QTR-Quadtone RIP

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "emulsion4ever" <emulsion4ever@...> wrote:
>
> After spending a collective total of (probably) over 50 hours trying
> to get Quadtone RIP to work for me, I'm effectively throwing in the
> towel.

Digital Negs in only 50 hours!  Figure another 50 but you might want to make some 
prints along the way;)

In all seriousness QTR can do what you want it to do but you'll probably want to start 
from the ground up.  Part of the documentation problem is that QTR can do so many 
things and once you get to each new level you're so busy printing you don't really want to 
take time to pass on your learning curve.

I'd start by simply making some prints with QTR, your 3800 and some EEM ( or whatever 
Epson is calling their premium matte paper these days--ultra premium presentation paper 
matte, I think it is.)  You can find all the necessary stuff in the 3800-UC folder that allows 
you to print through cool, neutral, sepia and warm profiles.  Play with the sliders that 
allow you to mix the profiles.  Essentially just work with the front end that shows up when 
you print through the Print Command in Photoshop.

Use the Basic Tutorial manual for this:

http://www.quadtonerip.com/Tutorial.pdf 

Then when you feel comfortable using the base program find another matte paper that 
you like and profile that.  You'll have the EEM profiles to compare it with so you can't get 
to far off base.  You will have to root around a bit to gather up current information.  One 
problem is that there are lots of tutorials around that refer to lots of old versions and 
many things have changed, mostly for the better and ease of use.  Then, when you are 
comfortable profiling a new paper using an existing paper as a guide you'll be a lot more 
comfortable applying that knowledge when you have to start thinking in reverse for the 
negatives.

Put all the top level stuff on hold for a while: things like increasing tonal smoothnesss and 
density for negatives by using multi color inks, and so forth.  Work on just making a 
decent monotone inkjet print with existing profiles.  Then learn to profile a new paper.  
Then play with negatives and work on a simple 21 step greyscale for the process you 
want to eventually use.  Then you can go all out and choreograph individual inks to do 
anything you want.

If you gotta see an alt process print tomorrow search this list and you can probably find a 
pro to do one up for you. 


Good luck!