Digital BW, The Print

SteveZ started a thread about digital b&w prints compared with
traditional wet darkroom silver prints, writing in part:
> 
> What are your opinions about using glossy media
> for fine art prints?
> 
> Do any of you use this media and if so for what
> applications?
> 
> What about the "bronzing" issue? How do I overcome
> this problem?
> 
> Please speak your minds.

A number of b&w list members have posted responses. Some favor matte
prints only, some offer other perspectives. I do not take sides, as I
think both approaches have merit.

Media Street's new QuadBlack ink set supports both matte and resin
coated (glossy or luster) papers with QuadTone RIP software. I designed
the ink set and I am currently developing printing curves for a range of
papers and printers. The ink set includes dark and light cold grays and
dark and light warm grays, so a printmaker can make cold, sepia,
neutral, or split-tone (platinum) prints simply by selecting appropriate
printing curves. 

With Matte Black ink in the black position, one can make rich b&w prints
of excellent quality on photo-matte or fine art papers. These papers
have a luxurious feel and texture, and many artists prefer them. Dmax is
around 1.7.

With Photo Black (Neutral) ink in the black position, one can make
exhibition-quality b&w prints on resin-coated luster (or even glossy)
ink jet papers. In this mode, one printer channel is used to put down a
surface optimizer resin in the white and light areas of the print to
balance the ink lay-down in the dark areas. This produces a print that
is free of bronzing.

These QuadBlack prints on luster paper closely approximate the look of
classic air-dried fiber based silver prints. They have a longer tonal
scale than matte prints due to the deeper black; Dmax is around 2.3.
However these papers feel like flimsy plastic, and in larger sizes they
need to be dry mounted to stay flat.

So both options offer benefits, and the best choice will come down to a
question of taste and specific requirements. A six channel printer like
the R200 will accommodate one black, all four grays, and the surface
optimizer; changing between matte and photo black requires changing one
ink cartridge. A seven channel printer like the 2200 will accommodate
all seven cartridges, including both blacks, so changing from matte to
photo black can be accomplished under software control.

Media Street has already posted preliminary product information on their
web site, and I believe they expect to begin filling initial orders
shortly. Initially, QTR curves will be available for the R200 ($99,
letter size, 3 pl drops). Curves for other printers will follow.

Richard Wolfson
Fine Art Photographer, Printmaker, 
& Digital Imaging Consultant

Hi Richard,

Do you folks have carts for the 2200 yet with the blacks, matte/photo 
and the glop?

Thanks

Jules



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Richard 
Wolfson" <rw@r...> wrote:
> SteveZ started a thread about digital b&w prints compared with
> traditional wet darkroom silver prints, writing in part:
> > 
> > What are your opinions about using glossy media
> > for fine art prints?
> > 
> > Do any of you use this media and if so for what
> > applications?
> > 
> > What about the "bronzing" issue? How do I overcome
> > this problem?
> > 
> > Please speak your minds.
> 
> A number of b&w list members have posted responses. Some favor matte
> prints only, some offer other perspectives. I do not take sides, as 
I
> think both approaches have merit.
> 
> Media Street's new QuadBlack ink set supports both matte and resin
> coated (glossy or luster) papers with QuadTone RIP software. I 
designed
> the ink set and I am currently developing printing curves for a 
range of
> papers and printers. The ink set includes dark and light cold grays 
and
> dark and light warm grays, so a printmaker can make cold, sepia,
> neutral, or split-tone (platinum) prints simply by selecting 
appropriate
> printing curves. 
> 
> With Matte Black ink in the black position, one can make rich b&w 
prints
> of excellent quality on photo-matte or fine art papers. These papers
> have a luxurious feel and texture, and many artists prefer them. 
Dmax is
> around 1.7.
> 
> With Photo Black (Neutral) ink in the black position, one can make
> exhibition-quality b&w prints on resin-coated luster (or even 
glossy)
> ink jet papers. In this mode, one printer channel is used to put 
down a
> surface optimizer resin in the white and light areas of the print to
> balance the ink lay-down in the dark areas. This produces a print 
that
> is free of bronzing.
> 
> These QuadBlack prints on luster paper closely approximate the look 
of
> classic air-dried fiber based silver prints. They have a longer 
tonal
> scale than matte prints due to the deeper black; Dmax is around 2.3.
> However these papers feel like flimsy plastic, and in larger sizes 
they
> need to be dry mounted to stay flat.
> 
> So both options offer benefits, and the best choice will come down 
to a
> question of taste and specific requirements. A six channel printer 
like
> the R200 will accommodate one black, all four grays, and the surface
> optimizer; changing between matte and photo black requires changing 
one
> ink cartridge. A seven channel printer like the 2200 will 
accommodate
> all seven cartridges, including both blacks, so changing from matte 
to
> photo black can be accomplished under software control.
> 
> Media Street has already posted preliminary product information on 
their

