Tearing paper

I have just finished building a contact printing frame and am eagerly awaiting the ingredients for my first attempt at a Ziatype, or indeed any alternative photographic process!
Perhaps a somewhat silly newbie question, but on the suject of tearing one's paper to contact frame size, what technique is used!
I have been practising on Arches Platine and wonder if people tear a continuous strip, or nibble away at an edge piece by piece. The latter technique seems to cause more uneven encroachment onto the print area, which may ultimately look more attractive. Do people tear away from the print side or towards it, and for that matter which is the side to be exposed on Arches Platine.I believe both sides are sized.Is that correct, or, if not, how does one tell which side to use. Both sides appear to have the same colour.
Many thanks for your indulgence in my somewhat elementary queries.
John Fontana
Received on Sun Apr 9 14:28:31 2006