Digital BW, The Print

I have used MIS BW inks for matte printing (with QTR on Photo Rag from a TX650) for a while and am thinking of trying glossy printing.

I was just wondering what the basic concept behind minimising gloss differential on glossy paper was, particularly for the MIS UT14 inkset on Ilford Gold Silk. To help me work it out I have a few questions:

1) What is the difference between "bronzing" and "gloss differential"?

2) Is gloss differential even a significant issue with this paper and inkset combination?

3) Is the idea of gloss differential minimisation to print Glop where there isn't as much ink?

4) Would printing Glop where there isn't any ink at all effect the apparent colour or tone of the paper and image, either immediately or over time?

5) Will an area of 100% MIS Glop coverage and an area of 100% MIS PK coverage have close to a zero gloss differential, theoretically?

6) If I have an area in my image with 25% MIS PK being printed would I loose detail/clarity if I also printed 75% MIS Glop at that location (in the first pass, not after it dries)?

7) Basically, is it a reasonable ideal to have a constant coverage of MIS PK ink + MIS Glop at every density (with the exception of a black boost perhaps)?

Thanks in advance (and to the whole forum that has gotten me this far).

"nigglefish" <nigglefish@...> wrote:
>
> I have used MIS BW inks for matte printing (with QTR on Photo Rag from a TX650) for a while and am thinking of trying glossy printing.
> 
> I was just wondering what the basic concept behind minimising gloss differential on glossy paper was, particularly for the MIS UT14 inkset on Ilford Gold Silk. To help me work it out I have a few questions:
> 
> 1) What is the difference between "bronzing" and "gloss differential"?


The paper white will have one degree of gloss whereas the image where there is more ink will have another degree of gloss.  Glop (in the UT14 Y position) can be put on the paper to even out the gloss.

Bronzing is where the reflection off parts of the image that have ink on them take on a bronze color.  Most if no all pigments suffer from this to some extent.  Glop can be used to minimize this.  

Some people run the paper through the printer a second time to cover the entire print with a coating a glop. 

 
> 2) Is gloss differential even a significant issue with this paper and inkset combination?

It's a matter of how much one can tolerate -- subjective.

I'm setting up the WorkForce 1100 with a new MIS "EZ-Neutral" inkset just for that printer, and so far, while the matte prints look great, the glossy output compared to the Noritsu-Epson dyes is sad..

 
> 3) Is the idea of gloss differential minimisation to print Glop where there isn't as much ink?

Yes.

 
> 4) Would printing Glop where there isn't any ink at all effect the apparent colour or tone of the paper and image, either immediately or over time?

I don't believe so, but so far we have no good data on very long term color changes of glop.  I suspect the differential pigment fading will be more of a problem than the glop coloration. 

 
> 5) Will an area of 100% MIS Glop coverage and an area of 100% MIS PK coverage have close to a zero gloss differential, theoretically?

I think they will be close.

 
> 6) If I have an area in my image with 25% MIS PK being printed would I loose detail/clarity if I also printed 75% MIS Glop at that location (in the first pass, not after it dries)?

I have not noticed any details being obliterated.  Glop is fairly clear.  On the other hand, if you overload the paper with ink it'll become rough.  The Epson driver ink load controls will stop that if you're using the Epson driver and an appropriate paper type setting.

 
> 7) Basically, is it a reasonable ideal to have a constant coverage of MIS PK ink + MIS Glop at every density (with the exception of a black boost perhaps)?

How much glop is needed to minimize bronzing may be more of a trial and error effort.  The basic concept you suggest may be close, but play around with some different levels of glop and see what happens.

Keep an eye out for pizza wheel marks.  

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com 

> 
> Thanks in advance (and to the whole forum that has gotten me this far).
>

Thanks again for your detailed advice Paul. Your responses serve as a nice confirmation of my first thoughts. By editing QTR .quad files manually, it should be very easy to make curves with a constant coverage of glop+ink as a starting point.


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul" <roark.paul@...> wrote:

>
> "nigglefish" <nigglefish@> wrote:
> >
> > I have used MIS BW inks for matte printing (with QTR on Photo Rag from a TX650) for a while and am thinking of trying glossy printing.
> > 
> > I was just wondering what the basic concept behind minimising gloss differential on glossy paper was, particularly for the MIS UT14 inkset on Ilford Gold Silk. To help me work it out I have a few questions:
> > 
> > 1) What is the difference between "bronzing" and "gloss differential"?
> 
> 
> The paper white will have one degree of gloss whereas the image where there is more ink will have another degree of gloss.  Glop (in the UT14 Y position) can be put on the paper to even out the gloss.
> 
> Bronzing is where the reflection off parts of the image that have ink on them take on a bronze color.  Most if no all pigments suffer from this to some extent.  Glop can be used to minimize this.  
> 
> Some people run the paper through the printer a second time to cover the entire print with a coating a glop. 
> 
>  
> > 2) Is gloss differential even a significant issue with this paper and inkset combination?
> 
> It's a matter of how much one can tolerate -- subjective.
> 
> I'm setting up the WorkForce 1100 with a new MIS "EZ-Neutral" inkset just for that printer, and so far, while the matte prints look great, the glossy output compared to the Noritsu-Epson dyes is sad..
> 
>  
> > 3) Is the idea of gloss differential minimisation to print Glop where there isn't as much ink?
> 
> Yes.
> 
>  
> > 4) Would printing Glop where there isn't any ink at all effect the apparent colour or tone of the paper and image, either immediately or over time?
> 
> I don't believe so, but so far we have no good data on very long term color changes of glop.  I suspect the differential pigment fading will be more of a problem than the glop coloration. 
> 
>  
> > 5) Will an area of 100% MIS Glop coverage and an area of 100% MIS PK coverage have close to a zero gloss differential, theoretically?
> 
> I think they will be close.
> 
>  
> > 6) If I have an area in my image with 25% MIS PK being printed would I loose detail/clarity if I also printed 75% MIS Glop at that location (in the first pass, not after it dries)?
> 
> I have not noticed any details being obliterated.  Glop is fairly clear.  On the other hand, if you overload the paper with ink it'll become rough.  The Epson driver ink load controls will stop that if you're using the Epson driver and an appropriate paper type setting.
> 
>  
> > 7) Basically, is it a reasonable ideal to have a constant coverage of MIS PK ink + MIS Glop at every density (with the exception of a black boost perhaps)?
> 
> How much glop is needed to minimize bronzing may be more of a trial and error effort.  The basic concept you suggest may be close, but play around with some different levels of glop and see what happens.
> 
> Keep an eye out for pizza wheel marks.  
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > 
> > Thanks in advance (and to the whole forum that has gotten me this far).
> >
>