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What gray space should a newbie use?

What gray space should a newbie use?

2009-03-13 by grangermacy

Ok, I'm new in this world of grays, and trying to start off correctly.  Roy Harrington is suggesting Gray-Lab for a workspace and Paul Roarke is suggesting Gray Gamma 2.2. Most importantly I don't want to have to guess at my shadows in Photoshop. So I really want to start out on the right foot.....

Since I'll be using UT14 I'm thinking I'd be wiser to stay with Roarke's GG2.2.  But I also have PrintFix Pro and will be developing my own profiles and curves.

And, lastly, as a Vista user should I be saving my TIF in a different workspace to bring it into QTR?

I really appreciate your help and am looking forward to bravely entering this new world.

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] What gray space should a newbie use?

2009-03-13 by Michael King

So in Windows QTR ignores embedded profiles, so you image has to be in the
same gray space as the QTR profiles were created for (probably gg2.2).

Also wrt to shadows you need a good and well profiled monitor to avoid
shadow issues.
this has been talked about quite a bit on the Piezobw list - well worth a
read.

Mike

2009/3/13 grangermacy <grangermacy@...>

>   Ok, I'm new in this world of grays, and trying to start off correctly.
> Roy Harrington is suggesting Gray-Lab for a workspace and Paul Roarke is
> suggesting Gray Gamma 2.2. Most importantly I don't want to have to guess at
> my shadows in Photoshop. So I really want to start out on the right
> foot.....
>
> Since I'll be using UT14 I'm thinking I'd be wiser to stay with Roarke's
> GG2.2. But I also have PrintFix Pro and will be developing my own profiles
> and curves.
>
> And, lastly, as a Vista user should I be saving my TIF in a different
> workspace to bring it into QTR?
>
> I really appreciate your help and am looking forward to bravely entering
> this new world.
>
> 
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

RE: [QuadtoneRIP] What gray space should a newbie use?

2009-03-13 by Paul Roark

>... Roy Harrington is suggesting Gray-Lab for a workspace and 
> Paul Roark is suggesting Gray Gamma 2.2.

My approach -- editing in Gray Gamma 2.2 -- does require that you place an
adjustment curve on the file, perhaps via a layer, before printing with QTR.
(You could, alternatively, convert the files working space.)  The curve I
use is at http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/GG22-to-QTR.zip  With Roy's
approach you don't need to do this step.  So, in that respect Roy's approach
is more straight forward, at least if QTR printing is the predominate target
of the file editing.

I like to stick with existing industry standards as much as possible.  Gray
Gamma 2.2 (which I often abbreviate as "GG22") is, in effect, a subset of
Adobe RGB, which is probably the most common working space.  I believe Adobe
Elements uses GG22 if no other space is designated.  So, if a novice just
converts a file to grayscale and prints it with the Epson driver, with no
real knowledge of these issues, an inkset and printer setup that is close
for GG22 will most likely give a reasonable match to the monitor.  I've
found that many who simple purchase a system from MIS do just this.  So, if
what I make is, in effect, rather "plug and play," the support costs are
less, at least for systems that use the Epson driver, which is usually where
I start.  The exception, of course, is the 3MK 1800 system that can't be
handled by the Epson driver.

GG22 files also display appropriately on the internet.  

> I don't want to have to guess at my shadows in Photoshop. 
> So I really want to start out on the right foot.....

Either approach, if used correctly, should give a good match between the
monitor and print.

I started with systems that used a straight line space like QTR and resisted
changing to GG22 for a while because I thought the compressed shadows wasted
too much of our limited 8 bit file depth.  However, with 16 bit now the
standard, the "inefficiency" that bothered me at first turns out to be an
advantage.  Not only do I have a reserve of shadow information in that
compressed GG22 toe, but with glossy printing and its huge dmax, the
compressed shadows give an interesting effect of being able to see further
into them as the light level increases.  You, in effect, don't run out of
shadow detail and have them just go gray.

> Since I'll be using UT14 I'm thinking I'd be wiser to stay with
> Roark's GG2.2.

UT14 is one of the inksets that is fairly plug and play.  I've made ICCs
with QTR's Create ICC-RGB program that are also available for the Epson
driver.  These ICCs should "see" whatever profile is attached to the file
and print appropriately. 

> But I also have PrintFix Pro and will be developing my own profiles 
> and curves.

I use QTR regularly with the curve adjustment approach.  If it's on a layer,
I just edit in GG22 with the layer inactive and check the layer box when
printing with QTR.  It's easy to convert back and forth.  

I like to avoid any more conversions than necessary.  While most of us on
these lists now start with high bit depth files, there are lots of people
who simply convert their digital Jpegs to grayscale and print.  So, I've
geared much of what I do to making the systems default to something that'll
work OK for these people.

