Digital BW, The Print

I've read that pigmented ink and glossy paper don't mix, but I've
had 
wonderful results with Brightcube gloss, with certain subjects –
e.g. 
flower shots and landscapes. In both cases, some adjustments must be 
made – e.g. since 100% blacks print with micro-banding, I must
use 
95% black). The next challenge is skin and hair tones in portraits.

Of the papers I've tried, a portrait printed on Epson archival matte 
most closely matches the monitor display, but it lacks that 
photograph-like quality. On Somerset enhanced, the texture of the 
paper makes the person's skin look wrinkled – not good. But
on 
Brightcube gloss (which apparently has a silver base), the portrait 
has a wonderful silvery look overall. The only problem is that on BG, 
the portrait is too contrasty and looks unrealistic in that respect.

I'm printing 720 dpi files at 720 dpi with the VM hextone set on a 
1270, using Pauk Roark's 1270 curves (vmp27nc11 or mw11) and the 
photo quality inkjet paper setting, with no transfer adjustment. 

Anyone else experimenting with Brightcube gloss … or other papers 
which resemble silver photographs?

Thanks

I tried the 1270 with the VM inks on a number of glossy papers, 
including the Media Street 838, which they claim to be the best 
glossy made for pig ink... I was very unhappy with all of it and gave 
up the idea. 

The VM does produce a significantly less "metamerized" print, but the 
ink takes days to dry, really doesn't lay down evenly, is still 
subject to some "dusting" (I refuse to spray, convinced the fumes 
would kill me over time), so I just gave up after trying about 7-8 
papers (I have a sample pack of BC but gave up before trying it).

I think the answer is to go  back to dye ink for glossy. Lyson is 
about to release some, I hear and I will wait for that before trying 
the 1270 again (I moved it back to color for the time being). If the 
Lyson Small Gamut improves the quality from the LSG on the 1160, it 
will be worth the effort to learn to use it well... There really are 
TONS of gloss and semi gloss and pearl and semi matte (all delicious) 
papers out there waiting to take your image... 

I think the warm toned art surface paper print results are 
stunning... But are an acquired taste... To occasionally jump back 
into the striking beauty of a LUSTRE print with deep sharp blacks 
that reflect so brightly is still a treat... ahhhh but I sometimes 
yearn for the old Grade 6, high contrast, semi gloss print coming up 
under the safelight...the smell of fixer (just mixed)wafting to every 
corner of my lungs, the anticipation of waiting to see if the 
ferrotype plate sticks to the gelatin...the JOY of the 
uncommon "perfect" print... Oh, the good old days....

Tom O'Connell


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "mccarvill" 
<mark_mccarvill@h...> wrote:
> 
> I've read that pigmented ink and glossy paper don't mix, but I've
> had 
> wonderful results with Brightcube gloss, with certain subjects –
> e.g. 
> flower shots and landscapes. In both cases, some adjustments must 
be 
> made – e.g. since 100% blacks print with micro-banding, I must
> use 
> 95% black). The next challenge is skin and hair tones in portraits.
> 
> Of the papers I've tried, a portrait printed on Epson archival 
matte 
> most closely matches the monitor display, but it lacks that 
> photograph-like quality. On Somerset enhanced, the texture of the 
> paper makes the person's skin look wrinkled – not good. But
> on 
> Brightcube gloss (which apparently has a silver base), the portrait 
> has a wonderful silvery look overall. The only problem is that on 
BG, 
> the portrait is too contrasty and looks unrealistic in that respect.
> 
> I'm printing 720 dpi files at 720 dpi with the VM hextone set on a 
> 1270, using Pauk Roark's 1270 curves (vmp27nc11 or mw11) and the 
> photo quality inkjet paper setting, with no transfer adjustment. 
> 
> Anyone else experimenting with Brightcube gloss 
 or other papers 

> which resemble silver photographs?
> 
> Thanks