The paper is very thick with a matte, toothy texture. The inks used are genuine Epson Ultrachrome inks that have superior scratch, water and fade resistance. If you plan to display your piece in a sunny location, a print may be better than an original because sunlight tends to fade watercolor paints. The ink jet application of these inks onto archival paper creates a very durable print because the paper fibers are saturated with wet ink. This is different from a laser print, which has toner powder that is applied onto the surface of the paper.