Can anyone recommend a thick B&W paper for ‘vintage’ style prints?

I’m looking to print some b&w enlargements and I’d like to give them a vintage feel, The genuine vintage photographs I’ve seen have been printed on very thick paper (almost card) is there a modern printing paper that is similarly heavy? Ideally I’d like to go with Ilford as their papers seem to be fairly easy to get hold of.

You could try Ilford Multigrade fiber base paper--it is available in both regular and warm tone. Double weight fiber based paper (like Ilford's) is pretty close to the weight of card stock. The downsides of fiber base papers include greater cost and longer processing times. The upside is a print that looks like something from 50 or 100 years ago, and that should last a long time if processed and washed properly.

You could try Ilford Multigrade fiber base paper--it is available in both regular and warm tone. Double weight fiber based paper (like Ilford's) is pretty close to the weight of card stock. The downsides of fiber base papers include greater cost and longer processing times. The upside is a print that looks like something from 50 or 100 years ago, and that should last a long time if processed and washed properly.

 

Thanks for the fast reply. I will check out that paper.

Fiber based papers, ones that don't say RC in their name, are harder to find,

and usually more expensive, but they are still out there.

 

Kodak stopped making black and white paper some years ago now, and as far

as I know, no fiber based color papers.

 

For ordinary priced paper, Ilford is likely the choice.

 

Otherwise, there is Oriental Seagull, which comes both FB and RC, and is popular

as a high-end paper, somewhat more expensive. I don't know how the thickness

(weight) compares to others. I have some that was given to me by someone closing

down their home darkroom, but otherwise probably wouldn't go buy any.

 

I also have some paper that is probably 50 years old, so tends to have the look of 50 year

old paper. Some still works just fine, where some fairly new paper does not.

Try Arista EDU ultra fiber base Its a fine paper. Double Weight Glosy. Get it from Freestyle Photo

You can 'roll' your own:

(1) a sensitizer of the right sort - harder to find these days except for diazo and blueprint, but you can make your own historical types (Keepers of Light reference below)

 

and

(2) some sized paper :

 

Crawford - Keepers of Light (OOP,but used copies sometimes affordable, but often very pricey) 1979 Morgan & Morgan

Edited January 25, 2020 by JDMvW

If Ilford fiber-base isn't quite right (and it's easy to find at places that deal with B&W paper like www.freestylephoto.biz ), then try Ilford Art300. It's heavier, but can't be in water quite as long as regular papers. If you aren't experienced in darkroom printing, then fiber would be better to start with over the Art300. And older papers were fiber-base ones so look for a warm-tone one and you'll likely be fine.

If you're asking about inkjet papers, then Ilford doesn't make those and I can't suggest any. Some companies will provide samples though.

Actually, though I didn't find it earlier, B&H sells general purpose photographic emulsion:

Rockland Liquid Light Photo Emulsion - 8 Oz.

I have known about the liquid emulsions for many years, but never tried them,

mostly because they are expensive, but also because I don't know how to make

a uniform layer.

 

Production line film and paper production has big machines designed to make a nice

uniform layer, but at home, we don't have those.

FWIW, I occasionally print on Kodak Azo, and some of my stock is very old(from the 1920s and 1930s). It's a silver chloride paper that's really best for contact printing(I have enlarged it before, but at even moderate apertures the exposures are usually a couple of minutes) and hasn't been made in a number of years, although there is a current production paper that's supposed to be similar. It gives a very different look that's a lot different from something like Ilford MGIV. The Ilford is DEFINITELY a lot easier to print on, though.

 

The Ilford Galleria graded papers do have an older look that I like. With that said, if you're shooting with modern multicoated lenses, you may find yourself with a somewhat higher contrast negative and the somewhat limited selection of paper grades can be a problem(I can print Ilford MG papers to a 00, while most graded paper now stops at 1).

 

To get an "old" look though, you honestly need to look at all the steps of your process. At best, I like older tech pan films like Plus-X and Pan-X. The new Ilford Ortho Plus gives a very different look.

 

Contact printing is also a big part of the process, as contact prints have a very different feel than enlarged prints. 6x6 is about as small as I go on a contact print, and 4x5 is a lot better.

 

Also, just as a thought to the original question-the old papers I have-both Azo and Velo(the latter is more enlarger friendly) are single weight papers. Almost all FB paper made now, especially Ilford, is double weight. This makes old paper, or at least the common ones, sort of the opposite of what you're looking for. There are plusses and minuses to both-in my experience all FB paper is more difficult to work with than RC paper(which is why I print on RC paper for most stuff). All FB paper will curl on drying to some extent and will usually need extra work to flatten it, but double weight seems to curl less than single weight. Single weight needs more careful handling when wet, but washes easier. Double weight is somewhat more durable, but needs a lot more wash time. The results of inadequate washing are ugly.

I have known about the liquid emulsions for many years, but never tried them,

mostly because they are expensive, but also because I don't know how to make

a uniform layer.

 

I used a cheapo foam brush and consumer-grade watercolor paper and didn't worry much about even-ness and still got reasonable images. If I could find them, I'd take a photo to post.

When I was young, I had single weight paper as it cost less.

 

I did a lot of 8th grade yearbook photography with it.

 

I do remember, from years ago, that single weight was needed for

passport photos. They put a seal on it that needed the thinner paper.