Digital BW, The Print

On 8/22/03 1:01 PM, "Arthur Fink" <arthur@...> wrote:

> Have any of you been to the workshps that Cone Editions offers?  Should I
> go to one of these before investing in equipment (and, more importantly, in
> my time trying to get good results from that equipment)?  Or would I be
> better prepared if I've spent time tyring to get it right, knowing that I
> lack some knowledge and understanding.

I went to a Cone workshop in December 2001, taught by George Dewolfe.  About
half the time was George lecturing & demonstrating; the other half was each
of us working on an image that we'd brought with us (generally a negative
that Larry of Cone Ed. will scan on their drum scanner).  Each workstation
(mostly Macs, but there was at least one PC) had a little Epson 860 loaded
with Piezo inks, and you were expected to make several work prints as you
went along.  There was also an opportunity to have a large print done on a
large-format printer (a 7000, in the workshop I attended).

I found George's course fairly worthwhile.  If you know a lot about
Photoshop, you might find it a little less useful.  However, you do want to
have basic-to-intermediate experience with Photoshop so that you don't spend
too much time just learning that.  George does teach many of his own
techniques, some of which I still use.  Being able to use a *working* B&W
quad system is very valuable, as is seeing the other various technology that
goes along with it (drum scanner, large-format printers, IRIS printers,
spectrophotometers, etc.).

The best part, in my opinion, of going to the Cone workshops is being able
to be at the studio and see how they do things.  (I presume -- perhaps
wrongly -- that the workshops are still held in the little room off the back
of the main studio.)  I learned wonderful tricks on how to calibrate
monitors and *really* clean out a clog on a printer.  And, like most
workshops, getting to know the other participants is usually rewarding.

I don't know whether the workshops have evolved to integrate the new
Studioprint quadtone RIP, or the new ICC-profiling methods.  Nor do I know
whether the Piezo toned inksets are covered (these didn't exist when I took
the workshop).

What you almost certainly *won't* get is any exposure to alternate workflows
-- Imageprint, Inkjet Control/OPM, the various Photoshop curves -- nor other
inks like the MIS lines.  After all, the courses are taught by Cone, and I
doubt they'd cover the competitors.

Hope this helps.

-- 
John Labovitz
johnl@...
www.johnlabovitz.com