Digital BW, The Print

Thanks Martin, Paul and Richard.  Martin's thoughts on the 50/50 
mix warming as much as the FS at 100% seems to steer me 
towards the FS-N.  Also, Richard has a good point.  As a 
"newbie" to quadtone printing, I might be better served just 
getting used to making good prints with one inkset rather than 
adding to the list of variables of things that might go wrong.  The 
step wedges of the FS-N don't strike me as being excessively 
cool, so perhaps I'll go with those inks for it's neutrality and fade 
resistance.  Richard, any comments on that MIS CFS system?  
Easy to set up? 

Thanks again!

Andy



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., Richard Sintchak 
<richard@c...> wrote:
> Saturday, July 20, 2002, 11:21:07 AM, akivisuals wrote:
> 
> a> I'm thinking of getting started with a CFS for my 1160 and 
am 
> a> trying to determine which inks to use.  I want to use the 
Piezo 
> a> driver with MIS FS inks (for ink costs), but am hesitating 
between 
> a> the FS and FS-N inks.  After checking out the step wedges 
on 
> a> this site showing the blends and the regular wedges with 
FS 
> a> and FS-N inks I've decided that a blend would be a good 
> a> alternative to the coolness of the FS-N and the warmth of 
the FS.  
> 
> a> Now my question is, how will mixing the inks affect the 
fading of 
> a> the inks.  Paul Roark's 300 hr fade test tells me that the 
FS-N is 
> a> way more fade resistant (actually color shift resistant).  Will 
> a> blending 50/50 between the two inks cause a significant 
color 
> a> shift in fade tests?  Also, which inks need to be blended?  
Just 
> a> the 3 greys or does the black ink need to be blended as 
well?  
> a> Are the blacks the same in both inksets?  
> 
> a> Thanks to all of you on this website.  You've all been so 
helpful in 
> a> answering questions as I get started down this exciting 
> a> quadtone path!  
> 
> a> Andy
> 
> 
> Hi Andy,
> 
> As usual Martin's reply is erudite and not to be dismissed.  But 
I'll
> throw in my latest experience as well.
> 
> I did get my new CFS with FS-N inks up and running yesterday 
so I can
> comment (subjectively) on my recent direct experience of using 
the FS
> and FS-N inks. To me the FS-N is not as cool as I thought it 
would be.
> I would say that the FS-N is not as cool as the FS is warm 
(which is
> the way it is supposed to be). Side by side one can definitely 
see the
> difference and comparing this way the FS-N does look slightly 
cool.
> However when viewed separately it's a different story. In the FS 
one
> alone one can see some warmth. Not a lot, but definite 
warmth. I like
> warmth but to me if a print is going to be warm it should not be
> subtly warm but should be definitely warm, perhaps even 
starting to
> look sepia. The FS-N when viewed alone one cannot really see 
the
> coolness. It simply looks neutral. If you are used to viewing 
warm
> prints, or particularly like warmer prints, than you might think 
the
> FS-N looks cool but the coolness is not something that is 
easily seen
> like the warmth of FS is. My first day opinion is that I like the 
FS-N
> very much, nice and neutral. But I can also see where the FS 
warmth
> might work better in some circumstances. But with the FS-N 
it's less
> warmth and more neutral that I wanted and that's exactly what I 
got.
> 
> As I mentioned I considered mixing also since I have two sets 
of 4 oz
> bottles of FS and FS-N. But in the end decided to go straight on 
the
> FS-N if only for the purposed of establishing a benchmark in 
my eye
> and mind of what FS-N looks like as a "stock" ink. This adds 
better to
> my knowledge base of digital inks rather than doing a mix and 
not
> knowing whether I have successfully warmed up the FS-N 
results or not
> since I'd have no idea what FS-N looked like if I did not see it 
first
> for myself. I can see how perhaps you want to find that perfect
> combination straight off but I think as a newbie if you start right
> off mixing inks you'll only confuse yourself. Just my 2 cents....
> 
> Best regards,
>  Richard  
> 
> mailto:richard@c...