Digital BW, The Print

My latest variable-tone inkset mix manages to cover the neutral to sepia
range.  This brew is called VM-Sepia3-N3. It prints with the same VM curves.

The sepia toner uses a ratio of 3Y to 2M, making it more magenta than the
sepia2 mix (2Y:1M) posted before.  Otherwise it is just like the sepia2 mix,
except that it hits my density target right on.

I'm not sure which sepia mix I like best -- sepia2 or sepia3.  They are
close enough that the differences might not be that noticeable on monitors.

The non-toner inks are the FS-N3 mix instead of the standard MIS VM mix.  I
posted this formula earlier.  With neutral midtones, the cool end of the
spectrum with the VM-Sepia3-N3 inkset is virtually neutral.  The highlights
have a hair of warmth, but it appears to be the same as the EAM paper.  The
toner starts to give the shadows a hair of warmth, but according to my
scanner and the PS eyedropper, red exceeds blue by only 1 unit even at 80%.

It makes a very nice, very useable range, I think.

I've asked Martin to post the image "VM-Sepia3-N3" on the Message Related
Files section of the forum.

(See http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/files/ and
double click Message Related Files to get to that folder.)

The image on the left is the same old photo reproduction as I printed and
posted before with Sepia2.  The image on the right is a shot of Yosemite in
a clearing storm.  Both are on the same piece of EAM paper.  So, you can see
the range of the inkset and get an idea of my interest -- neutral-tone
landscapes and very warm, sepia tones from the same inkset.

So, the next step may be to perfect the non-warming inkset and merge it into
this variable-tone.  That way the neutral tones will stay neutral, and I
won't need to build in any more coolness.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com