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Alt Process Internegative project

Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-11 by roark.paul@...

I have a few B&W alt process photographers in my area and some who have asked about whether the glossy carbon inkset I've been using lately would be suitable for alt process internegatives. So, I've tip-toed into the arcane realm of alt process to see if I can help my friends simplify and maybe rationalize their (rather SOP now) workflows. Time will tell. I do not anticipate participating in wet darkroom work myself.


These are some very preliminary thoughts that need to be taken as such.


My first conclusion is that the glossy carbon inks I use will work just fine. However, OEM k3 inks also are just fine.


The local alt process photographer/gallery owner uses a 3880 with OEM inks. So, that is mostly what I'm looking at. However, my experiments with my carbon inks and the 3880 OEM inks suggest that the same concepts will apply to both, with the obvious roll of the yellow ink missing in the carbon ink situation.


The alt process we're now focusing on is based on the Bostick & Sullivan platinum emulsion chemistry. Exposure is via a metal halide broad spectrum light. This measures its own light. So, one just dials in a number and the light does the rest. Currently the basic exposure (dmax reached through the film base) has been set at 24, but as the scan fo the final print (link below) shows, it's not quite on the mark yet. The exposure outside the film base is slightly darker.


That said, the scan of a QTR Calibration Mode print on Inkpress film and then contact printed on the platinum print paper is close enough to see what is going on. Below the scanned image I have the Excel graphs of the PK, LK, LLK and Y inks. The graphs are up to "50%" on the Calibration Mode print, but have as the starting point the paper outside the film base.


http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/QTR-Calibration-Mode-Platinum-3880-24.pdf


From what I've seen so far, I am going to recommend the M and C colors be ignored and not used. Frankly, the hand coated paper is so rough that the fine details we worry about in inkjet printing on coated papers are of little concern. No dots or microbanding are ever going to show (and the 3880 with OEM inks is so smooth they don't show in normal printing either). At least for the platinum printing like this, we don't need many inks.


The yellow has essentially the same UV density as the PK. (I do not know exactly what the B&S chemistry spectral sensitivity is. So, this may vary with the emulsion type and mix.)


With the Yellow in effect the same as the PK, I will probably do a "copy curve" from the PK and cut the ink limits in half. The boost, however, only affects the K. So, whatever boost is settled on will apply only to the PK.


(An alternative approach that I like for normal printing and might take here is to use the yellow as a separate toner channel, with density 100 so that it becomes a "black only" type of curve. This can then be taken manual and be a way to get the pre-linearization curve essentially perfect. But this is a bit further down the road.)


My early profiling on Pictorico White Film ("PWF"), then printed on Inkpress film and scanned with a Nikon 8000 to see what the transmission densities looked like, suggested a potentially interesting approach to transparency profiling. The PWF profiles used to print on the film produced films that looked way too light. Of course, with a reflective print the light goes through the inkjet coating twice -- once to reach the paper, then the reflection back to our eyes. So, the transparency is about half the density of the reflective media in the midtones. Then near the 100% black end it dives in a very non-linear fashion to the black point.


What largely offsets the printing differences is to simply alter the PWF profile gray gamma from the default 1 to gamma 0.4 for the transparency. To offset an un-wanted flattening of the K curve at the end, there should be a boost of at least 10 for the K. That is, if the ultimate K ink limit was 50, set the K limit to 40 and boost to 50. Then the transparency became quite linear even before linearization, (which I am currently thinking should not be done at all at the internegative stage).


There are so many variables in the alt process workflows, that very simplified QTR profiling would seem to be a benefit for that group. Whether my outsider's look is useful remains to be seen. Those that wander into the alt process realm have my admiration and sympathy.


Paul

PaulRoark.com -- Paul Roark's Photographic Home

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-11 by <rupertcharlaqf@...>

Perfect 

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    On Sunday, September 11, 2016 3:58 AM, "roark.paul@... [QuadtoneRIP]" <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
 

     I have a few B&W alt process photographers in my area and some who have asked about whether the glossy carbon inkset I've been using lately would be suitable for alt process internegatives.   So, I've tip-toed into the arcane realm of alt process to see if I can help my friends simplify and maybe rationalize their (rather SOP now) workflows.  Time will tell.  I do not anticipate participating in wet darkroom work myself.
These are some very preliminary thoughts that need to be taken as such. 
My first conclusion is that the glossy carbon inks I use will work just fine.  However, OEM k3 inks also are just fine.  
The local alt process photographer/gallery owner uses a 3880 with OEM inks.  So, that is mostly what I'm looking at.  However, my experiments with my carbon inks and the 3880 OEM inks suggest that the same concepts will apply to both, with the obvious roll of the yellow ink missing in the carbon ink situation. 
The alt process we're now focusing on is based on the Bostick & Sullivan platinum emulsion chemistry.  Exposure is via a metal halide broad spectrum light.  This measures its own light.  So, one just dials in a number  and the light does the rest.  Currently the basic exposure (dmax reached through the film base) has been set at 24, but as the scan fo the final print (link below) shows, it's not quite on the mark yet.  The exposure outside the film base is slightly darker.
That said, the scan of a QTR Calibration Mode print on Inkpress film and then contact printed on the platinum print paper is close enough to see what is going on.  Below the scanned image I have the Excel graphs of the PK, LK, LLK and Y inks.  The graphs are up to "50%" on the Calibration Mode print, but have as the starting point the paper outside the film base.  
http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/QTR-Calibration-Mode-Platinum-3880-24.pdf