> as a Vista user should I be saving my TIF in a different workspace 
> to bring it into QTR?

I don't use Vista that much, but I don't think there is any difference in
this respect.

Hope this helps.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

Re: What gray space should a newbie use?

2009-03-13 by grangermacy

Thank you Michael and Paul.
The light has come on - and that leads to a few more thoughts.

Since QTR's output is linearized, if I want my monitor to match the print I should be using a linearized gray space - Gray-Lab or GG22 with Paul's curve.  Brilliant! 

So if I use GG22, I would think I should apply the curve immediately on opening the file rather than just before printing as Paul suggests.  This way I'll have 'linear' vision during editing.  I think that would be ok as long as I'm in 16bit depth.  Brilliant still?

But if QTR ignores profiles as Michael says, now I have no clue why Roy would suggest "For Windows where it's necessary to save a tiff file, you should Convert to Profile using either Gray Matte Paper or Gray Photo Paper.  Then save the file for printing in QTRgui." I could see soft proofing, but why convert the profile?

Thanks so much.  The cloud is starting to lift.....

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@...> wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> >... Roy Harrington is suggesting Gray-Lab for a workspace and 
> > Paul Roark is suggesting Gray Gamma 2.2.
> 
> My approach -- editing in Gray Gamma 2.2 -- does require that you place an
> adjustment curve on the file, perhaps via a layer, before printing with QTR.
> (You could, alternatively, convert the files working space.)  The curve I
> use is at http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/GG22-to-QTR.zip  With Roy's
> approach you don't need to do this step.  So, in that respect Roy's approach
> is more straight forward, at least if QTR printing is the predominate target
> of the file editing.
> 
> I like to stick with existing industry standards as much as possible.  Gray
> Gamma 2.2 (which I often abbreviate as "GG22") is, in effect, a subset of
> Adobe RGB, which is probably the most common working space.  I believe Adobe
> Elements uses GG22 if no other space is designated.  So, if a novice just
> converts a file to grayscale and prints it with the Epson driver, with no
> real knowledge of these issues, an inkset and printer setup that is close
> for GG22 will most likely give a reasonable match to the monitor.  I've
> found that many who simple purchase a system from MIS do just this.  So, if
> what I make is, in effect, rather "plug and play," the support costs are
> less, at least for systems that use the Epson driver, which is usually where
> I start.  The exception, of course, is the 3MK 1800 system that can't be
> handled by the Epson driver.
> 
> GG22 files also display appropriately on the internet.  
> 
> > I don't want to have to guess at my shadows in Photoshop. 
> > So I really want to start out on the right foot.....
> 
> Either approach, if used correctly, should give a good match between the
> monitor and print.
> 
> I started with systems that used a straight line space like QTR and resisted
> changing to GG22 for a while because I thought the compressed shadows wasted
> too much of our limited 8 bit file depth.  However, with 16 bit now the
> standard, the "inefficiency" that bothered me at first turns out to be an
> advantage.  Not only do I have a reserve of shadow information in that
> compressed GG22 toe, but with glossy printing and its huge dmax, the
> compressed shadows give an interesting effect of being able to see further
> into them as the light level increases.  You, in effect, don't run out of
> shadow detail and have them just go gray.
> 
> > Since I'll be using UT14 I'm thinking I'd be wiser to stay with
> > Roark's GG2.2.
> 
> UT14 is one of the inksets that is fairly plug and play.  I've made ICCs
> with QTR's Create ICC-RGB program that are also available for the Epson
> driver.  These ICCs should "see" whatever profile is attached to the file
> and print appropriately. 
> 
> > But I also have PrintFix Pro and will be developing my own profiles 
> > and curves.
> 
> I use QTR regularly with the curve adjustment approach.  If it's on a layer,
> I just edit in GG22 with the layer inactive and check the layer box when
> printing with QTR.  It's easy to convert back and forth.  
> 
> I like to avoid any more conversions than necessary.  While most of us on
> these lists now start with high bit depth files, there are lots of people
> who simply convert their digital Jpegs to grayscale and print.  So, I've
> geared much of what I do to making the systems default to something that'll
> work OK for these people.
> 
> > as a Vista user should I be saving my TIF in a different workspace 
> > to bring it into QTR?
> 
> I don't use Vista that much, but I don't think there is any difference in
> this respect.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com
>

Re: [QuadtoneRIP] Re: What gray space should a newbie use?

2009-03-13 by Michael King

>>But if QTR ignores profiles as Michael says, now I have no clue why Roy
would suggest "For Windows where it's necessary to save a tiff file, you
should Convert to Profile using either Gray Matte Paper or Gray Photo Paper.
Then save the file for printing in QTRgui." I could see soft proofing, but
why convert the profile?

