Digital BW, The Print

Todd wrote: 
> Right - Me too - Gotta love them layer masks! The other thing one can do
> when they have the duped layer is use the blending sliders for the layer in
> the layers options dialog box. I'm not as comfortable working with them as
> I'd like to be, but that's handy way to "mask" by luminosity. I just don't
> feel I can see what I'm doing as well with that approach. How 'bout you?

If I'm blending a duplicate layer with a slight adjustment to it I agree, I
do not particularily like using the blending sliders, no matter the blending
mode. They do offer you a smoother transition in tonal blends if you option
click the slider to halve it and separate the halves to your liking. But, I
still find that the blend is choppy. I much prefer to blend using a layer
mask and paint away with a sublte touch.

On the other hand, for my photo-illustrations the sliders in the blending
box are ideal for layering line art or logos into the design. You can knock
out any little thing you don't want on there... with great control.


> Plus, I just like leaving my background layer unscathed incase I change my
> mind about things later. I'm very fickle you know - Hate to commit. ;-)

This is smart, but I don't worry about my background layer as I keep all
master scans, I also keep all edits along the way so that if I'm terribly
disappointed in a print I can go back to the file before I had made the
problem. You just keep in all in one file... cool. My flow is habit from
larger file sizes where I just could *not* keep all originals in the file
along with the work in progress. Some of my files are over 1 GIG and 80
layers.   You're not fickle, you're creative... oh, er, yeah ok, fickle. ;-)

> I'm generally working med format negs (6x6) scanned at 2540 dpi, so my pixel
> dimensions are around 5700x5700. What I'll sometimes do while working an
> image is test print it at 5x5" so I can put get two tests on an 8.5x11 page.
> At that size the file is around 1150 DPI. My largest print size
> (unfortunately) is 12" square, which is at about 480 DPI. All I can say is
> to me they both look good. The size differential makes it hard to do any
> qualitative comparison, I'm just pleased with both. I'm looking forward to
> the day I can print 24x24" at 240 DPI. ;-)
> 
> Anyway, I've never really downsized in PS to compare with sending it all to
> the driver. I should, but really the small sizes are primarily for proofing
> purposes anyway.

Makes sense... Have you tried a larger print... 20.4 x 20.4 at 280 dpi??
Sometimes that lower dpi can surprise you.  Or download the trial version of
GF which allows a full use demo for a few uses and upsample your image a few
percentage points... nothing major but then print it at the larger size at
your preferred dpi and see what you think.  If you've done all this just
tell me to mmob... ;-)
> 
>> Deke McClelland also has an edge mask technique that I find works well with
>> some images.  
> 
> I couldn't find Deke's technique on Luminous-Landscape. I like Deke, I've
> learned a lot from his Total Training video series. Is this masking
> technique the one where he uses HighPass to accentuate the edges? Does he
> then run USM through the mask?

Sorry, my writing skills again... Two of the sharpening techniques I
mentioned are on the Luminous site, Deke's sharpening technique was in the
latest issue of "Photoshop User magazine" ...  The article was taken from
his book "Look and Learn Photoshop 6".  I like him too, I learned a lot from
his "bibles"...

Carolyn