Aug 24, 2011

Vintage Halloween Costumes and some words about Paper


Another new set of  Halloween Tags.  This time it's based on Vintage photos of children dressed in their Halloween Costumes.  



They  are dressed in wonderful, one of a kind, home made Costumes, and  there are 8different designs.  Available to download and print at my Etsy shop, DigitalAntiques

A Few Words About Printing and Paper

Lately, I've had a number of questions about printing and paper. There are so many variables, just like in any kind of art, but let me share the answer I gave to one of these questions:

The kind of paper you choose depends a lot on what you want to do with your print. My own favorite paper to print on is Matte Photo paper. It's a heavier weight than cardstock, and gives the very best color and image quality for these prints. 

Staples has their own brand of Matte Photo Paper, and it's excellent, plus a lot less expensive. I like this heavy weight for making tags, notes, and cards. White cardstock will also work well, and is less costly. I suggest using white to keep colors closest to the ones you see in the digital image. 

If you want to give a more aged look, try using stamp pad ink in brown or sepia, and a sponge or small stencil brush, to age your images. It gives a lot of control to the aging, and a lot of depth. It's also fun to try printing on some of the lighter colored or marbled papers, to get a different look. Kraft paper gives a muddied look, which is desirable sometimes. 

Do some experimenting, since there are so many variations in printers and settings. Most likely, your printer has a setting for Matte Photo Paper, so check under "Preferences" or "Options", before you hit that "Print" button. If you'll be using your prints for collage, or other projects where they will be backed with something stiff, you could use lighter weight paper like copy paper, or even vellum.

One of the reasons I bring all this up is that Staples is having a great sale on their Matte Photo paper.  Until August 27, you can get a 50 sheet package of this paper for only $.50!  The regular price is $14.99, but you can buy 2 packs and get a rebate on each one for $14.49.  This paper does go on sale now and then, but this the best price I've ever seen on it, and if you'd like to try it, now's your chance.

If I could convince the Dog to get some too, I would.





3 comments:

  1. Jan, this is good info. Years ago I purchased a ream of brown kraft paper and still have some of it. I use it quite often and love the primitive effect. Yes, it's fun to experiment!
    Hugs, Diane

    ReplyDelete