Digital BW, The Print

Joel,

> 
> ... I generally would not print color, however, some of the B&W
> work I do has an intense sepia look to it (which would require some
> color).  You can find
> some examples here: http://www.joelbelmont.com/pregnant.html

I'll send you a file off list that has a scan of the UT2 inkset, that
includes the carbon and sepia tones.  The sepia spot -- one cart, the yellow
position -- is easy to modify.  I've published the formula, and the ability
for users to mix to taste was what I intended.  On the other hand, not many
appear to want to mess with it.

The alternative is to have the printing done with the 7600 or 7800.  The
7600 with a rip can do it utilizing very little color ink, but there are
barely visible dots in the highlights that purists might find objectionable.
The 7800 could do it with no dots.  The 7600 could also do it with no dots,
but it'd be primarily a color image with all the baggage that goes with that
-- relatively weak fade resistance and metamerism.

Sepia uses lots of yellow and magenta -- the two weakest parts of these
inksets.  A pure carbon print is about half way to sepia, but it is the
toughest of the pigments.  So, you have a trade-off here to consider.  I
have tended to avoid sepia for prints that I want to last, but it does look
great for some images.  You may want to see a sample of a pure carbon print.

 
> Would using a cheaper/older printer (such as the 7500) be able to handle
> this need well, or would I be better off considering investing in 
>something newer?

My trusty old 7500 can do neutral to carbon.  The carbon is not quite the
best, but it could be made better if that were one of the things I did with
it.  (I'd just replace the FSN-Y with FS-Y in the Y position.)



I was thinking about what I'd do if I had someone else do the printing.  I
think I'd have a printer for proofing.  Even the cheap C86 would do with
respect to density, but for the sepia and a service bureau running a 7600 or
7800, you'd want a 2400.  I'd have the service bureau make 21-step test
strips that showed what I want, and the proofing and service bureau printers
would be calibrated to match each other with an allowable tolerance that
would be negotiated with the service bureau.  I'd have a spectrophotometer
to measure and quality control the service bureau, and each file I sent
would have, outside the main image, a 21-step test strip that I'd be able to
read.  In short, I think an objective quality control methodology is all I
could live with.

To get started and learn the technology, you might want to purchase a
smaller printer.  

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com