Digital BW, The Print

In a message dated 5/31/07 12:37:25 PM, caostebbins@... writes:


> I do have a question regarding softproofing and ABW, however.  Is there a 
> way I can see a
> softproof using ABW?
> 
There is no way to softproof generic AWB results, as they are not ICC profile 
based. Thats a big part of what a custom profile is for: to show you what 
you'll get before you print it. This allows you to tweak images to a particular 
printer/ink/paper combination. It also allows you (when doing color work) to 
control how out of gamut colors are brought into gamut yourself, to avoid 
suprises when you leave it to the profile and rendering intent to do it for you. But 
to get an accurate preview, you first need a custom profile. The Atkinson 
profiles are not applicable to AWB, so won't be of any assistance there.

I print my B&W through the Epson color mode, as I find that more effective 
and accurate. I can select an image, use Photoshop's Custom Proof Setup option 
to view my image through the profile. With a ColorVision profile, you should 
then turn Black Point Compensation OFF, and both ink black and paper white 
emulation ON. This gives you a softproof of how your image will print. You can 
adjust the relationship of ink black to monitor black for your PFP profiles by 
using the Reference Black feature (see the help on that screen for details) and 
the Reference White feature to tune your paper tone softproof. I haven't tried 
all these fine tune features with a profile for B&W mode, since I don't find 
that the most effective way to print, but I suspect that they would be usable 
for softproofing of profiles for B&W modes, since they are used in Photoshop in 
advance, not used in the driver.

But if you use any of the adjustments in the B&W mode to tint your prints, 
that won't be reflected   appropriately in the profile softproof, unless the 
adjustments were used in the original target print. If you print in color mode 
with a PFP extended grays profile, you will get an accurate softproof for your 
neutral prints, and the ability to softproof any tinting you care to add as 
well.

C. David Tobie
Product Technology Manager
ColorVision Business Unit
Datacolor Inc.
CDTobie@...
www.colorvision.com


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