Digital BW, The Print

All,

I've got a testy image that I need to convert to a BW for quad 
printing. Lots of trouble with the skin tones. (wedding shot) I read 
through the posts and got some good ideas. The most interesting seems 
to be converting the channels into layers via the Jeff Schewe method. 
How do I do this? Can anyone point me to more info, or describe the 
process. That is, convert the channels into layers? Is this possible 
in 16 bit mode? Thanks in advance.

Barry Gilliand

Sunday, August 11, 2002, 3:31:45 PM, bggilliand2001 wrote:

b> All,

b> I've got a testy image that I need to convert to a BW for quad 
b> printing. Lots of trouble with the skin tones. (wedding shot) I read 
b> through the posts and got some good ideas. The most interesting seems 
b> to be converting the channels into layers via the Jeff Schewe method. 
b> How do I do this? Can anyone point me to more info, or describe the 
b> process. That is, convert the channels into layers? Is this possible 
b> in 16 bit mode? Thanks in advance.

b> Barry Gilliand

Barry,

I have had great success with the Russell Preston Brown's "Seeing in
Black & White" conversion method which I learned of from this list.
More info can be found here:

<http://www.russellbrown.com/body.html>

It is not possible in 16-bit as it requires layers. And is pretty
simple, especially if you create your own action for it as I did. You
can do some levels/curves adjustment before converting and that can
usually work ok. And you can always go back to 16-bit if you require a
different adjustment, then apply the B&W action again and keep going.

Best regards,
 Richard  

mailto:richard@...

The Imaging Factory has a 16bit plugin for PS which does a very nice
job. I originally used this filter for quick and dirty checks to see if
it was worth doing a full quadtone conversion. In some cases I've found
it does a better job. 30 day eval -- no restrictions in the trial
version.

http://www.theimagingfactory.com

Jim Belec

-----Original Message-----
From: bggilliand2001 [mailto:bgilliand@...] 
Sent: Sunday, August 11, 2002 6:32 PM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Digital BW] Converting to BW

All,

I've got a testy image that I need to convert to a BW for quad 
printing. Lots of trouble with the skin tones. (wedding shot) I read 
through the posts and got some good ideas. The most interesting seems 
to be converting the channels into layers via the Jeff Schewe method. 
How do I do this? Can anyone point me to more info, or describe the 
process. That is, convert the channels into layers? Is this possible 
in 16 bit mode? Thanks in advance.

Barry Gilliand

> I've got a testy image that I need to convert to a BW for quad
> printing. Lots of trouble with the skin tones. (wedding shot) I read
> through the posts and got some good ideas. The most interesting seems
> to be converting the channels into layers via the Jeff Schewe method.
> How do I do this? Can anyone point me to more info, or describe the
> process. That is, convert the channels into layers? Is this possible
> in 16 bit mode? Thanks in advance.

Since I brought the method up I'll do my best to explain it. It does not
work in 16 bit mode because it requires layers, which 16 bit does not
support.

You can do much of it with keystrokes, but I think I'll explain the long way
so you see exactly what's going on. Others may know how to do it even faster
than me. An action would be a great thing for this!!!

Separate your layers pallet from your channels pallet (drag the tab of one
out of the window).

Start with your background layer selected.  Go to your channels pallet and
click on the channel you want to bring over as a layer (I just start with
Red and work my way down). This should turn off your other channels so your
image displays as your RED channel (okay, a keystroke... You could just hit
CMD+1 to select the red channel only, CMD+2=green, etc). Hit CMD+A to select
all. This is selecting all of the RED channel. You should see the marquee
around the perimeter of your image. Hit CMD+C to copy the entirety of your
RED channel. Now click on the RGB master channel (top one). Now click on the
Background layer in your layers pallet. Hit CMD+V and your RED channel
should now be pasted in as a layer above your background layer @ 100%
opacity.

Now I repeat everything for the GREEN channel. Click background layer, click
green channel, CMD+A, CMD+C, click master channel, click background layer,
CMD+V. Then repeat for the BLUE channel.

You might be able to skip always clicking the master channel and bkgd layer,
I don't remember, but sometimes I found I'd end up pasting one channel into
another channel - this routine helps me keep things straight.

If all went well you will now have the three channels stacked atop of each
other as layers. Click each "layer" on and off to be sure each one is
different from the one below, IOW, that you didn't do any more than once,
and not get another.

Once they are stacked you can change opacities, stacking order, and blend
mode, or even use the underutilized "blend if" sliders (double click the
layers name). You can turn off your background layer at this point, or leave
it on to mess with a desaturated color look, or whatever else you may
stumble upon.

HTH

Todd

And if you want the simpler and 16 bit savvy version just use the channel
mixer and enter the percent of blue, green and red channels you want with
the monochrome box checked...you can't split channels across the image this
way...but it works for most images that you don't need to do something
special to (e.g., fake a red filter on the sky and use a green for the
ground, etc.).


Robert

On 8/11/02 10:05 PM, "Todd Flashner" <tflash@...> wrote:

> 
>> I've got a testy image that I need to convert to a BW for quad
>> printing. Lots of trouble with the skin tones. (wedding shot) I read
>> through the posts and got some good ideas. The most interesting seems
>> to be converting the channels into layers via the Jeff Schewe method.
>> How do I do this? Can anyone point me to more info, or describe the
>> process. That is, convert the channels into layers? Is this possible
>> in 16 bit mode? Thanks in advance.
> 
> Since I brought the method up I'll do my best to explain it. It does not
> work in 16 bit mode because it requires layers, which 16 bit does not
> support.
> 
> You can do much of it with keystrokes, but I think I'll explain the long way
> so you see exactly what's going on. Others may know how to do it even faster
> than me. An action would be a great thing for this!!!
> 
> Separate your layers pallet from your channels pallet (drag the tab of one
> out of the window).
> 
> Start with your background layer selected.  Go to your channels pallet and
> click on the channel you want to bring over as a layer (I just start with
> Red and work my way down). This should turn off your other channels so your
> image displays as your RED channel (okay, a keystroke... You could just hit
> CMD+1 to select the red channel only, CMD+2=green, etc). Hit CMD+A to select
> all. This is selecting all of the RED channel. You should see the marquee
> around the perimeter of your image. Hit CMD+C to copy the entirety of your
> RED channel. Now click on the RGB master channel (top one). Now click on the
> Background layer in your layers pallet. Hit CMD+V and your RED channel
> should now be pasted in as a layer above your background layer @ 100%
> opacity.
> 
> Now I repeat everything for the GREEN channel. Click background layer, click
> green channel, CMD+A, CMD+C, click master channel, click background layer,
> CMD+V. Then repeat for the BLUE channel.
> 
> You might be able to skip always clicking the master channel and bkgd layer,
> I don't remember, but sometimes I found I'd end up pasting one channel into
> another channel - this routine helps me keep things straight.
> 
> If all went well you will now have the three channels stacked atop of each
> other as layers. Click each "layer" on and off to be sure each one is
> different from the one below, IOW, that you didn't do any more than once,
> and not get another.
> 
> Once they are stacked you can change opacities, stacking order, and blend
> mode, or even use the underutilized "blend if" sliders (double click the
> layers name). You can turn off your background layer at this point, or leave
> it on to mess with a desaturated color look, or whatever else you may
> stumble upon.
> 
> HTH
> 
> Todd
> 
> 
> 
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