Digital BW, The Print

I am interested to know if anyone has published a workflow for 
printing black & white prints on an Epson 2200 beginning in 
PhotoShop, then processing a saved TIFF image file in Qimage, and 
then finally printing the image saved to a file in Qimage using 
QTRgui.

My questions center around the setting up of ICC/ICM profiles for 
the display and printer (in both PS and Qimage and 16/8 bit image 
conversion. I'm using the Epson EEM paper right now.

I am very new to digital black & white printing.

I have been able to produce decent 8x10s using my own guesses and 
hunches but I wonder if someone with more experience has or can 
share what they know.

My observation so far is that a Qimage processed print does appear 
to have a slight edge in image sharpness when viewed with a 8x loupe
(compared to the same image taken through just the PS -> QTRgui 
path). However the sharper Qimage image has visibly less contrast 
(not unacceptable but unexpected and noticeable).

Thanks in advance.

David Keenan
Austin, Texas