Digital BW, The Print

Hello. I am new to the list after having searched on UT-14 to see if I could find others working with this ink set on an Epson 1400. I've posed comments on several other good photography sites but never gotten any useful information. 

Before I discuss my concerns, let me say that I am very pleased to see that Paul Roark is active on this list. Paul, I've read a number of your articles and reviewed your web site. It is an honor to have a link to you through this site. 

My questions on UT-14 have to do with setting the brightness levels correctly. I've read through the 1400 B&W Inkset UT-14 instructions and the Quadtone RIP instructions and confess my knowledge is not up to digesting all of that yet. At this time I am just using the Epson settings (vivid, G2.2, etc.) for matte paper and the Epson ICC CCK3-1400-EPptoPaperG with gloss papers. Being a non-professional and therefor thrifty on paper costs, I'm using Red River Polar Matte and Arctic Polar Gloss papers. (I tried an number of the ICCs available for Ilford and other papers with black and white ink with poor results. The Epson ICC seems to work pretty well with RR APG.) 

I have done a set of 21-step gray scale photos, which I've printed. The results of this are that 0 and 255 levels are good, but the neutral gray is not in the right position in the scale. To resolve this I have been modifying my images, after all adjustments but before printing, by changing the image/adjustments/levels and moving the mid-point slider. For gloss paper I've found a setting of 1.25 seems to work best. The gray scale image then seems to print with reasonable accuracy. I haven't perfected the matte paper yet, as I've had less difficulties with it, but I think a similar process would work. 

My questions is, is this reasonable way to achieve a proper gray range in an image or am I missing something that will create less then ideal prints? Some of the prints I am creating look pretty good, but of course, pretty good is a low bar and I'd like to get the best I can within my skill set. 

Comments are appreciated

Homer Shannon aka Remo Nonaz, remononaz.blogspot.com

"Homer Shannon" <remononaz@...> wrote:

>...

> My questions on UT-14 have to do with setting the brightness levels correctly. 

>I've read through the 1400 B&W Inkset UT-14 instructions and the Quadtone RIP instructions and confess my knowledge is not up to digesting all of that yet.

In general, with respect to the UT-14 inkset as well as most of the recent ones I've been involved with, I recommend using the Epson driver first, next learn to use simple ICCs made with QTR's Create ICC-RGB, and finally learning to use the full QTR rip.  I'd take one step at a time.

That's basically what I tried to set up in http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/UT14.pdf 

Start with the papers that are profiled, and next learn to make your own ICCs.  You'll probably be able to use the existing curves for a number of them, but you do need to learn how to linearize.  For this, the use of a flatbed has be made much easier by using QTR's Step Wedge Tool.  See http://www.quadtonerip.com/html/QTRdownload.html  This tool is a Photoshop action that automates the basic approach I'd outlined at http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Making_B-W_ICCs-1.pdf and tried to simplify at http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Making_B-W_ICCs-GrayCard.pdf  


> At this time I am just using the Epson settings (vivid, G2.2, etc.) for matte paper ...

If you're using UT14, that is a good place to start.

> and the Epson ICC CCK3-1400-EPptoPaperG with gloss papers. 

I have no idea what that ICC will do with UT14. With UT14 the black is generated by the M and C position inks. 

Are you using UT-14 inkset or some other?  

> ...
> I have done a set of 21-step gray scale photos, ...
> the neutral gray is not in the right position in the scale. To resolve this I have been modifying my images, ...


One reason I recommend the use of the Epson driver with ICCs is that, assuming they are used with the inkset and paper they were intended to work with, the image you see on a calibrated monitor should match the print.  Getting the monitor to match the print makes the entire process much easier, and ICCs are the industry standard way of doing this.  

Hope this helps.  There is a learning curve to making good B&W.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

Thank you for the thorough response. 

I quickly re-read your document, BW-Info/Making_B-W_ICCs-1. I think I understand this and will run through the whole the process when I get time. Regarding the flat-bed scanner and the monitor I have two more questions. 

I don't have a real scanner though I do have an older HP 3-in-one printer that will create JPGs. Is this adequate to use? If not, what device am I looking to buy or borrow?

Regrading monitors, I calibrate my monitor with a Pantone Huey, which works well for color. Is there anything different you need to do when working in black and white?

"Homer Shannon" <remononaz@...> wrote:
>

> I quickly re-read your document, BW-Info/Making_B-W_ICCs-1. ...

By the way, I also have tried to use a digital camera to linearize a profile.  
See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Linearization-with-camera.pdf


> I don't have a real scanner though I do have an older HP 3-in-one printer that will create JPGs. Is this adequate to use?

I don't know.  If it does not accept flat, thick originals, that would be a problem.

> If not, what device am I looking to buy or borrow?

A spectro of some sort is the best.  I personally use a DataColor Spyder 3 Print.  It easily reads the simple 21-step files we use, and it makes a text file that easily graphs in Excel.  Some popular spectros do neither.  The DataColor unit is also reasonably priced.
See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Spectro.pdf

 
> Regrading monitors, I calibrate my monitor with a Pantone Huey, which works well for color. Is there anything different you need to do when working in black and white?

I'm not familiar with the Pantone Huey.

I hate to admit it, but with my new LCD monitor, I just manually "calibrated" it based on outputs from my printers using ICCs.  I had to cut the brightness back quite a bit for a good match to B&W. 

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com