Digital BW, The Print

Grady,

it's clear that my idea can't work with 6 inks. Let's stick to 4 inks,
anyway: I'm not sure about problem one: after you apply the quadtone curves
in PS you actually have a color image... If I convert a duotone (actually
quadtone) image to color mode in PS I see no difference on screen: does
anyone know if it makes any difference for the printer driver whether the
image mode is duotone or color? Do you think that using a quadtone set with
CMYK colors (i.e. picking black, cyan, magenta and yellow as the 4 colors
that compose the image) has any chance to actually result in the curves
defined for each color being used for the correspondent inks by the printer
driver?
If the answer to my last question is yes, this would provide a way to write
WYSIWYG separation curves, although only for 4 ink printers, with the
following steps:
1) Write separation curves using a CMYK quadtone set in Photoshop. These
will be used for printing.
2) Create another quadtone set with exactly the same separation curves, but
using black and 25%, 50% and 75% gray. Once you have a satisfying image with
this quadtone, apply quadtone 1 and print.

Am I dreaming?

-----Original Message-----
From: grady carter [mailto:gradycarter@...]
Sent: giovedì 4 ottobre 2001 17.22
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Digital BW] Ink Color Equal To It's Shade Counterpart
(Part 2)


Thanks Alex for your feedback. There are two problems
that I see with your theory in my particular case. (1)
Switching inks in photoshop will only affect greyscale
images. I used a similar method to get around those
original ink designations from the MIS factory. With
my method,  one could print directly from color images
because the gray inks are in its proper place to give
the proper shades of gray for the color, with the
exception that you would have to lightened the color
image in the levels box by sliding the middle slider
to 1.80 in the input box...After that , print the
image. (2)I have 6 (six) inks...Which of the 4 inks,
in photoshop, have direct control which inks in my
printer cartridge...My way is more mechanical in
nature, because the basics are sound. It does not make
sense to me the way the inks are arranged from the MIS
factory...I do not know about Piezo Inks, but I have a
feeling that it is similar in their ink designations.
The results so far are predictable and the proper
shades are where they are suppose to be...Give me some
feedback because it is much appreciated and give it a
try, you may be surprised at the results...Thanks
Alex.

-- Alessandro Pardi <alessandro.pardi@...>
wrote:

> Hmm... maybe I'm making a fool of myself, but
> wouldn't you get the same
> result by switching inks in the Photoshop quadtones
> settings rather than in
> the printer? For example, set Ink4, which should
> have the curve for the
> lightest tones, to yellow...
> Does it make sense to you?
>  
> Alex
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: gradycarter@...
> [mailto:gradycarter@...]
> Sent: giovedì 4 ottobre 2001 06.33
> To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Digital BW] Ink Color Equal To It's Shade
> Counterpart (Part 2)
> 
> 
> In a previous message, message #3276, I gave a
> workflow 
> method for printing color images into b&w prints.
> This involved 
> ink placement in different areas than what is given
> or suggested 
> by MIS. I will recap and give as follows...100%
> black belongs to 
> the black cartridge, which is correct...75% black
> belongs to both 
> cyan and magenta because they are the same color
> gray...50% 
> black went to photo cyan...45% black went to photo 
> magenta...25% black went to yellow. Please refer to
> message 
> #3276 to proceed in the process of printing color
> images into 
> b&w prints...Now to print grayscale images into b&w
> prints...Go 
> to "Image-Mode-Duotone". In the Duotone Options Box
> proceed 
> as follows:
> Type: Quadtone
> Ink 1: Black
> Ink 2: Pantone Process Yellow CVC
> Ink 3: Pantone Process Magenta CVC
> Ink 4: Pantone Process Cyan CVC
> Your grayscale image will have a dark selenium brown
> 
> appearance on the screen...Click OK...Go to 
> "Image-Adjust-Levels"...Adjust your levels to what
> looks good on 
> the screen...Click OK in the "Levels" box...Go back
> to 
> "Image-Adjust-Levels" and move the middle slider
> until the 
> middle "Input Levels" box registers 1.80...Click OK 
> in "Levels" 
> box...Your image will appear very light on the
> screen, but do not 
> be disturbed about this. Print this image. Your
> printer will print 
> the desired previous image before you lightened
> it...Please give 
> me feedback.
>