From what I've seen so far, I am going to recommend the M and C colors be ignored and not used.  Frankly, the hand coated paper is so rough that the fine details we worry about in inkjet printing on coated papers are of little concern.  No dots or microbanding are ever going to show (and the 3880 with OEM inks is so smooth they don't show in normal printing either).  At least for the platinum printing like this, we don't need many inks.  
The yellow has essentially the same UV density as the PK.  (I do not know exactly what the B&S chemistry spectral sensitivity is.  So, this may vary with the emulsion type and mix.)
With the Yellow in effect the same as the PK, I will probably do a "copy curve" from the PK and cut the ink limits in half.  The boost, however, only affects the K.  So, whatever boost is settled on will apply only to the PK.
(An alternative approach that I like for normal printing and might take here is to use the yellow as a separate toner channel, with density 100 so that it becomes a "black only" type of curve.  This can then be taken manual and be a way to get the pre-linearization curve essentially perfect.  But this is a bit further down the road.)
My early profiling on Pictorico White Film ("PWF"), then printed on Inkpress film and scanned with a Nikon 8000 to see what the transmission densities looked like, suggested a potentially interesting approach to transparency profiling.  The PWF profiles used to print on the film produced films that looked way too light.  Of course, with a reflective print the light goes through the inkjet coating twice -- once to reach the paper, then the reflection back to our eyes.  So, the transparency is about half the density of the reflective media in the midtones.  Then near the 100% black end it dives in a very non-linear fashion to the black point.  
What largely offsets the printing differences is to simply alter the PWF profile gray gamma from the default 1 to gamma  0.4 for the transparency.  To offset an un-wanted flattening of the K curve at the end, there should be a boost of at least 10 for the K.  That is, if the ultimate K ink limit was 50, set the K limit to 40 and boost to 50.  Then the transparency became quite linear even before linearization, (which I am currently thinking should not be done at all at the internegative stage).
There are so many variables in the alt process workflows, that very simplified QTR profiling would seem to be a benefit for that group.  Whether my outsider's look is useful remains to be seen.  Those that wander into the alt process realm have my admiration and sympathy.
PaulPaulRoark.com -- Paul Roark's Photographic Home  
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Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-11 by forums@walkerblackwell.com

> 
> 
> I have a few B&W alt process photographers in my area and some who have asked about whether the glossy carbon inkset I've been using lately would be suitable for alt process internegatives.   So, I've tip-toed into the arcane realm of alt process to see if I can help my friends simplify and maybe rationalize their (rather SOP now) workflows.  Time will tell.  I do not anticipate participating in wet darkroom work myself.

It’s important to have a darkroom for this in order to anticipate users needs, adapt the system to that, and support them properly.

> 
> These are some very preliminary thoughts that need to be taken as such. 
> 
> My first conclusion is that the glossy carbon inks I use will work just fine.  However, OEM k3 inks also are just fine.


This depends upon density of black. For develop-out methods that have expensive NA2 or Platinum as a restrainer, it generally works ok but for print-out you often need more density for that or a very specifically tuned K. I suggest carbon-based gloss inks if you want a system that is more adaptable to various ferric print methods including MaldeWare, Ziatype, salt, etc.

>  
> 
> The local alt process photographer/gallery owner uses a 3880 with OEM inks.  So, that is mostly what I'm looking at.  However, my experiments with my carbon inks and the 3880 OEM inks suggest that the same concepts will apply to both, with the obvious roll of the yellow ink missing in the carbon ink situation. 
> 
> The alt process we're now focusing on is based on the Bostick & Sullivan platinum emulsion chemistry.  Exposure is via a metal halide broad spectrum light.  This measures its own light.  So, one just dials in a number  and the light does the rest.  Currently the basic exposure (dmax reached through the film base) has been set at 24, but as the scan fo the final print (link below) shows, it's not quite on the mark yet.  The exposure outside the film base is slightly darker.

Are you using 24 “units” of light? All of this is vastly different from one user to another depending upon light source (spectral range and watts and lux). It’s not a useful number unless someone has the same or nearly the same exposing unit. What one are you using and what is the bulb’s model type and #?

This proper exposure can be calculated with a stouffer strip. The formula is found directly on the stouffer strip’s envelope.

> 
> That said, the scan of a QTR Calibration Mode print on Inkpress film and then contact printed on the platinum print paper is close enough to see what is going on.  Below the scanned image I have the Excel graphs of the PK, LK, LLK and Y inks.  The graphs are up to "50%" on the Calibration Mode print, but have as the starting point the paper outside the film base.  
> 
> http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/QTR-Calibration-Mode-Platinum-3880-24.pdf <http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/QTR-Calibration-Mode-Platinum-3880-24.pdf>

This PDF does not show paper white vs patch white so there is no real way to judge light fog. Ideally the shade 2 channel alone should have the strength to eliminate exposure entirely and the rest of the channels in the HLs simply take out the noise while K bumps it past its fog point even more.

> 
> From what I've seen so far, I am going to recommend the M and C colors be ignored and not used.  Frankly, the hand coated paper is so rough that the fine details we worry about in inkjet printing on coated papers are of little concern.  No dots or microbanding are ever going to show (and the 3880 with OEM inks is so smooth they don't show in normal printing either).  At least for the platinum printing like this, we don't need many inks.  


But issues do show. I’ve certainly seen micro lines myself when making K3 curves and also even with K6 inks on older printers. It’s just a matter of whether you are using a vacuum frame and a single point light source (something very very many people who have invested in Pt/Pd metals have). Proper overlapping of curves in this situation is important. Generally speaking, PtPd printing is a significant investment. People want the best negs possible for it. One thing that often shows before even lines when improper neg-making methods and materials are applied is blotches in mid-tone sky gradients and the “venetian blind” effect seen as vertical banding from miss-aligned heads that only shows in-darkroom when not using enough ink and wrong media/platen settings.


> 
> The yellow has essentially the same UV density as the PK.  (I do not know exactly what the B&S chemistry spectral sensitivity is.  So, this may vary with the emulsion type and mix.)

Mike Ware and several others have written extensively about the spectral range, check it out online. "An Investigation of. Platinum and Palladium Printing" <http://www.mikeware.co.uk/downloads/Palladium_Printing.doc>
> 
> With the Yellow in effect the same as the PK, I will probably do a "copy curve" from the PK and cut the ink limits in half.  The boost, however, only affects the K.  So, whatever boost is settled on will apply only to the PK.
> 
> (An alternative approach that I like for normal printing and might take here is to use the yellow as a separate toner channel, with density 100 so that it becomes a "black only" type of curve.  This can then be taken manual and be a way to get the pre-linearization curve essentially perfect.  But this is a bit further down the road.)
> 
> My early profiling on Pictorico White Film ("PWF"), then printed on Inkpress film and scanned with a Nikon 8000 to see what the transmission densities looked like, suggested a potentially interesting approach to transparency profiling.  The PWF profiles used to print on the film produced films that looked way too light.  Of course, with a reflective print the light goes through the inkjet coating twice -- once to reach the paper, then the reflection back to our eyes.  So, the transparency is about half the density of the reflective media in the midtones.  Then near the 100% black end it dives in a very non-linear fashion to the black point.  

film profiling has always been the traditional way. whatever floats one’s boat. It’s not as accurate but makes a decent “classic” negative if you dial the densities into the right curve. The problems lie in the highlights if you are going this route.

> 
> What largely offsets the printing differences is to simply alter the PWF profile gray gamma from the default 1 to gamma  0.4 for the transparency.  To offset an un-wanted flattening of the K curve at the end, there should be a boost of at least 10 for the K.  That is, if the ultimate K ink limit was 50, set the K limit to 40 and boost to 50.  Then the transparency became quite linear even before linearization, (which I am currently thinking should not be done at all at the internegative stage).

It’s not about having the transparency densities be linear per-say, but again, whatever floats one’s boat.

> 
> There are so many variables in the alt process workflows, that very simplified QTR profiling would seem to be a benefit for that group.  Whether my outsider's look is useful remains to be seen.  Those that wander into the alt process realm have my admiration and sympathy.


The main control factor in profiling for alt-process is controlling darkroom procedures and then profiling properly from the printed densities while controlling for light falloff and coating inconsistencies that always happen. Separating what can be improved by hand and what must be corrected for algorithmically after measurement and before the linearization takes place is the key. 

The normal way to profile QTR negs is by eyeball or 21step spectro (as little paper amount as possible or 21x4 to  account of coating issues), tweaking an internal set of overlaps or gray curves and then publishing a system that requires a final photoshop curve or internal QTR tuning curve to pass muster. This is ok to a point as long as the original curves and overlaps and inks all play well together, but it often lacks bit-depth and adjustability in shadows and highlights which is critical. After all, PtPd is known for its long tonal range/compression of the highlights. If the negative can’t print that subtle transition, than the qualities of the medium are disabled. You really need at least 21 steps calibrated in just the shadows and just the highlights alone to achieve good opticals.

//

The one key factor in digital negatives that Piezography didn’t address with its first system 5 years ago was hardness. While our gloss ink is micro-encapsulated and way harder than any other multi-tone carbon ink on the market besides OEM, it was still not as hard as epson K3 resin-encapsulated ink and because we are printing much higher (required) amounts, this made the negative fragile and prone to scratching. We invented a way to do same-time gloss optimizer in a 7th channel to harden the negative. Inks that do not contain a significant percentage of copolymer or resin encapsulation will just not work at all and spread out too much. I suggest sticking w/ K3 ink or going Piezo to enable physically workable negatives. (our upcoming Pro inks will have an entirely different and much more robust strength when it comes to this).

I say all this because I basically figured out all the physical and mathematical and round-trip workflow variables already and made a system that prints at the same quality as silver negs for PtPd. piezodn.inkjetmall.com <http://piezodn.inkjetmall.com/> for info. Specifically check out the Download section with the roadmap and updates. We keep it continually R&D’d based on user feedback. Free updates for life. 

cheers,
Walker

ps: I don’t exactly recommend InkPress transparencies as it generally doesn’t take the ink load that is needed for dependably smooth tonal transitions. It blotches and doesn’t have stellar QC from batch to batch in my and other’s experience. The only base that I’ve seen cut it when making negs for a process that can cost upwards of 20 dollars per sheet in metal is Pictorico Ultra Premium OHP. It takes proper carbon ink loads that is.

pss: A good proof-of-viability test for anyone buying a neg system requiring an investment in third party ink and cartridges is to see if it works with silver. If it works with silver, it will work for everything else without limitation or worry.
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> 
> Paul
> 
>

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-11 by christie238@btinternet.com

Very interesting findings Paul.
I have worked in alt. processes and found that 'lossy' digital 
negatives were good for these processes.

Sent from my iPad
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> On 11 Sep 2016, at 03:58, roark.paul@... [QuadtoneRIP] <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> 
> I have a few B&W alt process photographers in my area and some who have asked about whether the glossy carbon inkset I've been using lately would be suitable for alt process internegatives.   So, I've tip-toed into the arcane realm of alt process to see if I can help my friends simplify and maybe rationalize their (rather SOP now) workflows.  Time will tell.  I do not anticipate participating in wet darkroom work myself.
> 
> 
> 
> These are some very preliminary thoughts that need to be taken as such. 
> 
> 
> 
> My first conclusion is that the glossy carbon inks I use will work just fine.  However, OEM k3 inks also are just fine.  
> 
> 
> 
> The local alt process photographer/gallery owner uses a 3880 with OEM inks.  So, that is mostly what I'm looking at.  However, my experiments with my carbon inks and the 3880 OEM inks suggest that the same concepts will apply to both, with the obvious roll of the yellow ink missing in the carbon ink situation. 
> 
> 
> 
> The alt process we're now focusing on is based on the Bostick & Sullivan platinum emulsion chemistry.  Exposure is via a metal halide broad spectrum light.  This measures its own light.  So, one just dials in a number  and the light does the rest.  Currently the basic exposure (dmax reached through the film base) has been set at 24, but as the scan fo the final print (link below) shows, it's not quite on the mark yet.  The exposure outside the film base is slightly darker.
> 
> 
> 
> That said, the scan of a QTR Calibration Mode print on Inkpress film and then contact printed on the platinum print paper is close enough to see what is going on.  Below the scanned image I have the Excel graphs of the PK, LK, LLK and Y inks.  The graphs are up to "50%" on the Calibration Mode print, but have as the sta rting point the paper outside the film base.  
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/QTR-Calibration-Mode-Platinum-3880-24.pdf
> 
> 
> 
> From what I've seen so far, I am going to recommend the M and C colors be ignored and not used.  Frankly, the hand coated paper is so rough that the fine details we worry about in inkjet printing on coated papers are of little concern.  No dots or microbanding are ever going to show (and the 3880 with OEM inks is so smooth they don't show in normal printing either).  At least for the platinum printing like this, we don't need many inks.  
> 
> 
> 
> The yellow has essentially the same UV density as the PK.  (I do not know exactly what the B&S chemistry spectral sensitivity is.  So, this may vary with the emulsion type and mix.)
> 
> 
> 
> With the Yellow in effect the same as the PK, I will probably do a "copy curve" from the PK and cut the ink limits in half.  The boost, however, only affects the K.  So, whatever boost is settled on will apply only to the PK.
> 
> 
> 
> (An alternative approach that I like for normal printing and might take here is to use the yellow as a separate toner channel, with density 100 so that it becomes a "black only" type of curve.  This can then be taken manual and be a way to get the pre-linearization curve essentially perfect.  But this is a bit further down the road.)
> 
> 
> 
> My early profiling on Pictorico White Film ("PWF"), then printed on Inkpress film and scanned with a Nikon 8000 to see what the transmission densities looked like, suggested a potentially interesting approach to transparency profiling.  The PWF profiles used to print on the film produced films that looked way too light.  Of course, with a reflectiv e print the light goes through the inkjet coating twice -- once to reach the paper, then the reflection back to our eyes.  So, the transparency is about half the density of the reflective media in the midtones.  Then near the 100% black end it dives in a very non-linear fashion to the black point.  
> 
> 
> 
> What largely offsets the printing differences is to simply alter the PWF profile gray gamma from the default 1 to gamma  0.4 for the transparency.  To offset an un-wanted flattening of the K curve at the end, there should be a boost of at least 10 for the K.  That is, if the ultimate K ink limit was 50, set the K limit to 40 and boost to 50.  Then the transparency became quite linear even before linearization, (which I am currently thinking should not be done at all at the internegative stage).
> 
> 
> 
> There are so many variables in the alt process workflows, that very simplified QTR profiling would seem to be a benefit for that group.  Whether my outsider's look is useful remains to be seen.  Those that wander into the alt process realm have my admiration and sympathy.
> 
> 
> 
> Paul
> 
> PaulRoark.com -- Paul Roark's Photographic Home 
> 
>    
> PaulRoark.com -- Paul Roark's Photographic Home
> Paul Roark Black and White Photography
> View on www.PaulRoark.com
> Preview by Yahoo
>  
> 
>

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-11 by Paul Roark

Walker wrote:

>... pss: A good proof-of-viability test for anyone buying a neg system requiring an investment in third party ink and cartridges is to see if it works with silver. If it works with silver, it will work for everything else without limitation or worry.

Just after the "turn of the century" I went through an internegative phase for my silver printing. I've had a darkroom all my life and was a silver printer before I transitioned to inkjets. I tried all sorts of internegatives -- inkjet, imagesetter, high end film recorder. The winner was an 8x10 Fujix Pictrography negative that I enlarged to 16x20. Samy's had one of the machines, and the cost was all of about $8/neg. It's easy to convert a 4x5 Beseler to 8x10. (Hint: use the Apo-Rodagon copy lens instead of their 8x10 enlarger lens.) The Pictrography machine makes 400 true ppi films. These are not dithered half-tones. They enlarge to 16x20 very well. But, I really doubt they are suitable for the alt process niche.

Silver was easy, with materials that were very stable and uniform. What I'm seeing in alt process is a huge number of variables that makes it rather important that the practitioner have the skills to re-profile and linearize for a new batch or mix of chemistry. Keeping it as simple as possible should facilitate this. Just getting my friends to the point where they are using QTR's linearization tools as opposed to trying to craft their own PS curves should be a major step in that direction for them. That's my only goal here.

Paul






Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-11 by <kimbrellnarcisadf@...>

Great, Thanks! 


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    On Sunday, September 11, 2016 5:18 PM, "Paul Roark roark.paul@... [QuadtoneRIP]" <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:



     Walker wrote: 
>... pss: A good proof-of-viability test for anyone buying a neg system requiring an investment in third party ink and cartridges is to see if it works with silver. If it works with silver, it will work for everything else without limitation or worry.
Just after the "turn of the century" I went through an internegative phase for my silver printing.  I've had a darkroom all my life and was a silver printer before I transitioned to inkjets.  I tried all sorts of internegatives -- inkjet, imagesetter, high end film recorder.  The winner was an 8x10 Fujix Pictrography negative that I enlarged to 16x20.  Samy's had one of the machines, and the cost was all of about $8/neg.  It's easy to convert a 4x5 Beseler to 8x10.  (Hint: use the Apo-Rodagon copy lens instead of their 8x10 enlarger lens.)  The Pictrography machine makes 400 true ppi films.  These are not dithered half-tones.  They enlarge to 16x20 very well.  But, I really doubt they are suitable for the alt process niche. 
Silver was easy, with materials that were very stable and uniform.  What I'm seeing in alt process is a huge number of variables that makes it rather important that the practitioner have the skills to re-profile and linearize for a new batch or mix of chemistry.  Keeping it as simple as possible should facilitate this.  Just getting my friends to the point where they are using QTR's linearization tools as opposed to trying to craft their own PS curves should be a major step in that direction for them.  That's my only goal here.
Paulwww.PaulRoark.com

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-11 by Paul Roark

Regarding the film for the internegs, from what I've seen they are all about if not exactly the same. Given the volume of the niche, there may be only one actual manufacturer.

I started with Pictorico and have third company's beta product here for testing.

I will use Inkpress for the moment at least because that is what the experienced pro I'm working with uses. (For his work, see http://tychobrown.com/) He uses it because of its wide availability in lots of different sizes. He has no ax to grind here and a good technical background. The price is also good, and I suspect price and availability are the main variables. I don';t think it's going to have any significant impact on this project.

Paul

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-11 by sanking@...

That said, the scan of a QTR Calibration Mode print on Inkpress film and then contact printed on the platinum print paper is close enough to see what is going on. Below the scanned image I have the Excel graphs of the PK, LK, LLK and Y inks. The graphs are up to "50%" on the Calibration Mode print, but have as the starting point the paper outside the film base.

http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/QTR-Calibration-Mode-Platinum-3880-24.pdf


From what I've seen so far, I am going to recommend the M and C colors be ignored and not used.


Your platinum print made using the inkseparation page printed with an Epsonn K3 inkset gives similar results to what I get with carbon printing using 50% calibration. Like you, I would advise not using the M and C colors, and of course LLK, because they block so little UV light that they serve no useful purpose in a QTR profile for making digital negatives for UV sensitive alternative processes.

There are many ways to create profiles for digital negatives using the Epson K3 inkset. The attached profile is simple to understand and easy to adjust for specific processes. It uses a single gray scale where all all curves follows the K. I have taught this QTR profile for several years at my carbon transfer workshops and it gives results as good or better than any of the other methods I have used to profile with QTR for digital negatives using the Epson K3 ink set. And just for the record, carbon is a process that is as sharp or sharper than silver, and carbon prints are often made on very smooth papers similar to those used for silver. In my personal work with carbon I use a QTR profile of my own creation based on a all gray ink set using various mixtures of Epson K3 PK, LK and LLK. I considered using the Cone inks for my ink set but found that they did not dry as fast as the Epson OEM inks.

Adjustments that can be made to the profile are.

1. To increase printing density by 10% just increase the Limit of the K, Y and LK by 10%. To decreae density by 0% decrease the Limit of the K, Y and LK by 10%.The other inks are set at 1 just to make sure some ink is being used every time the printer is used.

2. To linerize you can use either a curve for the K ink, which is followed by the Y and LK, you can use the LINEARIZE command, or indeed do one on top of the other.

It is important to note that the commands that control gray highlights, gray shadows, and gamma, are not operative with this profile. However, for the profile to install some value must be included, so the numbers 4, 4 an 1 are entirely arbitrary as any value will work.

In testing profiles for carbon printing I make extensive use of a UV transmission densitometer as it saves a lot of time in evaluating step wedges. I also linearize with an iOne spectrophotometer.

#PRINTER=Quad7800
#CURVE_NAME= Carbon100 #Based on Carbon Tissue #230, 14 grams of Black Cat Ink + 2 grams of Mixol #23 Dunkelbraum, with tissue coated to a wet height of 0.9mm.
#Profile when printing a step wedge gives a DR (density range) of approximately log 2.05.
#With Tissue #230 sensitize with a 4% potassium dichromate solution, diluted 1+1 with acetone, approximately 10 ml per 8X10 sheet, applied in two coatings with a roller. 350 ULF units.

