Digital BW, The Print

This message is somewhat directed towards Clayton,

I have a slightly different approach to B&W and I'm interested in 
your advice as it relates to your B&W workflow you illuminate in your 
article series.

The basic difference is that I use the conversion method here:

http://www.designbyfire.com/000100.html

This results in a beautiful (to me) and easily controlled RGB B&W 
image. The workflow you have assumes a grayscale image, so I'm 
thinking of how to adapt.

At the moment, I've just left the working profile adobe RGB and the 
output profile as "unmanaged" and tweaked the settings in ABW for my 
2400. 

I could set the working profile as my target paper/printer (SR) but 
then it seems crazy dark. Any input would be most welcome!



Brian

Hello Brian,

>This results in a beautiful (to me) and easily controlled RGB B&W 
>image. The workflow you have assumes a grayscale image, so I'm 
>thinking of how to adapt.
> 
>At the moment, I've just left the working profile adobe RGB and the 
>output profile as "unmanaged" and tweaked the settings in ABW for my 
>2400. 
> 
>I could set the working profile as my target paper/printer (SR) but 
>then it seems crazy dark. Any input would be most welcome!

In my early days at this when I was primarily doing BO printing, I
tried using RGB files and saw no significant difference in density
compared to grayscale.  I haven't tried RGB with the 2400, but seems
to me that they ought to have nearly the same density here as well. 
If that's the case, then there must be something in the settings
that's causing the difference.

The first thing that comes to mind is to check the Ink Config/Color
Density slider (I find -5% to be best), and the Tone setting in ABW
can make a big difference (I use "Light").  

I'm not sure what you mean by this:
 "...set the working profile as my target paper/printer (SR)"
Somehow the term "working profile" doesn't seem synonymous with the
various paper choices (which I assume is what you mean by "target
paper").  So I don't know what to say about this.

Just keep trying things and see what works the best.  Sorry I can't be
more specific.

Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm

My mistake for not being very clear, so please allow me to try again:

1In article 9 you suggest an image profile of dot gain 20%, and the 
printer profile of the same. However, in RGB mode, you don't have dot 
gain 20% as an option (since it's not grayscale). So part of my 
question is "which profile to use for image assuming I want the printer 
profile to be the same". Right now my workflow is image profile adobe 
rgb (1998) and my printer profile is "no color management" (CS2), so 
they match. But I am also using a proof setup view of museo silver rag 
(icc from our friends at crane.com) so I'm not sure how all those 
interact.

the best results so far are to set ABW to -5% and use the curve for SR 
as outlined in 9b. Part two of my question is related to part 
one: "Could I use my museo SR icc profile as my image profile and print 
profile since that's my target anyways". However, if I switch the image 
profile to the SR icc profile, it gets very dark. 

I am possibly just making no sense to anyone (myself included) so if 
that's the case, then just please ignore me and I will go back to my 
printing hole ;-)

Cheers

Brian

> I'm not sure what you mean by this:
>  "...set the working profile as my target paper/printer (SR)"
> Somehow the term "working profile" doesn't seem synonymous with the
> various paper choices (which I assume is what you mean by "target
> paper").  So I don't know what to say about this.
> 
> Just keep trying things and see what works the best.  Sorry I can't be
> more specific.
> 
> Regards,
> Clayton
> 
> 
> Info on black and white digital printing at    
> http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm
>

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "bvalente" 
<bvalente@...> wrote:

"This results in a beautiful (to me) and easily controlled RGB B&W 
image. The workflow you have assumes a grayscale image, so I'm 
thinking of how to adapt."
---------------------
I have used much of Clayton's methods, but I too have kept my images 
in the RGB format and no longer convert to greyscale. The aRBG to ABW 
conversion seems to work very well and using an RGB file allows me to 
use PixelGenius's PhotoKit Sharpener which only works on RGB files. So 
now all my color and B/W work stays in aRGB and things seem simpler. I 
use "Convert to B&W pro" for my color to B&W change.

Hope these comments are useful.

Hi Scott - thanks, definitely yes. The  "Convert to B&W pro" was worth 
the time to read your post by itself. What a nifty tool that produces 
great results.

Cheers


Brian

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@...m, "Scott Jones" 
<peanutdogs@...> wrote:
> I have used much of Clayton's methods, but I too have kept my images 
> in the RGB format and no longer convert to greyscale. The aRBG to ABW 
> conversion seems to work very well and using an RGB file allows me to 
> use PixelGenius's PhotoKit Sharpener which only works on RGB files. 
So 
> now all my color and B/W work stays in aRGB and things seem simpler. 
I 

> use "Convert to B&W pro" for my color to B&W change.
> 
> Hope these comments are useful.
>

Hello Brian,

Ok, I understand what you're asking.

>...I am also using a proof setup view of museo silver rag 
>(icc from our friends at crane.com) so I'm not sure how all those 
>interact..."Could I use my museo SR icc profile as my image profile 
>and print profile since that's my target anyways"?

I haven't tried anything like that, so I have to say I just don't
know.  Perhaps someone else has some experience with this.


Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm