The Arches BFK Rives Printmaking Papers have a light, fine grain, that is perfectly balanced with a smooth surface that brings out the slightest of details. It is an industry favourite, and is perfect for use in relief, engraving, linocut, letterpress, intaglio, engraving and lithography printing. It is also beautifully suited for pencil, pastel, charcoal and graphite drawing.

What does the acronym BFK (Rives) stand for? A small family concern created in 1787 in Rives, in the French Department of Isère, the Blanchet de Rives paper mill became Blanchet Frères & Kléber in 1820 when brothers Augustin and Victor Blanchet joined forces with Jean-Antoine Didier Kléber.

Made on a cylinder mould (traditional process): quality close to that of paper made by craft methods. The slow turning of the cylinder enables the fibres to be deposited evenly and spread in all directions over the wire. The paper is therefore more homogeneous and has good dimensional stability. When printing, the job of positioning the humidified paper is much easier and the paper can easily withstand repeated passages through the press. Only paper-making on a cylinder mould can produce paper with deckle edges.

Uses: Pencil, pastel, charcoal, sanguine crayon, graphite, felt pen, lithography, intaglio engraving, relief printing, linocut, letterpress, screen-printing, hot-foil stamping, bookbinding, heat embossing, collotype printing

100% cotton: Paper has very good mechanical strength. Pleasure of using a soft, supple, noble material (unbelievable feel).

Texture: Light fine grain: perfectly balanced soft grain and smooth surface that brings out the slightest detail. Allows the artist to obtain shadow and light effects, to create contrasts.

Conservation: With alkaline reserve, acid-free, no optical brightening agents (permanent in accordance with ISO 9706)

Watermark: " BFK Rives France  ∞ "

Courtesy M.E.S.