Digital BW, The Print

Yes, Jim.  I was responding to Mark's post regarding commercial-offset 
printing and double-black, as he called it.  See his post below.  I'm 
not implying this can necessarily be done with inkjet printers, 
although I suppose it's possible depending on the inkset...

Phil
http://philbard.com


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "J. Arthur Davis" <
jarthurdavis@e...> wrote:
> Phil:
> I think what you are referring to here is a multi color press using separate
> printing plates. Each carrying a different grade of black ink. This can also
> be accomplished with multiple presses and passing the sheet through these
> presses multiple times, with the sheet in register. I used to do this all
> the time in my offset printing days. The idea was to get as much snap in the
> blacks so the image looked like it would jump off the page.
> 
> Jim Davis
> http://www.visual-artists.com
> jarthurdavis@v...
> support@i...
> Fine art pigment print makers
> 
> 
> > Mark,
> >
> > The double hit of black your referring to is accomplished by running
> > two printers (ie. ink rollers) both loaded with black ink.  In areas of
> > solid black, the additional printer lays down another layer of black
> > ink (actually beneath the main ink layer).  This effectively increases
> > the DMax by further blocking light to the sheet, and produces better
> > depth.  This method also works well when running a duotone with, say,
> > black and a PMS gray ink.  As with Piezography, the tonal range is
> > divided up between the 2 inks, the gray handles the highs, black the
> > lows with some mixing in the midtones.  Again, the gray, which goes
> > onto the sheet first, underlays the blacks in the deep shadows,
> > allowing better maximum black as in the above scenario.  The ultimate
> > print is achieved by adding still more printers with additional grays
> > to continue to divide the tonal range, and perhaps a gloss varnish for
> > the silver print look.  This is where the idea for quad black printing
> > initially came from.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Phil
> > http://philbard.com
> >
> >
> > --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Mark Tucker" <mark@m...>
> > wrote:
> > > --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Martin Wesley"
> > > <mwesley250@e...> wrote:
> > > > This leads me to wonder what you could do with a duo-ink
> > > system. Use
> > > > the black and a 50% dilution of the black.
> > >
> > > In commercial offset printing, there is a technique known as
> > > "double-dot black" printing. I did a poster in that method years
> > > ago. I don't know any of the details about it, but my guess is that
> > > it's a "budget" way to pump up the richness of the blacks, while
> > > still running one color of black only. (If I'm wrong, someone
> > > correct me here). So this would be similar to what you're
> > > suggesting.
> > >
> > > I just shot a calendar this week for a liquor company. They're
> > > known to print only b/w in their ads, and I mean one hit of black
> > > only. The designer is nudging them to try to get them to at least
> > > spring for a double-dot black, to add as much depth as possible.
> > >
> > > Also in commercial printing, there is general acceptance that you
> > > get more richness if you print at least a duotone, a tritone, or
> > > even CMYK-neutral to get the most richness out of a B/W image.
> > > It makes sense, since you're stacking up all those layers of ink.
> > > But wasn't it pretty stunning to see what just ONE hit of black-only
> > > could do with the Epson? I totally agree with you about the look of
> > > a "B/W photograph". I wish there was a way to run the Black
> > > channel at full strength, but then be able to back down all the
> > > other five inks in my 7000 to about quarter-strength, to add some
> > > richness, but also to eliminate that pesky color crossover.
> > >
> > > -http://marktucker.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
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