Some good photography news for 2021, Ilford are releasing a premium version of their popular RC papers “MULTIGRADE RC PORTFOLIO”
“Utilising our 5th generation MULTIGRADE emulsion, this new formulation offers important advancements in product quality and performance that we are now pleased to introduce into our premium RC paper, MULTIGRADE RC PORTFOLIO.
These new papers have a slightly warmer base tint and image colour than their predecessor as well as better, deeper blacks, improved mid-grade spacing for easier printing and more consistent contrast throughout the tonal range.”
As described by Ilford on their release, it’s a paper for extra special prints that blends all of the best aspects of different Ilford papers. Your top drawer work deserves to be displayed on the best paper and this is filling that niche, whilst you may have to pay extra for that it’s an investment and a testament to the work that is printed on it. It still retains the ease of use that is enjoyed on other Ilford RC papers though so can be used by students and professionals alike.
An interesting tidbit accompanying the release is this postcard too, neat little idea! Prints should be enjoyed in the physical not just shared on Instagram..
I recognize I may say this ad nauseam but…This release spells good things to come in the future, the more we support Ilford and other companies in the analogue sphere the more releases we’re likely to see.
If you’ve never printed and curious to try. I’d recommend taking a look at Ilford’s learning zone. They’ve got a lot of great resources on the site and not just for printing.
You can read more about the release here
The product can be found here
Thanks for reading,
Josh
Hi Josh,
Let me share this with you. When our daughter started art school in 2004, I decided to send her a b&w postcard every week. Once a month, I’d go into my darkroom and print 5-6 cards (and a duplicate for me.) I would skip school breaks, summer, etc (she would come home for summer break and work at a local frame shop/gallery.) When she entered grad school to get her MFA, I continued the practice.
Now, she’s living & teaching art at the university level in the Boston MA area. I now send cards every week. This has been going on since 2004. We can’t estimate how many cards I’ve sent over the past 16 years.
My paper stock was Ilford’s RC Portfolio (4×6) postcard paper. At the moment, I’ve got about 6 unopened boxes of MG IV stored in my darkroom.
I bought up extra when the new paper upgrade was announced because I didn’t think Ilford would continue this particular product. It’s a bit of a niche market for them.
I’m glad they are continuing, but a bit miffed I need to download a template to backprint the cards. I’ll contact Ilford directly to find out if you paste a sheet of paper on the back or you can backprint the card on an inkjet printer after processing. Of course, it would me most convienent if Ilford would continue to make the specific paper for postcards (anyone from Ilford reading this??)
Thanks for posting the announcement.
That seems like a really good thing to keep you in practice with printing and have a great connection with your daughter, Made me feel like I need to get back into printing again and find someone to share the same back and forth of prints with. I’m sure they’d bring it back if enough people asked!
The information about the postcard template was added to the press-release because the previous incarnation of this paper was used for the pre-printed Ilford postcard-sized paper. This new version is apparently no longer pre-printed with the postcard markings.
Thanks for clarifying Martin. I added this in to the news article as I thought it was a nice idea, to post prints back and forth between photographers. It does seem a shame it won’t have the postcard markings but it might be something they come back to in the future.
For beginning printers, don’t forget Sroyon’s excellent series on this site as well.