You have to convert because it ignores profiles. Basically when a program is
profile aware it does the conversion on the fly behind the scenes. But when
its not profile aware you have to do the conversion manually. The reason
there is Matte and Photo choices is because each has a different black point
and so you are doing black point conversion as part of the process.

Mike

2009/3/13 grangermacy <grangermacy@...>

>   Thank you Michael and Paul.
> The light has come on - and that leads to a few more thoughts.
>
> Since QTR's output is linearized, if I want my monitor to match the print I
> should be using a linearized gray space - Gray-Lab or GG22 with Paul's
> curve. Brilliant!
>
> So if I use GG22, I would think I should apply the curve immediately on
> opening the file rather than just before printing as Paul suggests. This way
> I'll have 'linear' vision during editing. I think that would be ok as long
> as I'm in 16bit depth. Brilliant still?
>
> But if QTR ignores profiles as Michael says, now I have no clue why Roy
> would suggest "For Windows where it's necessary to save a tiff file, you
> should Convert to Profile using either Gray Matte Paper or Gray Photo Paper.
> Then save the file for printing in QTRgui." I could see soft proofing, but
> why convert the profile?
>
> Thanks so much. The cloud is starting to lift.....
>
> --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com <QuadtoneRIP%40yahoogroups.com>, "Paul
> Roark" <paul.roark@...> wrote:
> >
> > >... Roy Harrington is suggesting Gray-Lab for a workspace and
> > > Paul Roark is suggesting Gray Gamma 2.2.
> >
> > My approach -- editing in Gray Gamma 2.2 -- does require that you place
> an
> > adjustment curve on the file, perhaps via a layer, before printing with
> QTR.
> > (You could, alternatively, convert the files working space.) The curve I
> > use is at http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/GG22-to-QTR.zip With Roy's
> > approach you don't need to do this step. So, in that respect Roy's
> approach
> > is more straight forward, at least if QTR printing is the predominate
> target
> > of the file editing.
> >
> > I like to stick with existing industry standards as much as possible.
> Gray
> > Gamma 2.2 (which I often abbreviate as "GG22") is, in effect, a subset of
> > Adobe RGB, which is probably the most common working space. I believe
> Adobe
> > Elements uses GG22 if no other space is designated. So, if a novice just
> > converts a file to grayscale and prints it with the Epson driver, with no
> > real knowledge of these issues, an inkset and printer setup that is close
> > for GG22 will most likely give a reasonable match to the monitor. I've
> > found that many who simple purchase a system from MIS do just this. So,
> if
> > what I make is, in effect, rather "plug and play," the support costs are
> > less, at least for systems that use the Epson driver, which is usually
> where
> > I start. The exception, of course, is the 3MK 1800 system that can't be
> > handled by the Epson driver.
> >
> > GG22 files also display appropriately on the internet.
> >
> > > I don't want to have to guess at my shadows in Photoshop.
> > > So I really want to start out on the right foot.....
> >
> > Either approach, if used correctly, should give a good match between the
> > monitor and print.
> >
> > I started with systems that used a straight line space like QTR and
> resisted
> > changing to GG22 for a while because I thought the compressed shadows
> wasted
> > too much of our limited 8 bit file depth. However, with 16 bit now the
> > standard, the "inefficiency" that bothered me at first turns out to be an
> > advantage. Not only do I have a reserve of shadow information in that
> > compressed GG22 toe, but with glossy printing and its huge dmax, the
> > compressed shadows give an interesting effect of being able to see
> further
> > into them as the light level increases. You, in effect, don't run out of
> > shadow detail and have them just go gray.
> >
> > > Since I'll be using UT14 I'm thinking I'd be wiser to stay with
> > > Roark's GG2.2.
> >
> > UT14 is one of the inksets that is fairly plug and play. I've made ICCs
> > with QTR's Create ICC-RGB program that are also available for the Epson
> > driver. These ICCs should "see" whatever profile is attached to the file
> > and print appropriately.
> >
> > > But I also have PrintFix Pro and will be developing my own profiles
> > > and curves.
> >
> > I use QTR regularly with the curve adjustment approach. If it's on a
> layer,
> > I just edit in GG22 with the layer inactive and check the layer box when
> > printing with QTR. It's easy to convert back and forth.
> >
> > I like to avoid any more conversions than necessary. While most of us on
> > these lists now start with high bit depth files, there are lots of people
> > who simply convert their digital Jpegs to grayscale and print. So, I've
> > geared much of what I do to making the systems default to something
> that'll
> > work OK for these people.
> >
> > > as a Vista user should I be saving my TIF in a different workspace
> > > to bring it into QTR?
> >
> > I don't use Vista that much, but I don't think there is any difference in
> > this respect.
> >
> > Hope this helps.
> >
> > Paul
> > www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.paulroark.com/>
> >
>
> 
>


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