Digital BW, The Print

Mike,
I can't answer from experience because currently I only print to one paper
(EAM). Anyway, if you are able to find a curve that suits a specific paper,
I'd say that it shouldn't interfere with sharpening. I'd go like this:
 
1) Follow your workflow up to step 5 (included).
2) Add a separate layer for each paper, with the corresponding curve, and
save the file. Of course, only the layer for the paper you're going to print
on will be active.
3) Sharpen (curves layer shouldn't trouble you).
4) Print.
 
By the way, I note that:
 
a) Purists would sharpen *after* resizing.
b) I personally clean dust&scratches *after* having manipulated the image:
applying curves/levels or whatever else increases contrast will generally
reveal film defects that were not evident in the original image + exaggerate
artifacts that you may generate with imperfect cloning.
 
my 0.02 euros,
Alessandro Pardi
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: michaeladawson_ajax [mailto:mike.dawson@windriver.com]
Sent: lunedì 29 aprile 2002 18.03
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] Workflow for multiple paper types


I don't recall seeing this topic addressed here in the specific way
that I will try to pose it.

The question is what is a good workflow for processing your digital
file for output on different papers while keeping as few files around
for permanent storage?

Obviously, fewer files means less storage space requirements and, for
people like me who are terrible at organization, it means fewer files
to keep straight in terms of what is what.  I would like to be able to
keep the "geneology" of my finished prints as small as possible.

Briefly, my simple workflow looks something like this.
1. Scan negative in 16 bit mode
2. Start Photoshop and choose my grayscale profile for final paper
type so I can work in WYSIWYG.
3. Clean up dust/scratches and save file 1.
4. Make any 16 bit adjustments I can.  Levels, curves, etc.
5. If required, convert to 8 bit for specific PS tools. Dodge, burn,
etc. (This is an area where I would probably benefit from learning
layers)  At this point I usually save file 2.
6. Perform any sharpening needed.  Sometimes I save file 3 here.
7. Size the image and print out using Piezo with the appropriate Cone
profile using my ink-du-jour (Piezo or MIS FS).

The problem with this workflow comes in when you want to print to a
different paper type.  My experience so far printing on EAM, Somerset
Enhanced Velvet, Concord Rag, and Museo show that the output will be
different for each paper.  Using a different grayscale profile for
each paper one sees that different adjustments in PS are needed to get
the right output.

One solution would be to perform an additional curves adjustment
specific for the paper type as the last step... even after sharpening.
But one of the cardinal rules appears to be do sharpening last.  The
other route seems to be that I need to branch the geneology tree at
step 3 for every paper I want to print on.

So, do any of you experienced digital printers out there have good
advice to share on the proper workflow and save points for creating a
final work of art that can be printed to different paper types?

Thanks,
Mike


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