Platine nightmares
Hi Folks, I'm doing some printing with a batch of Arches Platine received yesterday from Daniel Smith. I was dubious when I opened the package, because the paper felt 'spongy', unlike the usual 'hard' surface quality of Platine. And it didn't have the characteristic rigidity of Platine. But, there's an 'Arches Platine' watermark. The paper's a mess: emulsion's absorbed unevenly, and when dry, there are crystals sitting on the surface. These leave pockmarks all over after exposure and development. It's unusable. I did side by side coatings with a 'known' sheet of Platine. The 'known' sheet behaved as expected. I'm at the end of a project that was printed with Platine, so I have no choice but to continue with this 'brand' of paper. And when it's good, it's very good... The project has to be completed by Tuesday of next week. Any suggestions for a 'reliable' source? I live near the SF Bay area, so could drive to the city to buy a few sheets from someone, if they're willing to sell me a bit. Or if anyone knows of a retail supplier in SF, I'd be grateful for a name. Thanks, tom
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