QTR-Quadtone RIP

Diane, the other day you offered to to do a print screen offlist to 
show me how 'step wedging' is done. That would be a great help to me 
if you could provide me with that info. 

Thanks in advance! 

Steve



--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Diane Fields" <picnic@c...> 
wrote:
> Steve, I'm a newbie too at QTR but maybe because I've read the 
other list for several years (and have been printing b/w for a good 
while, first with the 1280 and with the 2200) and am pretty familiar 
with PS, the QTR workflow works for me.
> 
> No, QTR won't cure bronzing because that's a function of the 
ink/paper combo.  If you notice on the Digital/bw list they spray 
their prints to counter that problem.  The newer R800 and R1800, we 
assume, will deal with the bronzing by using the Gloss Optimizer 
(and this is the 'glop' they talk about on the other list--they are 
adding it into a cart to use with the black inks--3rd party--like 
with the MIS inks and Paul Roark's curves).
> 
> I don't know of a tutorial.  Did I send you the post I found of 
Lou Dina's that explained how to softproof in QTR?
> 
> What the step wedges help you with is envisioning what those 
particular curves will look like on that particular paper.  I laid 
out my 11 sheets with the step wedges on them and was able to pick 
out the papers I liked, then I could see what a 75 warm and 25 cool 
blend looked like, for instance, on that paper.  I like not quite 
neutral--just a bit of warmth to it.  On different papers the curve 
blend I might choose could be different--because the tone of the 
papers affects the image a great deal.
> 
> When you open the QTR GUI in Windows and you select the image file 
you want to print, then you have to choose a 'curve' for it down 
below.  For instance, I want to print on Epson Velvet.  So--I choose 
a matte paper in the paper dropdown.  I make the selections as to 
dpi, etc. in all the other places.  Probably I would 
check 'centered' (but if you are doing step wedge printing, you will 
keep dragging the step wedge file around in the window to place it 
differently for different printing--if you don't understand this, I 
can do a print screen and send it to you offlist).  Now--you need to 
select your blend percentage (middle box) and your curves.  Since I 
use Epson Enhanced matte as a proofing paper for Velvet, I feel that 
those curves will be close enough for me for Epson Velvet.  In the 
left curve drop down box, I choose EEnhMatte-Cool and in the right 
box I choose EEnhmatte-Warm.  From my series of step wedges I did on 
my Epson Velvet paper (I did 6 rather than do a long series of 
percentages.  Once I establish for sure what papers I'm going to use 
all the time, I will do a series of step wedges from 100% cool to 
100% warm in 10% increments) I find that a 60 cool/40 warm is about 
the blend I like on that paper.  So--I move the blend slider over to 
60 (the blend number represents the amount of the curve on the left--
the one for the cool).  I did not adjust my ink limit for this paper 
(though I may in the future) so I will not make any other slider 
adjustments for now.  Then---I'm ready to click on print and that's 
it.
> 
> I addressed softproofing in the post to Anne (Montauk lady).  It 
will help you correct any tonality/contrast issues with your print--
before you print (for the most part--its pretty difficult to get a 
perfect reading on a monitor to match a paper print because of the 
difference in the mediums).
> 
> I hope this is helpful.  I really think printing the step wedges 
on the papers you use all the time will be a big help--and I'll be 
glad to help you figure out how to do that.
> 
> Diane.  
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Steve 
>   To: QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com 
>   Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 2:43 PM
>   Subject: [QuadtoneRIP] Re: The Advantages of QTR Are?
> 
> 
> 
>   Thanks, Diane, I'm really struggling with the understanding of 
this 
>   QTR stuff and you've been very helpful by answering many of my 
>   questions on this forum. 
>   I'm familar of the metamerism problem caused by the different 
>   lighting, but what about 'bronzing' when printing b&w on gloss 
paper?
>   Is this effect eliminated using the QTR?
> 
>   I'm still not clear on the 'step wedges', 'blends' and 'curves', 
etc.
>   Do you know where I can find a simplified tutorial that explains 
how 
>   to use this software? I know Roy Harrington talks about it on 
his 
>   QTR site but I'm finding it a little too technical.
> 
>   Looking forward to hearng back from you.
> 
>   Steve