I have been trying to get the old platinum look from an ink jet printer. I have been using CS4 with Silver Efex and on the screen I am gettng pretty close. Now the problem is to get the print to look as good. Any ideas on paper to use?

Thanks,
Steve

Platinum prints were totally mat surface (cotton) papers. So, that's where to start: sample packs of the various brands of expensive photo rag mat papers. I used to make Kallitype and Van Dyke prints: I think the possibilities are good to get close - with far greater flexibility and control with digital software and current ink jet printers.

Howard

One of the problems is the depth of the platinum chemistry.. when you coat the paper, it sinks into it.. while the ink from an inkjet printer sits on top. You might be able to get the color right, but the depth of a platinum print is going to be a lot harder. As far as color goes, depending on humidity and added chemistry, a platinum print can range from cool/blue (add gold), dead neutral (normal processing for ziatype), or warm (lower humidity ziatype, or standard developing out platinum print).

I have to add that the ink prints I've seen by many great printers over the years and around the country, and from my own experiences, ink prints that bear the closest resemblance in feel, continuous tone, physical presence and opacity on paper, and delicacy are from the Cone K7 inksets. The "sepia" set is perhaps misnamed, and looks like palladium to me, then there are the selenium, neutral, and special editions sets as well. Apparently the Warm Neutral set will be made available in small bottles also at some point.
All of them can be combined at will for a personal look.
Tyler