers. I’d not heard of them. More choice is good…
Jeff
Hi John~ Kozo is also available in 110gsm weight, as well as “triple thick” as we use here in our studio.
Jeff (and anyone else interested)~ Here are some blog posts related to Japanese papers, that you might find interesting: http://www.piezography.com/PiezoPress/blog/piezography-life/something-extreme/, and in our latest workshop blog, there are some photos of participant’s prints made on Awagami paper, as well as photos of Jon holding some of his prints on the triple thick Kozo: http://www.piezography.com/PiezoPress/blog/piezography-and-food/the-new-piezography-workshops/. We also have a few photos of prints on Japanese papers on the Cone-Editions web site, here: http://www.cone-editions.com/
I personally feel soft photographs or hand art (drawing, painting, etching, etc…) work best on Japanese papers, but we have also printed photographs with deep blacks and crisp details, which looked great. Printing on Japanese papers (especially handmade ones with deckled edges), adds a beautiful and artistic feel to the print, unlike regular inkjet papers that can be more commercial/photographic (though- still beautiful in a different way!).
Happy printing~ Dana 
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Jeff~ Sorry, we don’t have any pre-made Awagami paper curves for the 1400/1430 printer models. We can certainly make custom curves for you, or you can use Roy Harrington’s Droplet tool to linearize your own curves if you have a measuring device.
I totally agree with your approach of sharing anything that helps us and others’ learn, and that is the basis of this forum!
Happy printing~ Dana
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