What size paper do you print the most? What's the biggest print you've made?

[Eric Woodbury]

I've been asking questions about 40 x 50 inch prints and it got me thinking: I've never printed anything near that big. Once, while in high school, I printed a 32 x 40 with 4 sheets of 16 x20. That was so long ago it doesn't count. Now I mostly use 8x10 paper. Was a time when it was mostly 11x14, but I don't have the storage room or wall space any more. I still print a little 16x20. Recently inherited another 20x24 tray, so I guess I could do that, but that's the biggest thing my darkroom would handle and it would be painful.

Beginning of this year I bought a thousand sheets 8x10, 100 sheets 11x14, and 50 sheets 16x20. It should last me a few more seasons.

What sizes do you like? What dominates your easel? What's the biggest?

--ejw--

[angusparker]

Mostly 11x14 but sometimes 16x20 and 8x10.

[Alan9940]

I printed a 16x20, once, from an 8x10 neg. Mostly 8x10 along with an occasional 11x14. I've always felt that making an image bigger doesn't make it better. ;)

[neil poulsen]

8x10

[Vaughn]

As big as my camera I am using (4x5 to 11x14). I use to print 16x20 silver prints from 4x5.

[tradexelgraphics]

If you're in the United States or Canada, standard printer paper dimensions for most documents is that of the standard letter paper size, which is 8.5 inches by 11 inches. In much of the rest of the world, it is A4, which is 297 millimeters by 210 millimeters.
For poster I have been printing a print resolution of about 100 DPI is sufficient to get a "good" quality print. A higher DPI (150, or 300) will yield a very crisp, very high quality print. A lower DPI will require "interpolation" up to 100 DPI (minimum) before printing.

Thank You

[koraks]

Most of my prints are between 4x5 (contacts) and 8x10 (enlargements). Larger prints are nice, but most of my prints are viewed hand-held or occasionally end up on my walls where I don't really have the space for large prints. I very much like printing relatively small; it's convenient, but I simply enjoy perusing these smaller prints and the detail they contain.

[Huub]

My darkroom is equiped for a maximum size of 16x20, but it is 8x10, at least when i print from a 4x5 negative. Every year i tend do a few bigger prints to hang on my wall or for exhibitions - often 16x20 or 20x24, depending on the paper i have available.
When doing 35 mm i generally print on 5x7 cm, the negatives from my Noblex panorama i print on a halved 8x10.

[locutus]

For 4x5 enlargements my default paper size is 9.5x12"

[Tin Can]

By total surface area consumed, 5X7

20X24 biggest

11X14 is ideal

[ic-racer]

Most of my printing is on 8x10 paper, but most of my LARGE FORMAT negatives are printed on 11x14. I'm limited to 20x24 for a single sheet, due to the size of my press and washer. I have linked multiple sheets together.


194816

[Arne Croell]

The main size is 11x14”; I’d prefer 12x16” if it were easier to get in the US. Some16x20”, some 8x10”, and 20x24” occasionally.

[Greg Y]

Recently lots of 11x14", some 16x20" & occasionally 20"x24"

[Andrew Tymon]

I usually print on 8x10 these days the odd 11x14. When I lived in the U.K. I used a lot of 9.5x12 and 12x16.

[bob carnie]

I have my darkroom set up to do 30 x 40 inch prints with ease.. but IMO the sweet size for prints is 16 x 20.

[Corran]

My favorite print size is 16 x 20 or nearly so, 13.5 x 19.5 if enlarging from a 2:3 ratio negative or (X) x 20 panoramic prints.

Biggest prints are 20 x 24. Still working on larger print size ability.

Print lots at 8x10 size as well though.

[Drew Wiley]

I don't generally like LF enlargements bigger than 4X, which means 30x40 inch is a nice enlargement size for 8x10 color film, though I generally try the image out first in 20x24. In black and white work, I mostly print 16x20, but sometimes 20x24. I'm not into big just for the sake of big.

[Pat Kearns]

I mostly print 11x14 and the biggest is 16x20 due to my darkroom sink.

The biggest print I ever made was when I was in college working on the yearbook staff. I printed some mural size prints about 72x40 inch of some of the basketball games for the sports department. As you said that was long ago and doesn't count.

[Bernice Loui]

In the past when a LOT of printing was done, 11x14, some 8x10 and few 16x20.

They were cut down to fit 5x7_13x18cm during the printing process resulting in the 11x14 paper becoming closer to 10x14 before the prints were dry mounted.

8x10 is a bit small, but makes really good contact prints from 8x10 film. 16x20 when wet can be no fun to handle but manageable with care. 20x24 is a challenge when wet, easy to Krinkle.


Bernice

[Pere Casals]

.. but IMO the sweet size for prints is 16 x 20.

yes...

imho this size imposes a viewing distance, when the viewer is in the comfortable distance then the framing fills the viewer's field of view, it's a way to present the composition like we want.

Of course every size also makes sense for a certain case, but 16 x 20 is a sweet point.


Me, I make 8x10 contacts, and planning to enlarge 16 x 20, no ink, silver RC only, still I don't deserve printing on FB, I guess I'll start with FB soon, at least to get used to toning.

[Doremus Scudder]

My portfolios are printed mostly on 11x14 paper (various aspect ratios). I like 16x20 on a 28x32 board really well for exhibitions and display in large enough rooms. I print detail subjects and some still lifes on 8x10 paper, but for most work, 8x10 is too small for me (one reason I've never moved to an 8x10 camera and contact prints...). I've got capacity in my new darkroom for up to 20x24 but have yet to make any that size. Soon...

Doremus

[Luis-F-S]

8x10 for 99.999%

[drewf64]

8x10 contact prints.
7x7 "enlargements" from 6x6cm camera.

[Jim Jones]

In a darkroom, most prints were 8x10 for ease of distribution, with some 11x14 and rare 16x20 for exhibiting. Most digital prints are 8.5x11 with some on 13x19 and few on 17x22 paper.