Digital BW, The Print

Don't know if this message made it to the group because I received something back from Yahoo indicating that it bounced...so...I'm trying again...

I know this hasn't been discussed lately but, recently, I picked up a box of 8.5x11 EAM from my local CompUSA (batch 02CC2004M) for experimenting with some B&W conversions of color images. Immediately upon pulling the first print off the printer I noticed that it looked slightly different from what I was used to seeing. Remembering the discussions on this forum about "yellowish" EAM with newer lot numbers, I pulled out my trusty supply of "old" A3 EAM and compared the two. The newer paper was visibly more yellow than the old!

Feeling the desperation begin to set in--what will I print on when my A3 (my primary size) runs out?--I began experimenting with Photo Rag; my favorite paper when I used Piezo inks. I selected a grayscale image that I was very familiar with and began printing it using Paul's neutral-cool and warm-neutral curves along with gamma adjustments, and toner variation via the yellow slider. I should mention that all my quads are produced on an 1160 with MIS VM inkset, and Paul's curves for this printer. My goal was to match, as closely as possible, the same image previously printed with the Piezo driver and PiezoTone ST inks. Figuring that the ST inks had warmed some I knew that an exact match certainly wouldn't be possible. But, I was just looking for something close...and I think I found a possible solution. Using the warm-neutral curve with the yellow slider set on 0 (that is, no change) and applying a +1 contrast adjustment curve that I downloaded from outbackphoto.com, I was able to produce just about the most stunning print of this particular image, to date. And, though the tonality was not exactly the same as the Piezo print (naturally) the overall and local contrast was just about a dead match. The VM print...somehow...look brighter, though! I was very excited, and plan to experiment with this technique further using other images.

Just thought I'd let the group know the ramblings of yet another quad printer pushing for something "a little different" and a "little better!"

Happy printing,
Alan

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I'd like to experiment with the curve you mentioned, but I couldn't 
find it at the Outback site. Could you direct me to it? Thanks.

Chris Hargens

 --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "A. Huntley" 
<prasepe@a...> wrote:
> Don't know if this message made it to the group because I received 
something back from Yahoo indicating that it bounced...so...I'm 
trying again...
> 
> I know this hasn't been discussed lately but, recently, I picked up 
a box of 8.5x11 EAM from my local CompUSA (batch 02CC2004M) for 
experimenting with some B&W conversions of color images. Immediately 
upon pulling the first print off the printer I noticed that it looked 
slightly different from what I was used to seeing. Remembering the 
discussions on this forum about "yellowish" EAM with newer lot 
numbers, I pulled out my trusty supply of "old" A3 EAM and compared 
the two. The newer paper was visibly more yellow than the old!
> 
> Feeling the desperation begin to set in--what will I print on when 
my A3 (my primary size) runs out?--I began experimenting with Photo 
Rag; my favorite paper when I used Piezo inks. I selected a grayscale 
image that I was very familiar with and began printing it using 
Paul's neutral-cool and warm-neutral curves along with gamma 
adjustments, and toner variation via the yellow slider. I should 
mention that all my quads are produced on an 1160 with MIS VM inkset, 
and Paul's curves for this printer. My goal was to match, as closely 
as possible, the same image previously printed with the Piezo driver 
and PiezoTone ST inks. Figuring that the ST inks had warmed some I 
knew that an exact match certainly wouldn't be possible. But, I was 
just looking for something close...and I think I found a possible 
solution. Using the warm-neutral curve with the yellow slider set on 
0 (that is, no change) and applying a +1 contrast adjustment curve 
that I downloaded from outbackphoto.com, I was able to produce just 
about the most stunning print of this particular image, to date. And, 
though the tonality was not exactly the same as the Piezo print 
(naturally) the overall and local contrast was just about a dead 
match. The VM print...somehow...look brighter, though! I was very 
excited, and plan to experiment with this technique further using 
other images.
> 
> Just thought I'd let the group know the ramblings of yet another 
quad printer pushing for something "a little different" and a "little 
better!"

> 
> Happy printing,
> Alan
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Chris,

It is obscure, but you will find it at 
http://www.outbackphoto.com/workshop/photoshop_corner/essay_17/essay.h
tml

The downloads are at the bottom of the page.

I have been using an adjustment layer with an s curve before I print 
and it often helps a lot.  While I am relatively new to quad 
printing, at least on my system, the monitor image needs to be a 
little bit exagerated to get some snap into the print.

Steve

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Chris Hargens" <ldmr@c...> 
wrote:
> I'd like to experiment with the curve you mentioned, but I couldn't 
> find it at the Outback site. Could you direct me to it? Thanks.
> 
> Chris Hargens
> 
>  --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "A. Huntley" 
> <prasepe@a...> wrote:
> > Don't know if this message made it to the group because I 
received 
> something back from Yahoo indicating that it bounced...so...I'm 
> trying again...
> > 
> > I know this hasn't been discussed lately but, recently, I picked 
up 
> a box of 8.5x11 EAM from my local CompUSA (batch 02CC2004M) for 
> experimenting with some B&W conversions of color images. 
Immediately 
> upon pulling the first print off the printer I noticed that it 
looked 
> slightly different from what I was used to seeing. Remembering the 
> discussions on this forum about "yellowish" EAM with newer lot 
> numbers, I pulled out my trusty supply of "old" A3 EAM and compared 
> the two. The newer paper was visibly more yellow than the old!
> > 
> > Feeling the desperation begin to set in--what will I print on 
when 
> my A3 (my primary size) runs out?--I began experimenting with Photo 
> Rag; my favorite paper when I used Piezo inks. I selected a 
grayscale 
> image that I was very familiar with and began printing it using 
> Paul's neutral-cool and warm-neutral curves along with gamma 
> adjustments, and toner variation via the yellow slider. I should 
> mention that all my quads are produced on an 1160 with MIS VM 
inkset, 
> and Paul's curves for this printer. My goal was to match, as 
closely 
> as possible, the same image previously printed with the Piezo 
driver 
> and PiezoTone ST inks. Figuring that the ST inks had warmed some I 
> knew that an exact match certainly wouldn't be possible. But, I was 
> just looking for something close...and I think I found a possible 
> solution. Using the warm-neutral curve with the yellow slider set 
on 
> 0 (that is, no change) and applying a +1 contrast adjustment curve 
> that I downloaded from outbackphoto.com, I was able to produce just 
> about the most stunning print of this particular image, to date. 
And, 
> though the tonality was not exactly the same as the Piezo print 
> (naturally) the overall and local contrast was just about a dead 
> match. The VM print...somehow...look brighter, though! I was very 
> excited, and plan to experiment with this technique further using 
> other images.
> > 
> > Just thought I'd let the group know the ramblings of yet another 
> quad printer pushing for something "a little different" and 
a "little 

> better!"
> > 
> > Happy printing,
> > Alan
> > 
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]