What's so special about LW photo papers?
We offer two kinds of photo paper. They are both waterproof, and make a permanent bond with printer inks so you won't see any smearing or bleeding of your photos.
The first type is bright white, and can be used with both inkjet and laser printers. It's available in both 4x6" and 8-1/2 x 11" sheets.
The second type is our Clear Photo Film, and can only be printed on inkjets, as laser printers get too hot and can warp the film. It's designed for photography, so the resolution is wonderful. This type is available in 8-1/2 x 11" sheets. Plan on adding resin to both sides of this film for durability, and more of a glass-like look.
Can I use any photo paper?
Normal photo paper is often porous and can absorb the resin, making your image blotchy or discolored. Unless you'd like to do some experimenting, it's best to use the Little Windows Special Photo Paper, which is waterproof and forms a permanent bond with your printer inks, so that when you place it in your liquid resin, it won't bleed or run.
If you have any other types of paper or printed photos you'd like to use, you can add a waterproofing coating like Mod Podge to both sides and edges. Allow to dry completely before applying resin.
The paper won't feed through my printer
Our bright white photo paper may be thicker thank your printer is used to, so you may need to either help push it through gently with your hand, or use the flat feeder (if your printer has one). If it still won't feed, try using your fingers to slightly bend the first 1/4 inch of the sheet up, and cut off the top left corner. That should help feed heavy papers through.
To feed the smaller 4 x 6" paper, use the arm for envelope feeds, pushing it over to the correct width, and the paper should feed through. If you have an older printer, you may need to tape the smaller paper onto a sheet of 8-1/2 x 11" regular printing paper. Line up the small sheet in the top left corner of the big sheet, and put a piece of scotch tape only along the top edge. This can trick your printer into thinking you're sending through a sheet size it prefers.
Please check the online user guide provided by the manufacturer who made your printer for more details.
Feeding Paper Into Finicky Printers
As mentioned before, our bright white photo paper may be thicker than your printer is used to, so you may need to either help push it through gently with your hand, or use the flat feeder (if your printer has one).
If it still won't feed, try using your fingers to slightly bend the first 1/4 inch of the sheet up, and cut off the top left corner. That should help feed heavy papers through.
Click the link below for a how-to guide for working with printers that don't seem to want to accept our papers.
Guide for Feeding Finicky Printers
If that doesn't work, try taping a piece of clear tape along the top edge, folding it over to the back so it sticks to itself. This gives the printer rollers a chance to grab onto the sheet a bit more easily, and can trick it into thinking it's thinner paper.
Printer Settings
Sometimes it's tricky to find the right settings to print the 4x6" files you've created using our Little Windows Photo Croppers. Our amazing customer Barbara sent us this guide to help you find what you need: