Digital BW, The Print

Thanks for the information and the web pages - very interesting.

To set the scene;
I currently don't have an appropriate printer, I run WinXP with 
Photoshop 7 - though this is also an interesting learning 
experience!! And use 35mm Digital SLR.
I am still confused as to wether I am better getting an Epson 1160 
or the 1290!! Seems the 1160 is tried and tested while the 1290 has 
some other advantages!!

Going with your previous advice of BO printing with the option to 
expand at a later date would you have a preference or recommendation?

thanks again for your input, this also goes to others who have 
helped.

Grant Frost

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Clayton Jones" 
<cj@c...> wrote:
> Hello Grant,
> 
> > Is this the best way to go or are there other equally valid
> options?  It all seems a little bewildering!!
>  
> "Bewildering" is a good way to describe it.  In broad terms there 
are
> two facets to BW printing.  One is what printer/ink/software to use
> and how to use it, the other is the PhotoShop skills necessary to
> produce good results.
> 
> The first part is difficult because each system is an expensive
> investment and you can't know if it's "right" for you until after
> trying it.  It's hard for anyone to make a recommendation because 
all
> the approaches have their strengths and weaknesses, with often
> overlapping considerations: cost, ease of use, operating system
> limitations, stability of the inks, visual appearance, etc.
> 
> One approach, which I recommend, is to begin with Black-Only 
printing
> (BO) on one of the smaller inexpensive printers for which MIS ink
> cartridges are available.  It's easy and relatively inexpensive, 
and a
> good way to get started while deciding on which of the other 
systems
> to use.  I'm confident in saying that after six months of making BO
> prints and keeping up in this forum, your knowledge will have
> increased exponentially, and any decision will be made with some
> real-world experience and wisdom.  In the meantime, you will be
> developing your PhotoShop skills and gaining invaluable knowledge 
and
> experience on that side of things.  It will not be wasted time or
> effort.
> 
> The BO technique is explained in detail in a series of articles on 
my
> web site (see link below).  Good luck and welcome to the forum.
> 
> Regards,
> Clayton
> 
> 
> Info on black and white digital printing at    
> http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm