QTR-Quadtone RIP

I've been lusting to do super fine art BW printing with a dedicated BW
printer (1400) and black inkset and all roads have lead to QTR.  Lots
of good info available, but there DOES seem to be some info for
newbies missing:

All docs I've read (many by the very generous and very helpful Mr.
Roark), seem to come from a view that one pretty much knows what they
are doing, but needs a bit of extra help. There is a lot of jargon
talk like:

 "...by avoiding the middle dilution (warmest) inks (LC and M),
I've been able to hold Lab B on Premier Art Smooth BW to about 1 in
the midtones..."

All very interesting, but how in the world does one learn WHEN there
the need to "... hold LAB B to about 1..."?   :-)

What I'm trying to ask - is there any info on learning =how= to
evaluate a print and then make adjustments in QTR, or that a new
profile is needed?

While not a total dunce, I AM new to QTR and this form of control. I
have lots of docs about profiling and getting
started. I've been further confused by the claims of some ink
suppliers that the curves they supply make a plug and play solution -
but IF you need a custom profile, they are available at a reasonable
price.

Hmm....  So how would I know that the print I've just ran off, dried
properly and looks stunning to my untrained eye, is NOT the optimum it
could and that I do need that custom profile or need to tweek things
via QTR? Are there any docs anywhere that will help me learn how to
"read a print" and decide that further work is needed... or not. Is
this the bailiwick of on-site printing classes? Maybe.

The web is so rife with how-to info on using and defining the tools of
Photoshop and QTR and such, but I've not found much on how to decide
when a particular tool (like adjusting a level
in QTR, or reworking in PS) is in order.

Any ideas or links? Or did I just miss something in the existing docs?

=Alan R.

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

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
>

Alan I would like to be considered as member of your club, while at the same time being very grateful to all the contributors of their time in the past.

David Pal

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: handyman856 
  To: QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 4:44 AM
  Subject: [QuadtoneRIP] The Missing Manual


  I've been lusting to do super fine art BW printing with a dedicated BW
  printer (1400) and black inkset and all roads have lead to QTR. Lots
  of good info available, but there DOES seem to be some info for
  newbies missing:

  All docs I've read (many by the very generous and very helpful Mr.
  Roark), seem to come from a view that one pretty much knows what they
  are doing, but needs a bit of extra help. There is a lot of jargon
  talk like:

  "...by avoiding the middle dilution (warmest) inks (LC and M),
  I've been able to hold Lab B on Premier Art Smooth BW to about 1 in
  the midtones..."

  All very interesting, but how in the world does one learn WHEN there
  the need to "... hold LAB B to about 1..."? :-)

  What I'm trying to ask - is there any info on learning =how= to
  evaluate a print and then make adjustments in QTR, or that a new
  profile is needed?

  While not a total dunce, I AM new to QTR and this form of control. I
  have lots of docs about profiling and getting
  started. I've been further confused by the claims of some ink
  suppliers that the curves they supply make a plug and play solution -
  but IF you need a custom profile, they are available at a reasonable
  price.

  Hmm.... So how would I know that the print I've just ran off, dried
  properly and looks stunning to my untrained eye, is NOT the optimum it
  could and that I do need that custom profile or need to tweek things
  via QTR? Are there any docs anywhere that will help me learn how to
  "read a print" and decide that further work is needed... or not. Is
  this the bailiwick of on-site printing classes? Maybe.

  The web is so rife with how-to info on using and defining the tools of
  Photoshop and QTR and such, but I've not found much on how to decide
  when a particular tool (like adjusting a level
  in QTR, or reworking in PS) is in order.

  Any ideas or links? Or did I just miss something in the existing docs?

  =Alan R.



   

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