GRAPH_CURVE=YES
N_OF_INKS=8
DEFAULT_INK_LIMIT=100
LIMIT_K=25
LIMIT_C=1
LIMIT_M=1
LIMIT_Y=25
LIMIT_LC=1
LIMIT_LM=1
LIMIT_LK=50
LIMIT_LLK=1

GRAY_HIGHLIGHT=4
GRAY_SHADOW=4
GRAY_GAMMA= 1

CURVE_K= "0;0 100;100"
COPY_CURVE_C=K
COPY_CURVE_M=K
COPY_CURVE_Y=K
COPY_CURVE_LC=K
COPY_CURVE_LM=K
COPY_CURVE_LK=K
COPY_CURVE_LLK=K

LINEARIZE="14.89 16.51 18.47 20.86 23.83 27.27 31.12 35 39.69 44.62 49.73 54.83 60.24 66.38 72.96 80.47 85.47 90.59 93.75 94.69 95.15"

Re: Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-12 by richard@...

### Digital Negative Issues

Sandy, you can use the gray highlight, shadow, gamma, and curve settings if you set it up as single partition profile with the only gray inks as the K channel. You could still have the other inks copy the K curve, and then print a 21-step target (including the copy curves) and then linearize with my correction curve tool for digital negatives in the gray curve setting. At that point you wouldn’t need the QTR linearization. The problem with using copy curve is that the blocking density for each point on the curve isn’t always consistent from one ink to an other. In your set up it would be better to use LK as toner 1, and yellow as toner 2, and then linearize each separately with the toner curve setting. The K channel is then linearized with the gray curve setting, and then you could linearize all three inks together with the qtr linearize= setting. I am not sure if it is a good idea to run a heavily dithered full dilution black in the highlights, so I would recommend having a LK/K grayscale partition with increased overlap, and linearized with my gray curve correction tool. Then run Y separately a toner partition linearized with its own toner curve.

I’ve also played with the idea of using a two-quad curve system that is blended in the print settings to produce more blocking density depending on the needs of process/chemistry mix. One quad curve is with a single linearized K3 partition and then another quad curve with a linearized K3 partition and a Y toner curve much higher Y limits. You blend in the quad curve with the yellow toner with higher limits and everything stays (more or less) linearized. I dropped messing with all that when I moved on to the next thing using Piezography inks…

Paul, transparency material is definitely not all the same when it comes to the amount of ink it can accept. You would find that too if you tried putting as much ink on their as Walker’s system does. Over the winter, and as a bit of a personal challenge, I built my own system of using 6 piezography inks (both the straight K6 set and the old set with shades 2.5 and 4.5), and a way of hand shaping the QTR curves to create more overlap similar in shape to the Piezography curves. From there I had to build my own system of linearizing 51 and then 129 steps in the negative (I only used the QTR tools to get the initial partitions, and then shaped everything from there using tools I made in excel). Then I tried the new PiezoDN system when it was released. Walker’s linearization system is much easier than building your own, which is partly why I never posted more about it… I tested both ways with all three transparency materials. Only UltraPremium OHP could deal with the ink load from 2-4 inks for ever point on the scale. InkPress and non-Ultra Premium OHP were just not capable of handling the ink load and resulted in mottling—platinum and gelatin silver. As an aside, they PiezoDN system works pretty well with Azo/Lodima Grade 2. Things have been really busy and I haven’t been able to do all that much with it, but will put some serious effort into writing more about it when the new batch of Lodima is a ready later in the year.

Paul, the overly simplified approach to digital negatives (like single K channel and CopyCurve) is why people have so many problems and never arrive at anything with the level of accuracy that something like the PiezoDN system is capable of producing. If the concern is being able to adjust for variables in paper and chemistry, the PiezoDN system makes incredibly easy as well. If someone was REALLY invested in not buying the Piezography inks/system then there is a way to hand their own blend inks and come up with their own partitioning and linearization system to get the same results… It might take a few months of work but it is doable…

Hope that helps,
Richard Boutwell

http://www.richardboutwell.com/
http://www.bwmastery.com/

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-12 by Paul Roark

Sandy,

Thanks for posting your response.

>​...Your platinum print made using the inkseparation page printed with an Epson K3 inkset gives similar results to what I get with carbon printing using 50% calibration.

I see from the linearization data in the profile you posted that you have the same low-slope curve as you approach the paper white. In traditional silver printing the toe and shoulder lower slopes were, in my view, major issues. Bruce Barnbaum bleached many if not most of his prints to fight this at the paper white end. I did that step occasionally, but with the advent of digital, using digital tools to fight, particularly, the gray highlight problem, seemed like a better (and safer) way to go.

The linearization data in your profile have such a low slope that you're close to the point where QTR will reject the data.

I'm curious why the linearization data is from dark to light. I had to reverse the order to get QTR to accept it. I'm on Windows, but I thought QTR was the same with respect to this issue for both platforms.

I've used the straight line curves a lot for testing, but typically we need a sharp upturn at the dark end to have a more linear response on the inkjet paper. The QTR built-in "black only" curves have this. On the other hand, those built in BO curves do not have the rest of the slope characteristics your data show.

I would be curious to see scans of the highlights of prints made with this sample curve. Much of what we do with partitioning is to "hide the dots" in the highlights. When the image in inverted, I'm not sure what the differences are going to be. The platinum print is so rough, I doubt anything will show.

