Digital BW, The Print

Andy,

To the best of my knowledge they transfer function you describe would only
cause some of the shadow values to be pushed farther down reducing shadow
separation. The transfer function can not make your printer print a deeper
black.

There have been a few posts talking about using the Backlight Film setting.
I have printed a 256 step grayscale image on my 1160 with MIS VM Quads using
the Backlight Film setting and it does produce a deeper black than the HWM
setting, however it is not without it's problems. I am preparing a web page
that details my experiences trying to linearize the BLF setting. I will post
it when I am done.

Scott

----- Original Message -----
From: <shashinka@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 1:17 PM
Subject: [Digital BW] MIS VM print tip, Inkjet proofing tips and workshop
announcement


> After reading and contributing to this list and seeing the great body of
work
> in the first portfolio, I thought I would post two tips regarding piezo
and
> general inkjet output.  I am also giving a two day color correction/inkjet
> printing workshop at my studio this weekend 12/8,9 and a link to more info
> can be found at the bottom of the page.
>
> I recently recommended a technique to Jerry Olson that is used in
conjunction
> with Paul Roark's curves.  He used it for his 1270/MIS VM Hextone setup
and
> he can probably comment on exactly how much the image was improved.
>
> My recommendation was based on his interest in using the Matte Heavyweight
> setting because of a nice grey ramp, but the blacks were weaker than the
> backlight film setting.  I recommended he stay with the Matte Heavyweight
> setting but add a transfer curve with the following parameters:
>
> Put in 50-50  60-60 70-70 80-80 90-92 95-97 100-100
>
> It may need a bit of tweaking, but these settings eliminated Jerry's
> highlight dots and increased the shadow strength.
>
> In the past I thought the transfer function was a waste, but it seems a
very
> small adjustment is the key.
>
> INKJET PROOFING TIP
>
> This is a tip which I shared with members of my digital newsletter, which
I
> send out to consulting clients and past students.
>
> Inkjet Tip of the Month- Better test prints:  A topic I'd like to cover is
> how to make test prints of a standard calibration file or any other file
for
> that matter.  When I want to calibrate a printer, I generally start by
> printing out a file that all my former students will probably remember
(the
> ole no moire Carmen Miranda lady).  It can be found on the Photoshop 6 CD.
> Just run a search of the CD; it is in the calibration folder.
>
> Recently, I've added a greyscale gradient ramp to the picture by making a
> gradient from black to white and then choosing Image/Adjust/Posterize with
12
> to 21 levels.  It really helps to see the transitions across the entire
tonal
> range.  If you use the image on the PS6 disk, you will probably want to
size
> it down and crop out some of the color bars.
>
> I then print the test file on the paper I plan to use, at a few different
> media settings and usually 1440 dpi.  This will yield very different
results,
> depending upon which you choose.  Often, a setting like Photo Paper or
Photo
> Quality Inkjet Paper will work better on archival matte than the Archival
> Matte setting..  I also choose "Printer Color Management" in the drop down
> menu at the bottom of the Epson Driver dialog box. I've noticed that on
the
> newest printers like the 1280/2000P/5500/10000, you can often use the high
> speed feature and get nearly identical results with most images at half to
> one third the speed.  You'll need to run your own tests to determine the
best
> options.
>
> Getting back to how I do multiple prints: I like to use the "Print
Options"
> feature under the File Menu.  If you have a 3"x3" file, you can go into
Print
> Options and click off the box that reads "center image" and click on the
> "show bounding box" feature.  Then just move the image to where you want
it
> to print, press print and setup the Epson driver.  Once your first print
is
> done, go back to print options, move the image somewhere else and print
> again.  As always, the paper will come out of the printer upside down.
Also,
> when you are done testing, make sure you reset the print options to center
> image so that you don't mistakingly print something in the wrong place.
>
> If you have a large file, like an 11x14, or even an 8x10, there is another
> great way to test a portion of your photograph before committing to the
whole
> sheet of paper.  Let's assume I have an 11"x14" file at 300PPI.  It is of
a
> group of people with some green grass and a blue sky.  Assuming I know
which
> setting is right in the Epson driver, I will make a square marquee
selection
> that encompasses the people, grass and sky in the actual file..  Let's say
it
> is a vertical square selection of 3"x5".  My Page Setup should be for
> 11"x14"(though it could be smaller). If I then go into "Print Options"
making
> sure that the "Print Selected Area" box is checked, I can move the image
to
> anywhere I wish and only the section that is selected on the main file
will
> print where I have moved it to.  The "Print Options" dialog box will show
the
> whole picture, but only the area selected will actually print.  Then just
> move it somewhere else and you will save time, ink, paper, etc.
>
> Another ink/paper saving technique is to use the preview command by
checking
> the little magnifier next to the print button just before printing.  This
> will show you what is about to come out of your printer.  I hope that was
> clear enough.  Maybe I should do a streaming video newsletter!
>
> Also, thank you Paul and others for the opportunity to participate in the
> upcoming quadtone exchange!
>
> All the best!
>
> Andy Darlow
>
> WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT (long winded, but hopefully covers any major
questions)
>
> Please take a look at my site (www.andydarlow.com)if you are interested in
> taking any of my workshops or classes.  I have been teaching for five
years
> at New York City's International Center of Photography and for the last
few
> months I have also been doing my own workshops.  Since there a few spaces
> left and only three days until the class begins, I am offering members of
> this list a 25% reduction ($670.-normally $895).  This includes 2-50MB
drum
> scans(which we will see being scanned at a local graphic arts company) as
> well as at least one archival print up to 20"x24" on the paper of your
> choice.  Or 2-3 archival quadtone prints.  I have many art and commercial
> grade papers to test as well.
>
> I have an Epson 9000 with Generations4 pigment inks, an 1160 with a Piezo
> Gen4 mix and a 1270 with MIS VM inks. The workshop is geared to those who
> want an overview of digital printing options and I also cover profiling
> options, whether you choose to use or not use them.
>
> Payment will be due on the first day of class, and if for any reason you
> don't feel the first day was beneficial, you obviously won't need to
return
> and you will not be obligated to pay for the course.
>
> If you can't make it to this class, please just let me know you are
> interested and I'll give you first opportunity to register when I decide
on
> future dates.  If you would prefer an ICP class that is similiar to this
one,
> with about 10 students (one day at my studio and one day at ICP's lab),
> please consider my class called "The Inkjet Print", scheduled for the
first
> weekend in February.  That will be available for registration in about a
> month.
>
> Also, in case I didn't mention it, I am doing quite a bit of private
> consulting at people's homes and offices, and even by phone/e-mail.  The
cost
> is generally $150/Hr, but in my ads, I have been offering 1 free hour with
a
> 3 hour consulting session.  In 3 hours, I can generally get a monitor,
> printer and scanner talking nice to each other.  It has been a joy to be
able
> to see people's faces light up when screen matched prints start popping
out
> of their previously "jinxed" printers!
>
> I can be reached via phone and e-mail if anyone has questions regarding my
> post.
>
> Andrew Darlow Images International
> 920 Broadway -Suite 701
> NY, NY 10010
> www.andydarlow.com
> andy@...
> Toll free- 1-877-A-Darlow
>
>
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