QTR-Quadtone RIP

On Wednesday, March 7, 2007, at 11:42  PM, Joost Horsten wrote:

> --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, Roy Harrington <roy@...> wrote:
>>
>> Frans,
>>
>> The "correct method" from a color management point of view is to buy
>> the highend
>> spectrophotometer and custom profile all your components on a regular
>> basis.
>> But even that doesn't take into account the ambient lighting as you
>> edit and the
>> lighting of the displayed print.  All these things can affect what you
>> consider the
>> "perfect" print.  Even soft-proofing has a couple options to match in
>> different ways.
>> You can simulate the ink black and/or the paper white.   But there's 
>> no
>> "correct" way
>> just what helps you the most.
>
> Roy,
>
> As I tried to explain in my reply to Frans, that crossed yours, I do
> understand and accept this. Nevertheless, could you comment on the
> workflow as described by Duane and confirm that this indeed is
> a "correct" high-end method as you mean it (while accepting all the
> imperfections you mention in your reply to Frans)?
>
> Joost
>

Joost,

I'm not sure which "workflow by Duane" you're referring to.

It really just boils down to:   edit in grayscale with your favorite 
method
then apply i.e. convert to the best print profile you have before 
printing.
The best is either the generic QTR Matte/Photo Paper profile
or your own custom profile.

This is just like any color printing that you do.   The only thing 
different is that you
are not printing directly from PS Print with Preview where you can 
select the print
profile on the fly.  With QTR you need to Convert-To-Profile and save 
the tiff file.
With other editing/printing programs the exact steps may be different 
but it's
always the same idea.

All the soft-proofing capabilities are not really needed.  But they do 
allow some
options that some people may find an advantage in helping them judge 
screen
to print match.   It's also nice in that you can see the color tone IF 
you make your
own custom ICC profiles.   The straight soft-proof with QTR Matte Paper 
shows nothing
different at all because the CM maps everything back to the screen 
profile.  Some will
find Simulate Ink Black helpful because is does reduce the dMax -- but 
that can be
misleading too because our eyes get used to a "screen" look and it will 
look excessively
dull.   It's well worth experimenting with the various soft-proof 
options to see with your
own eyes the variations.    Preserve Color Numbers should always be OFF 
-- ON
simulates NOT using CM for printing.  Try it so you can see the 
difference but set it to OFF.
The Simulate Ink Black is the most likely one to flip back and forth to 
see what helps
you best to judge the screen.

Roy

-
Roy Harrington
roy@...
Black & White Photo Gallery
http://www.harrington.com