Digital BW, The Print

Robert,

I don't think anyone will use the Epson Archival black ink in the black
position for matte paper.  That position is open.  That is one reason I
didn't report the 100% patch.  I currently have the MIS Matte Black in
there, and it looks terrific on Eclipse and LPM.  However, I have no fade
test results for the MIS Matte Black, and Epson's Matte Black is much darker
on EAM.

So far the Epson Matte Black is the most lightfast black ink I've tested.  I
assume the Epson Archival black is better, but I doubt it's enough better to
warrant its use on matte papers.  Ongoing fade tests will be needed to see
what black ink is best.  I don't have any of Cone's latest "Archival" black
ink, but it would be one I'd like to test also.  So far, I've seen no
reliable data on it.

I might note that Epson Matte Black has some negatives.  It appeared to
cause vertical banding on my 1160.  It also is very warm, making it great
for a warm inkset, but not so great for a neutral or cool one.

Of course, all inks fade.  I suppose even silver prints fade.  (I'll
eventually make some silver test strips for comparative fade testing.)
However, for indoor display, I think the Epson Archival inkset is probably
the most lightfast there is that is feasible on the printers we typically
use.  I have never seen any reports of any indoor inkset that can beat or
even match it.  I suspect the coating of the particles is one key to this
performance.  While carbon may be relatively stable, it clearly oxidizes.
An oxygen barrier should increase it's fade resistance.

I was hoping that the coatings we are experimenting with would be a
substitute for the Epson encapsulation.  However, my fade tests as well as
other information on the nature of the coatings makes me doubt that any
water-borne coating will match what Epson has.  The water-borne acrylics, in
particular, appear to have no significant gas or moisture barrier
properties.  The cross-linking of polyurethanes should help, but the extent
of such in single-component PURs may be too little to have much effect.
Also, the water-borne coatings are probably just laying on top of the
particles instead of surrounding them.  Thus, the gas and moisture can get
to the pigments through the paper.

The difference in the adhesion statistics between the water and
solvent-borne coatings is dramatic.  This measure, from what I can tell,
indirectly tells us the extent to which the water-borne dispersions are not
penetrating much more than the pigment particles themselves.  They just lay
on the surface.

Of course, the sprayed solvent-base PURs I've tried have also had no
significant impact on fade resistance.  It may be that a low molecular
weight coating like Gamvar would have some chance of doing the job.

Have you tried any of the solvent based coatings directly on the paper?  I
have the impression there are problems of uneven paper penetration and
blotchiness.

At any rate, while I have no fade test results yet, if I were a gambling
person, I'd bet that the Epson Archival black-based midtone quad pigs set
the standard for now.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com

_______________________________________________
  -----Original Message-----
  From: Robert Morrison [mailto:rmorrison@...]
  Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 10:13 AM
  To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
  Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Epson Archival quad


  On 12/12/02 9:57 AM, "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@...> wrote:

  > 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
  >
  Paul, what the dmax for this ink on these papers?  As I recall it was
quite
  poor.  In fact, my memory suggests that all papers were actually less than
  1.5. I really receive proof prints from a printer that uses a 10000 (same
  inks as the 7500) and the blacks are always very poor.

  Also, the 200 year estimate is certainly a bogus figure.  I know that
these
  inks do fade in sunlight quite quickly...but I haven't actually seen CYMK
  fades so I don't know specifically about the black.  But it will be
  interesting to see how they do in your fader compared to the current
  competition.

  Robert



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