QTR-Quadtone RIP

Paul -

Thanks for the quick reply!  I guess just getting the printer, and
jumping in IS the only way to learn. I've been sort of "pre-reading"
the docs you've made available, and without an actual printer to try
them on it is a bit vague.  I'll just have to bite the bullet, get
that 1400 in here and begin some serious trials.

Next up: How to choose between MIS or Piezography...   :-)

=Alan R.


--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Alan,
> 
> > I've been lusting to do super fine art BW printing with
> > a dedicated BW printer (1400) ...
> > but there DOES seem to be some info for newbies missing:
> 
> > All docs ... seem to come from a view that one pretty much 
> > knows what they are doing, ...
> 
> See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/UT14.pdf  Paragraph 2 states:  
> "With the Epson driver, UT-14 is both "plug-and-play" easy and a
flexible
> variable tone inkset that can print on matte and glossy papers
without the
> need to change inks."
> 
> With the UT14 inkset, as well as most others, I tried to make an
inkset that
> would be useable by a newbie simply by plugging in the carts and
hitting the
> print button in Photoshop or Elements.  On page 2 of the PDF there is a
> screen grab that shows what the driver settings are.
> 
> On page 3 of http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Eboni-6.pdf I compare the
> characteristic curves of Eboni-6 with no curve or profile to an
ideal Gray
> Gamma 2.2 curve that results when an ICC is used and the working
space is
> Gray Gamma 2.2. They are very close.  (The printer used in the
Eboni-6 PDF
> was not a 1400, but that inkset also works on the 1400.)  
> 
> But, beyond the plug and play starting point, there is a learning
curve that
> allows one to gain significant amounts of control over the inksets,
> including both using and making custom ICCs and using the QTR rip.
> 
> I've tried to recognize the fact that most even experienced darkroom
> practitioners will be buried by the jargon and details of the new
printing
> technology.  As such, the goal has been to make a route that gives
you quick
> and positive feedback in terms of nice prints while you slowly absorb as
> much (or little) of the new technology's nuances as you're
interested in.
> 
> > ... is there any info on learning =how= to evaluate a print ...
> 
> One goal is to have the print match the monitor, at least with
respect to
> relative densities.  With no controls the UT14 inkset (or Eboni-6) come
> close.  An ICC is probably the best way to get a better match. 
These ICCs
> are made with QTR's Create ICC (and Create ICC-RGB).  Aside from
that, does
> the print look the way you'd like it to?
> 
> >... Any ideas or links? 
> 
> Dive in and enjoy the journey. 
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com
>