Digital BW, The Print

Can Anyone explain. 
Two days ago I thought myself to be the only one who wanted to make 
nice B&W prints. One workflow I´ve tried is to convert my picture to 
grayscale, adjust it and convert it into bitmap using diffusiongitter 
(don´t know the english term for it) with 1000 dpi (Photoshop). The 
result on screen is very similar to what I want: tiny, tiny dots of 
pure black where the eye hardly can see the grain. The output from my 
printer (Epson 1290) however is very coarse regardless of how the 
printers resolution is set.
Is there a conflict with the printers inherent screen and would a RIP 
be something that could solv this problem.
Many thanks for all answers that will help me understand.

Emilio

> From: akvarnsudio [mailto:emilio.gallo@...]
>
> Two days ago I thought myself to be the only one who wanted to make
> nice B&W prints. One workflow I\ufffdve tried is to convert my picture to
> grayscale, adjust it and convert it into bitmap using diffusiongitter
> (don\ufffdt know the english term for it) with 1000 dpi (Photoshop). The
> result on screen is very similar to what I want: tiny, tiny dots of
> pure black where the eye hardly can see the grain. The output from my
> printer (Epson 1290) however is very coarse regardless of how the
> printers resolution is set.

But you're explicitly doing in Photoshop exactly what the Epson driver does
anyway. When you pile the Epson dithering on top of the PS dithering, you're
winding up with extra grain.

Let the driver do the dithering. Just convert your image to grayscale using
whatever tools you prefer (e.g., channel mixer, gray proof setup, Hue/Sat
adjustment layer with saturation = 0, etc.) Then, select Black Only in the
driver, and let it make the fine black dots.

The only reason one would create explicit dithering in PS is if you want the
dots larger, so you can actually see them.

--

Ciao,               Paul D. DeRocco
Paul                mailto:pderocco@...

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul D. 
DeRocco" <pderocco@i...> wrote:
> > From: akvarnsudio [mailto:emilio.gallo@t...]
> >
> > Two days ago I thought myself to be the only one who wanted to 
make
> > nice B&W prints. One workflow I´ve tried is to convert my picture 
to
> > grayscale, adjust it and convert it into bitmap using 
diffusiongitter
> > (don´t know the english term for it) with 1000 dpi (Photoshop). 
The
> > result on screen is very similar to what I want: tiny, tiny dots 
of
> > pure black where the eye hardly can see the grain. The output 
from my
> > printer (Epson 1290) however is very coarse regardless of how the
> > printers resolution is set.
> 
> But you're explicitly doing in Photoshop exactly what the Epson 
driver does
> anyway. When you pile the Epson dithering on top of the PS 
dithering, you're
> winding up with extra grain.
> 
> Let the driver do the dithering. Just convert your image to 
grayscale using
> whatever tools you prefer (e.g., channel mixer, gray proof setup, 
Hue/Sat
> adjustment layer with saturation = 0, etc.) Then, select Black Only 
in the
> driver, and let it make the fine black dots.
> 
> The only reason one would create explicit dithering in PS is if you 
want the
> dots larger, so you can actually see them.
> 
> --
> 
> Ciao,               Paul D. DeRocco
> Paul                mailto:pderocco@i...

Thanksalot

Understand what you say, but it doesn´t work. The printers dithering 
is not the same as the dithering in PS bitmap mode. I want that kind 
of grain and I want to have full control over the dotgain. I want the 
dots visible but just visible. 
Do you know if a RIP would help?

Ciao, Emilio Gallo

> From: akvarnsudio [mailto:emilio.gallo@...]
>
> Understand what you say, but it doesn\ufffdt work. The printers dithering
> is not the same as the dithering in PS bitmap mode. I want that kind
> of grain and I want to have full control over the dotgain. I want the
> dots visible but just visible.
> Do you know if a RIP would help?

There really aren't many parameters to vary in dithering. You can have
different basic dot size, you can have multiple dot sizes or colors, and the
noise frequency response can vary a bit, so I'm surprised that you're
finding the printer's dithering so different from what PS does. Have you
tried reducing the printer's resolution? I forget what printer you said you
were using, but if it has a 720dpi setting, maybe you can make the dots look
more like what you want.

Whether a RIP would help, I don't know, but maybe someone else around here
does.

--

Ciao,               Paul D. DeRocco
Paul                mailto:pderocco@...