Digital BW, The Print

OK, I've got the new trio of printers up and running... The Canon S9000, 
along with the 1280 and 1270.  I had been busily printing comp cards 
with the S9000, for a model, when I noticed I would soon need a good 
deal more Canon ink.  I headed over to CompUSA, got the ink and while 
there decided I would pick up some Epson Archival Matte (to try Paul's 
Curves in the 1270 with MIS VM inks) and some Canon Glossy paper. 
Imagine my surprise when I see 8.5 x 11 pads of Hahnemuhle Torchon and 
Durer!

Ok, so I bought some to try out, meaning to wait for the VM inksets to 
arrive, and compare the Hahnemuhle papers to EAM.  

Well, I got bored doing the comp cards...  The model is pretty, but 
seeing her over and over and over again is pretty dull.  I decided to 
run a quick series of test prints on a greenish quadtone image I had 
already converted to RGB.  The original image came from a high contrast 
35mm B&W Kodak HIE (Infrared) negative of Lady Liberty I shot one week 
prior to 9-11.  An online version of the image is on the index page at:

http://www.p-o-v-image.com/

it's the Liberty shot with the torch that anchors the page.

I used standard settings for photo quality media within the Canon 
driver, but turned off automatic color management.

In a word, when I looked at the prints, "WOW!!!!", is the thought that 
came to mind.

I vacillate between the two version of the print, but the Torchon print 
has a smoother linear gradation in the midtones (something likely 
correctable in the Durer with some minor profiling), some of the Durer  
midtones seem too light and look almost like they miss one gradation. 
(This may also be a partial result of the surface texture of the Durer)

I really enjoy the warmth of both papers.

As someone who has loved making silver prints on traditional silver 
papers using Luminos papers similar to these, I have to  say that I am 
smitten by these papers.  They look and feel like good fibre prints.. 
Although to get the green correct on silver paper would have require 
toning and/or dyeing...

These prints were made with the OEM Canon inks, but I will be trying 
some Generations v5 PhotoPro inks in the S9000, as soon as they are 
available.

I can't wait for the MIS VM inks to arrive to try making some B&W prints 
from the 1270 with these papers...  

Bottom line?  I can't say anything better than that the print on the 
Torchon couldn't look more like I imagined it in my mind's eye...

One other thing... I'll definitely do a 13 x 19 version of this print 
for the next print exchange!


[Keith]
 
 



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