Easiest paper to dry?

[DocFrankenstein]

Ok, so I finally get to mess with a serious darkroom.

My dad thinks I'm nuts and should just shoot digital. :mrgreen:

My concern is the drying of the prints. My mom used a "glossyfyer" (err... direct translation from russian) and it was a pain to clean it every time.

My dad used a clean glass. He wasn't too happy about it either.

I'm hoping there've been some amazing technological advances in the industry... Is there any way to avoid sticking the prints onto something?

I think matte will do it for me... at least at the beginning stages of my darkroom printing experience.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

Try using resin coated. It dries very quickly. You can dry it just by laying it face up on newspaper - or hang it on a line using clothes pegs.

 

[oriecat]

Yeah, if you're just starting, hanging RC is super easy. If you're in a hurry, you can even use a hair dryer on it, or put it in the microwave (so I've heard, haven't tried that one myself).

 

[KevinR]

For ease of drying, RC is the way to go. But fiber isn't to bad, just takes awhile. You can do the microwave trick with fiber base also.

 

[DocFrankenstein]

RC it is then!

thanks

 

[gypsyIX]

for fiber prints, i always liked using a blotter book. i have a few reasons for this: first, i don't have a darkroom in my home, so the book allows me to travel with wet prints. second, i can lay a heavy book on top of the blotter book so the prints will dry flat instead of curling up at the edges like they do when i dry them on screens. they still need to be aired out to dry fully, but the book gives me a good headstart.

 

[ksmattfish]

I dry smaller prints (11x14 or less) on home made screens I built. I hang larger prints from lines with clothes pins.