Digital BW, The Print

The FS/Piezo-compatible quad I've mixed from Epson Archival black (a 7500
cart) looks to be a very interesting and neutral inkset.  Assuming the Epson
claims of longevity are true, this could be a 200 year inkset.  Unlike the
color Archival pigments, the all-black-ink quad prints show no significant
metamerism.

The X-Rite readings of representative 21-step test-strip midtones of my "Eps
Arc FS2," printed with the Piezo driver, EAM profile, on my 1160 are as
follows:

Paper	%	Cyan	Magenta	Yellow	Visual

Epson Archival Matte

	25%	.34	.35		.35		.35
	50%	.63	.64		.63		.63
	75%	1.02	1.02		1.02		1.02

Legion Photo Matte

	25%	.35	.36		.35		.36
	50%	.63	.63		.61		.63
	75%	1.02	1.02		1.00		1.02

Eclipse Satine Bright White

	25%	.29	.30		.29		.29
	50%	.56	.56		.55		.56
	75%	.88	.87		.86		.88

The magenta reading being slightly above the average of the cyan and yellow
is typical of selenium-toned silver prints (and the PiezoTone selenium).
Cool shadow tones are also typical of selenium-toned prints.  With the MIS
Matte Black ink that I currently have in the printer, this is carried right
through to the 100% black position on both LPM and Eclipse.

The "Eps Arc FS2" mix is as follows:

	Cyan = 50% Arc K
	Magenta = 11% Arc K
	Yellow = 5.13% Arc K

These percentages need a bit of fine tuning, but, as can be seen from the
density readings, they are very close.  (The 75% readings will probably
increase 0.01 as they age.)  I'm not sure what Piezo profile people use for
Eclipse and LPM, so I just used the EAM profile.

The Epson Archival black can be harvested from large format cartridges.   I
used the standard MIS clear base to dilute the black ink.

While I have no fade tests yet -- and the results of those will be affect
which direction I go -- I tentatively think that a quad based on the Epson
Archival black is in my future.  What black-position ink I will use is too
early to tell.  Fade tests and paper choice are major variables there.

The pure Epson Archival K-based midtones look great to me, and the use of
Epson Archival inks (without the baggage of metamerism and weak blacks,
since that position is wide open) could be significant.  Once diluted, the
prices are competitive.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com