Digital BW, The Print

Hello Djon43,

>I don't think "proof paper" a logical concept for inkjet printing, 

My comments were not based upon logic or theory, but actual real world
experience over the 5+ years that I've been doing this.


>and I doubt many have ever bought EEM primarily for that purpose. 

Sorry you doubt that.  Based on this forum members' comments over the
past years I feel confident in saying that probably many tons of EEM
(once called EAM) have been purchased and used for that very purpose.
 It has pretty much been a universal proofing paper.  The first advice
I got as a newbie (along with get an Epson printer and MIS ink) was to
get some EAM for proofing and tests.


>If a paper "proof" needs to closely approximate the character of a
>finished print then one should logically use a smaller piece of the
>final print paper... 

Of course, logically.  Theoretically speaking, the best proof paper is
the final print paper.  But I'm speaking from practical experience,
not theory, and the reality is that it can be very expensive over
time.  Think about how much proof paper you go through in a year's
time and figure the cost.  If you can afford it, well then go right
ahead.  I'd rather spend less.

I do a lot of testing and trying new ideas and so on and went through
over 100 letter size sheets of EEM last year.  Why use expensive final
paper for this at 5 or 6 times the cost when it goes in the
recycle bin?   I use EEM for my early stage proofs when I'm working on
the basic tonal values of an image.  I have pretty good WYSIWYG with
my workflow, but there's still a big difference between reflective and
illiminated versions and every now and then I need to run a print (and
all my early proofs are on 1/4 size sheets, even with EEM).   And if
I'm doing a complex fine art print with many layer masks and
adjustments I may make more than a normal number of proofs, and at
some point the proofs have to be bigger.  I would consider it a
useless waste to use final paper for this stage.

I recommend forgetting theory and instead keep track of how much proof
paper you use and calculate the cost.  Then decide what you're willing
to pay for.


>Why risk proofing on a lesser paper? 

Why do you consider it a risk?  I don't "consider" it as either a risk
or not a risk.  I _know_ from actual experience that EEM is a great
proof paper for my workflow and final papers.  Using it saves me a lot
of money.  And I don't consider it a lesser paper.  As I said before,
it has tone, contrast, density and dmax very close to many of the best
final papers.  If it was archival it would be an excellent final paper.  


Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm