Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Mark Tucker" <mark@m...> 
wrote:

(snip)

> 
> This afternoon, for some unknown reason, it's printing fine. 
> Nozzle checks show solid. I also started messing with Paul's 
> "w6" curve and made what I think is an improvement, at least for 
> my machine and my monitor. The prints are VERY neutral and 
> pleasing with no noticeable dots. I also switched to Epson 
> Radiant White watercolor paper, which may have helped over 
> ESFA for the black DMax. (But now I've gotta find something in 
> 24").

Mark,

Glad to hear things are smoothing out! I did a lot of printing 
yesterday on Hahnemule Photo Rag. This had not printed well with the 
cool neutral curve but is very nice with the neutral curve and I 
suspect the medium-warm would also be nice. Blacks are very deep and 
base color is similar to Torchon. Surface is smooth but not without 
some character. I know that Digital Art Supplies has this in 24" 
rolls in the 188 and 308 gsm. They have all the Hahnemule and 
Schoellershammer papers in 24" rolls but you should comparison shop 
the prices.

Under magnification I can see the Epson driver dot pattern in some 
locations where there is a delicate transition to pure white but 
under normal viewing distances this is not visible. Like the 
microscopic banding and window screen pattern I get with the Piezo 
driver on my 1200, the dot pattern is less evident on papers with a 
rougher finish and in image areas that have a fine pattern such as 
grain.
 
> 
> I'm going to try to do a whole second set of prints with these inks 
> for the Print Exchange. I just hope these lines stay full; the 
> voodoo factor for these printers is quite high I've found. Or maybe 
> it was the fresh bread that I brought in for everybody in the 
office; 
> maybe that's what tilted the scale. I've just got my fingers 
> crossed, and will send Paul prints for his review.

You did remember to hang the horseshoe over the front door and turn 
around widdershins three times before turning on the printer and to 
always throw salt over your left shoulder just before 
clicking "Print"? Page 86 in the manual under troubleshooting I 
believe. ;-)

Martin