Digital BW, The Print

The dogma is to calibrate the system, but, frankly, for B&W I did just fine
for a long time with just the Adobe Gamma routine to "profile" my monitor.

 

After that, it's a question of printing workflow.  If you're using a color
managed system, the print should be close to the monitor, but they are never
exact.  

 

When I print with either the IJC or QTR rips, they are not color managed.
So, while I like to standardize on a Gray Gamma 2.2 profile for working up
the image (set in PS Edit>Color Settings), they "linearize" to a straight
line, which is a different distribution of gray levels.  The prints will
look lighter in the shadows since the GG 2.2 toe is substantially
compressed.  (Dot gain 20% is closer to what these rips print.)

 

To compensate for this, I have a PS image adjustment curve that translates
my GG 2.2 image to what fits these linear printing workflows.  I just stick
a curves layer with this curve on the image for printing, and the system
then prints fine.

 

So, basically, I'd say your simplest adjustment would be an image adjustment
curve that caused the monitor to match the print.  Use a 21-step test file
to make this.  I have several posted here:
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Test-files.htm   

 

Good luck.

 

Paul

www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.paulroark.com/>  

 

 

  _____  

From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tim
Timmermans
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 12:47 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] It's soooo frustrating

 

I spend loads of time in PS making the image look just the way I want
but when I print it, it's up to 30% lighter than what I see on screen.
So I adjust the screen image to be 30% darker and it looks lousy on
the screen but it's "closer" to what I wanted on the print. Still I
feel I'm losing something doing it this way. I also have no idea what
people are seeing on their monitors when I email them a sample image.
(no complaints to date but it concerns me.)

At the moment I just don't have the funds for an expensive calibration
software. Anyone have experience with the cheaper Spyder
version.."Spyder 2" I think it's called. Are there any other options
out there?

Any response would be most welcome as I have a show coming up next
month and I'm at wits ends.

Thanks,

Tim

 



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