> ... And just for the record, carbon is a process that is as sharp or sharper than silver, and carbon prints are often made on very smooth papers similar to those used for silver.

(We do share our fondness for carbon as the imaging substance, even if in different realms.)

What papers are you using that are as smooth as the base for the silver print? I work with a lot of watercolor painters and have found that Arches Hot Press is about the best, but then I'm also rejecting many/most papers based on poor dmax results when printed directly with the carbon. That is an issue your carbon process may not be concerned with.

> ... In my personal work with carbon I use a QTR profile of my own creation based on a all gray ink set using various mixtures of Epson K3 PK, LK and LLK.

Do you stay with the straight line CURVE_K= "0;0 100;100" and copy curves for the inks?

I did a lot of experimentation with Black Only curves for the old Epson 1800, where MIS Associates commercialized what I called a "3 MK" inkset that used 3 MK positions. I found that the optimum number of MK curves seemed to be about 4, but 3 hid the microbanding sufficiently for most printers. I also found that having a single MK in the highlights made them look smoother. The "ordered" QTR dither pattern actually looks smoother than a random pattern. The single ink did this. When another one was added the pattern became more random and looked rougher. But, again, what happens when an image is inverted is something I've never explored (and probably will not, given my expected short term involvement in the alt process/internegative end of the field).

> ... In testing profiles for carbon printing I make extensive use of a UV transmission densitometer as it saves a lot of time in evaluating step wedges. I also linearize with an iOne spectrophotometer.

I've been using my Nikon 8000 scanner to look at and measure the steps of the negatives. I'm uncertain how accurately this maps to the UV spectrum. The little info I found on the web seemed to suggest that for carbon the curves would be rather congruent but that the carbon blocked more UV light than green light. Have you ever seen or generated data on this issue and the applicability of film scanners to the process?

One thing that I have found with film scanners is that it's hard if not impossible to stop them -- or at least their OEM drivers -- from applying a built in profile. This can significantly compress the dark end of the curve. I try to use manual exposure and pull the sliders out to the max to try an avoid the effects of this. It's hard to say how successful this approach is.

Paul


Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-12 by Paul Roark

BTW, the light Chris uses is the NuArc 40-1KS. These are still out there on the used market. This URL has some info on the product line (which was acquired by a different company): http://www.nuarc.co.kr/1KS_ProductSheet.pdf .

I did not find what the "exposure units" they use are in terms of light quantity, but it's consistent in terms of avoiding warming up and other factors. So, from the practitioner's point of view, it seems to work well, avoiding the multitude of factors that can affect trying to expose via the sun.

Paul

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-12 by Don Nelson

Paul
I also own the 40-1ks
The light unit is just used by the integrator-- that's how it takes care of light changes during startup and when heat builds up. It has no unit value that corresponds to any other measurement (as far as I know)
Don


Sent from my iPhone
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> On Sep 12, 2016, at 9:12 AM, Paul Roark roark.paul@... [QuadtoneRIP] <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
> BTW, the light Chris uses is the NuArc 40-1KS.  These are still out there on the used market.  This URL has some info on the product line (which was acquired by a different company):  http://www.nuarc.co.kr/1KS_ProductSheet.pdf .
>
> I did not find what the "exposure units" they use are in terms of light quantity, but it's consistent in terms of avoiding warming up and other factors.  So, from the practitioner's point of view, it seems to work well, avoiding the multitude of factors that can affect trying to expose via the sun.
>
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com
>

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-12 by forums@walkerblackwell.com

Some links for those who are looking for alt-process info QTR and Non-QTR related:

For those wanting to learn the basic QTR/Driver ways of dig neg production I suggest Ron Reader’s book (http://www.lulu.com/shop/ron-reeder/digital-negatives-for-palladium-and-other-alternative-processes/paperback/product-12438503.html <http://www.lulu.com/shop/ron-reeder/digital-negatives-for-palladium-and-other-alternative-processes/paperback/product-12438503.html>)

For those wanting  dependable full-featured negative production workhorse, PiezoDN does a much better job at density control than most “qidf-built” curves because of its unique overlap structure and tools and chemistry (more data points as Richard pointed out) and that documentation and manual is ever-growing at piezodn.inkjetmall.com <http://piezodn.inkjetmall.com/> along with some stellar science and knowledge-bombs from Keith Schreiber on that forum.

//

A good primer on how to handle any alt-process and it’s density requirements can be found at Mark Nelson’s site www.precisiondigitalnegatives.com. It’s a great read if very technical. (He uses Keith’s idea of optimizing based on UV absorption of color ink to handle dig-neg printing from basically any driver or printer out there).

//

The alt-photo list is also a great place to ask questions about bulbs, film density, and workflow/practice: altphotolist.org 

//

For those wanting to deep-dive into the esoteric soul of Pt/Pd I suggest taking David Michael Kennedy’s workshop. I’ve heard too many good things about it and am saving up the $$$$ to go myself. http://www.davidmichaelkennedy.com/workshops

//

For those wanting to learn both Pt/Pd and digital negative calibration, we offer workshops at Cone Editions as well. I suggest learning the Pt/Pd process first though so the learning curve is less steep. 