> web site, and I believe they expect to begin filling initial orders
> shortly. Initially, QTR curves will be available for the R200 ($99,
> letter size, 3 pl drops). Curves for other printers will follow.
> 
> Richard Wolfson
> Fine Art Photographer, Printmaker, 
> & Digital Imaging Consultant

Richard;

I'm glad to hear all this, will the inks and surface optimizer be 
available in bulk bottles? 

 >Initially, QTR curves will be available for the R200 ($99,
> letter size, 3 pl drops). Curves for other printers will follow.

Since you're the designer: please extend these curves to include the 
R300 and R320. The machines are identical except for the card reader, 
and the R300 in now down to $149.00

Steve karafyllakis

> Richard Wolfson
> Fine Art Photographer, Printmaker, 
> & Digital Imaging Consultant

Thanks for asking, I would like to know also.


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "lulalake_1999" 
<lulalake_1999@y...> wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi Richard,
> 
> Do you folks have carts for the 2200 yet with the blacks, 
matte/photo 
> and the glop?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Jules
> 
> 
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Richard 
> Wolfson" <rw@r...> wrote:
> > SteveZ started a thread about digital b&w prints compared with
> > traditional wet darkroom silver prints, writing in part:
> > > 
> > > What are your opinions about using glossy media
> > > for fine art prints?
> > > 
> > > Do any of you use this media and if so for what
> > > applications?
> > > 
> > > What about the "bronzing" issue? How do I overcome
> > > this problem?
> > > 
> > > Please speak your minds.
> > 
> > A number of b&w list members have posted responses. Some favor 
matte
> > prints only, some offer other perspectives. I do not take sides, 
as 
> I
> > think both approaches have merit.
> > 
> > Media Street's new QuadBlack ink set supports both matte and 
resin
> > coated (glossy or luster) papers with QuadTone RIP software. I 
> designed
> > the ink set and I am currently developing printing curves for a 
> range of
> > papers and printers. The ink set includes dark and light cold 
grays 
> and
> > dark and light warm grays, so a printmaker can make cold, sepia,
> > neutral, or split-tone (platinum) prints simply by selecting 
> appropriate
> > printing curves. 
> > 
> > With Matte Black ink in the black position, one can make rich 
b&w 
> prints
> > of excellent quality on photo-matte or fine art papers. These 
papers
> > have a luxurious feel and texture, and many artists prefer them. 
> Dmax is
> > around 1.7.
> > 
> > With Photo Black (Neutral) ink in the black position, one can 
make
> > exhibition-quality b&w prints on resin-coated luster (or even 
> glossy)
> > ink jet papers. In this mode, one printer channel is used to put 
> down a
> > surface optimizer resin in the white and light areas of the 
print to
> > balance the ink lay-down in the dark areas. This produces a 
print 
> that
> > is free of bronzing.
> > 
> > These QuadBlack prints on luster paper closely approximate the 
look 
> of
> > classic air-dried fiber based silver prints. They have a longer 
> tonal
> > scale than matte prints due to the deeper black; Dmax is around 
2.3.
> > However these papers feel like flimsy plastic, and in larger 
sizes 
> they
> > need to be dry mounted to stay flat.
> > 
> > So both options offer benefits, and the best choice will come 
down 
> to a
> > question of taste and specific requirements. A six channel 
printer 
> like
> > the R200 will accommodate one black, all four grays, and the 
surface
> > optimizer; changing between matte and photo black requires 
changing 
> one
> > ink cartridge. A seven channel printer like the 2200 will 
> accommodate
> > all seven cartridges, including both blacks, so changing from 
matte 
> to
> > photo black can be accomplished under software control.
> > 
> > Media Street has already posted preliminary product information 
on 
> their
> > web site, and I believe they expect to begin filling initial 
orders
> > shortly. Initially, QTR curves will be available for the R200 
($99,

> > letter size, 3 pl drops). Curves for other printers will follow.
> > 
> > Richard Wolfson
> > Fine Art Photographer, Printmaker, 
> > & Digital Imaging Consultant