You can use your inkjet printer and specialty papers to print all sorts of things that you used to have to take to a professional printer. Here’s the rundown on papers that will fire up your creativity and add polish to everything you print.
What it is: Similar to paper used by photo labs, HP photo paper is specifically designed to produce high-quality, color-rich images that look like traditionally developed photographs.
Use it for: Home photo printing. HP photo papers come in a choice of matte or glossy finishes and a variety of print sizes, including convenient 4" x 6" for affordable everyday prints and large portrait-sized papers for studio-quality enlargements.
HP Premium Plus photo paper resists fading for generations, and is the best choice for archiving photos.
HP Advanced photo paper is ideal for craft projects and making prints for friends.
HP Premium photo paper is a great choice for photo albums and greeting cards.
What it is: A sort of parchment, vellum is a translucent paper with a subtle texture and a smooth surface. Vellum paper may be solid, marbled, metallic, flecked with gold and silver, or embedded with flowers or leaves. Because you can see through vellum, it is often used to layer on top of other papers.
Use it for: Invitations, greeting cards, and creating envelopes for scrapbook pages.Because it’s translucent, vellum works well for crafts such as paper lanterns.
What it is: Thin iron-on sheets with a paper backing. You can run them through an inkjet printer to print virtually any design. Then you iron the design onto a garment such as a plain white T-shirt.
Use it for: Create personalized T-shirts for a sporting team, volunteer group, family reunion, or other event. Iron-ons may also be used on pillowcases, irons, caps, bandanas, and other materials.
What it is: Paper designed specifically for greeting cards is thicker, pre-scored for easier folding, and has a special coating to prevent smudging.
Use it for: Personalized greeting cards, invitations, and announcements. HP greeting card papers come in quarter-fold and half-fold, and include matching envelopes.
What it is: Thicker than regular paper, brochure and flyer paper is designed for double-sided printing. The paper produces excellent print quality in both full color and black and white.
Use it for: Professional-looking brochures, newsletters, posters, and other business materials. HP brochure and flyer paper comes in 11" x 17" (glossy) and 8-1/2" x 11" (glossy or matte). Tri-fold is also available—perfect for brochures.
What it is: A fabric sheet is simply a piece of fabric bonded to paper. The paper holds the fabric stable as it moves through the printer. Once the ink is dry, just remove the paper and you're ready to use your printed image!
Use it for: Quilts, pillows, and other craft projects made with fabric. You can print just about anything on fabric: photos, artwork, scanned images, and much more.
For best results, use paper designed specifically for your printer. If you have an HP printer, you can shop for supplies by printer model at the HP Home and Home Office store. This is a great way to ensure you’re using the right paper. If you purchase supplies elsewhere, read the packaging carefully and check your printer’s manual to confirm compatibility. Some papers that may cause problems include:
Heavily textured papers. They may cause paper jams.
Extremely smooth, shiny, or coated papers not specifically designed for your printer. They can cause jams and even repel ink.
Iron-on sheets in laser printers. Iron-on sheets are intended for inkjet printers. The heat in a laser printer could melt the transfer coating, which can stick to the heating element in the printer and cause damage.
Give your printed piece plenty of time to dry. Although your prints may appear dry to the touch, moisture remains in the print and will need time to dry completely.
To preserve the quality of your specialty paper, return the unused paper to its original package and store it in a dark place away from high temperatures, humidity, or direct sunlight.
HP photo value packs are a great way to buy photo paper. You get ink and paper that are made to work together—in just the right amounts. And you save money.
Paper settings generally control the amount of ink that is put on the paper. Change printer settings to work best with different papers. Here are some guidelines:
Different papers absorb varying amounts of ink. For example, photo paper absorbs a lot of ink, while vellum absorbs very little.
Make sure you're using the right setting for your chosen paper. Too little ink will diminish the quality, and too much can cause a smeary mess.
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