//

Lastly, for those just wanting to get cracking on prints with calibrated PiezoDN negs, and to learn about process and not just neg making, we sponsor Maine Media Workshops HAAS (historical process teaching darkroom) and Brenton Hamilton (the instructor) is a genius. You learn Cyanotype, Kalitype, Palladium, Zia, Salted, Gum, all sorts of stuff. It’s nuts and I highly recommend it. The workshops fill right after they are listed though so sometimes it can be hard to get in.  https://www.mainemedia.edu/workshops/photography

//


cheers all,
Walker

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Re: Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-12 by Paul Roark

Richard,


​>... transparency material is definitely not all the same when it comes to the amount of ink it can accept. ...Only UltraPremium OHP could deal with the ink load from 2-4 inks for ever point on the scale. ...

I suspect the old Pictorico film and White Film I have used is a different coating than their ";Ultra." If ink load looks like an issue, I'll have to try that one.

As I've suggested, what I'm seeing in used in the alt process field is not needing all that much density. I was, frankly, surprised. On the other hand, what I'm wondering is whether most aren't punching through the toe or shoulder of their materials, and that may be needed to wring all that is there out of the approach.

If more density is needed, I will see what the (unexpected) ability of my glossy carbon setup to print MK onto film without smudging can do. That is part of what initially sparked my curiosity here. I don't think the MK on glossy has much, if any, use in normal inkjet printing because the reflective dmax goes down. However, being able to sprinkle (actually two channels in my wide format printers) of MK onto the glossy substrate (that also has about twice as much PK on it) can build very high transmission density. The high carbon load of the MK ink can increase the amount of carbon on the film per fluid base. Unlike reflective work where the gloss surface becomes a major factor, limiting loads, for transmission density the total carbon load seems to keep stay fairly proportionate to transmission density for significantly longer.

Paul


Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-12 by sanking@...


The linearization data in your profile have such a low slope that you're close to the point where QTR will reject the data.

The slope (gama) is shaped to correspond to density range. In the Carbon 100 profile I posted the DMax is about log 2.05, designed for the contrast of the sensitizer which is determined by strength of the dichromate. A profile for a pure palladium print would require a much higher gamma to give a Dmax of about log 2.8 or more. There are significant differences in curve type between a palladium print (long toe, compressed shoulder) and a carbon print (fairly straighly line from toe to shoulder) but I have never had any trouble using LINEARIZE with the data so long as process itself was up to par.

I'm curious why the linearization data is from dark to light. I had to reverse the order to get QTR to accept it. I'm on Windows, but I thought QTR was the same with respect to this issue for both platforms.

The linearization data in my profiles for digital negatives is reversed compared to profiles for inkjet positives.

I would be curious to see scans of the highlights of prints made with this sample curve. Much of what we do with partitioning is to "hide the dots" in the highlights. When the image in inverted, I'm not sure what the differences are going to be. The platinum print is so rough, I doubt anything will show.

Highlights are quite smooth, just a tad grainier than with my all gray ink set.

What papers are you using that are as smooth as the base for the silver print? I work with a lot of watercolor painters and have found that Arches Hot Press is about the best, but then I'm also rejecting many/most papers based on poor dmax results when printed directly with the carbon. That is an issue your carbon process may not be concerned with.

My carbon transfer prints are placed on both I fixed out silver papers (glossy and matte surfaces) as well as gelatin or gelatin + albumen sized art papers. Dmax with most of my prints ranges from a low of about log 1.7 to a high of about 2.2. It depends on both the substrate/final support and the gloss/matte nature of the tissue.

Do you stay with the straight line CURVE_K= "0;0 100;100" and copy curves for the inks?

I would just put the input/output numbers for an .acv curve to replace the current straight line, then all of the other curves follow the K.

The little info I found on the web seemed to suggest that for carbon the curves would be rather congruent but that the carbon blocked more UV light than green light. Have you ever seen or generated data on this issue and the applicability of film scanners to the process?

Many people I know use a film scanner to creat an .acv correction curve. It works reasonably well, but I find that I get better results with the iOne.

One thing that I have found with film scanners is that it's hard if not impossible to stop them -- or at least their OEM drivers -- from applying a built in profile. This can significantly compress the dark end of the curve. I try to use manual exposure and pull the sliders out to the max to try an avoid the effects of this. It's hard to say how successful this approach is.

I always use manual exposure, pull the sliders to just avoid clipping data, set the gama to 1.0, and set input output to 0 and 250. Even so, I get much better results with the iOne, but using LINEARIZE can be very difficult for hand coated processes because if any of the values are out of order the necessary curve can not be created.

Sandy


Re: Alt Process Internegative project

2016-09-12 by sanking@...

The problem with using copy curve is that the blocking density for each point on the curve isn’t always consistent from one ink to an other. In your set up it would be better to use LK as toner 1, and yellow as toner 2, and then linearize each separately with the toner curve setting. The K channel is then linearized with the gray curve setting, and then you could linearize all three inks together with the qtr linearize= setting. I am not sure if it is a good idea to run a heavily dithered full dilution black in the highlights, so I would recommend having a LK/K grayscale partition with increased overlap, and linearized with my gray curve correction tool. Then run Y separately a toner partition linearized with its own toner curve.

Richard,

The actual UV blocking density of the PK and Y inks are virtually identical at all points on the curve wheb using the same ink Limit, and at Limit of 2X the value of PK and Y, LK is equal in blocking to the Y and PK. I have verified this with both densitometer readings and with actual prints of step wedges in process. The Cyan and Magenta are indeed way off in terms of blocking density at different points on the curve, which is why I consider them useless in profiling for alternative processes with the K3 ink set.

Sandy

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