Digital BW, The Print

Doug,


this may not be what you are interested in pursuing, but making your
own profiles can sometimes give you better control when you mix
and match inks and papers. Since you are on OS X, you should be
aware that there are 2 solutions that allow you to do that and they
are much cheaper than full-fledged RIP software.

If you have missed those discussions on the list, you can search for
either QTR (Quad Tone RIP) or IJC/OPM (InkjetControl/OpenPrintMaker).

Here are their respective sites:

http://www.harrington.com/QuadToneRIP.html

http://www.bowhaus.com/inkjetcontrol/


Either software will allow you to make your own profiles and so
control how much ink goes in what part of the grayscale. This
would help with overloading a glossy paper - a common problem.
It also lets you test different papers on the fly whether there are
(RGB workflow) curves for them or not. Software like that
doesn't care which inkset you are using or even in what
order your inks are loaded in the printer.
With grayscale profiles and these drivers you can accurately
and directly address each ink channel without going through the
Epson driver. One less variable to fight.

I have only used IJC/OPM and find that - once you get familiar with
its functions - making a basic profile for a new ink and paper is a matter
of under a half hour and 2 or 3  sheets of paper. A new user will take
longer, of course, and you should be aware that there is a learning
curve. Also, a densitometer is needed for best control, but the 
software lets you make quick profiles using a desktop scanner.
Frankly, I sometimes throw a decent profile together by eyeball
if I have an accurate print of a grayscale to compare to. 


Of course, no software will make ink stick to paper when it doesn't
"want" to. Coating the print, especially on glossy media, is simply
part of the reality of inkjet printing right now. 

As for glossy papers - I completely understand why you would
prefer the look. But I have gone back and forth, and, like Paul, have
taken the position that matte papers, even with a lower maximum
density (dMax), hold up to different display lighting better 
because they avoid reflecting surrounding light surfaces. 
Also, there are matte papers and matte papers....  everyone knows
Epson Enhanced Matte, but, if you haven't tried yet, give the
Hahnemuhle papers a shot (like Photo Rag). Very expensive, but
they deliver a deeper black and a richer surface.
 
Despite all that, I still appreciate a good glossy print for the
right image. I don't see matte as the one-that-fits-all.
The best I have seen so far in glossy papers is the Darkroom Range 
Lyson Glossy. It only works with dye inks, however, and so is not 
appropriate for your inkset right now. 
Even then, prints made on that paper with Lyson dyes remain
water soluble after they dry and should really be coated to avoid
accidents in handling. Which goes to show you that, unfortunately, 
there is still no perfect substitute for those glossy bw darkroom prints
we all took for granted not so long ago!.....


Antonis



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Douglas Meeuwsen 
<lipshurt@m...> wrote:
> thanks again..... it seems like it would make more sense to use curves 
> from the output/transfer part of photoshop. Then there is a curve for 
> the black also. But really, I would rather just have something that 
> just plain works. I am a musician, and most of my prints are from 
> recording sessions, or concerts, of other musicians. Musicians are 
> always happy to get some nice shots, and prints etc. They dont really 
> know anything about fine art papers, and are usually very un-impressed 
> by a matte print.  Quite frankly, to me it's just glorified xerox 
> paper. I guess there is no real solution except printing with epson ink 
> on colorlife paper using black-only. I have some freinds that do BW 
> chemical prints and they too dont think much of matte paper. I went to 
> the Del mar photography exhibit, and out of maybe 500 BW prints, I 
> think there was one or two  prints that were on matte or fine art 
> paper. All of them were semigloss. I'll see if I can get the UT2 to 
> look as good as Black-only. It would be nice to get a warm tone 
> sometimes.