QTR-Quadtone RIP

Hi there,

I am a newbie.

I am new to this web site and would like to get some information about QTR. I just read the most recent posts and am now more confused than ever. Except, it has become clear to me that my setups are incorrect.

So here is what I have and what I am trying to do. 
First I am trying to print high quality monochrome images with our printer using QTR.

The printer is an Epson 9600UC with Lyson Cave Paints installed.

I am getting a very faded monochrome print with an exceptionally untextured deep black, no detail where I think there should be at least some detail. The separation of tones from the deep black and rest of the tones is with almost no continuity, just the deep black and then all of the rest.

I saw yesterday's and today's posts from newbie talked about color space, curves and profiles. I even tried to glean a little information from Paul's web site, and it just gets more confusing the farther I go. I am thinking that the problem is the color space I am working in is incorrect and then there is something about a gg2.2 curve or working space. I don't know.

I need someone to help me get started. I did however try to create some curves in QTR, but as I said, with very poor results.

Can someone help me get started on this.

Thanks,
Steve Law

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Law" <stevenelaw@...> wrote:
After reading and re-reading "What Gray Space Should a Newbie Use?" many times, I think I just about get it.

Take an image in Photoshop make sure it is converted to Gray Gamma 2.2 and also if you can, start the image in 16 bit.

Create an adjustment layer and apply Paul's curves for QTR. To do the editing, turn off the layer and edit away.

Prior to exiting Photoshop to print with QTR, turn on the layer. This is necessary to print with QTR. Apparently from I have gleaned from all of the posts, this will linearize the image for printing with QTR.

This is all done in a layer, so one could always, if dissatisfied with the output, go back into Photoshop, turn off the curve layer, re-edit the image, turn on the curve layer that was made expressly for printing with QTR, save and quit Photoshop, and at last re-try to print the image with QTR. And so on and so on...

Did I get it?
Thanks,
Steve Law

Yay, I'm so glad to know I'm not alone ;-)

Yes, even when I thought I really had it I was still confused!  The key here is that QTR ignores any profiles that might be embedded in your Tif file.

From what I gather, QTR expects the numbers in your file will be linear.  If you're editing in lab-gray you're in the right ballpark.  If you're editing in GG22 you are seeing darker grays, but QTR thinks you're seeing the lighter grays of lab-gray.  So in that case you have to cook your numbers.  You can either add Rourke's conversion curve (which he mentioned in reply to my questions)or you can convert your profile (not assign) to lab-gray.  Either way cooks your numbers appropriately for QTR.

And now we get to something that just doubles the confusion.  If you really want your screen to reflect what your print will do you need to soft proof - and fix your soft proof so that it looks the way you want it.  But since we don't have color management in QTR this works kind of counter-intuitively.  So you have two options here.....

Option 1. Before printing your tif convert your profile (don't assign) to either Harrington's Matte Gray or Gloss Gray profile depending on your paper.  But don't look at the file and expect to see anything different because it will look the same because PS will color manage.  However, QTR doesn't manage it so the file numbers are shifted and will give you the correct print.

Option 2. Create your own profiles using Harrington's Create ICC program.  This seems like you'll get a better more accurate match to your paper.  But again, you'll need to convert your file with this profile before you print it.

Now in retrospect it seems to me that if I have to ultimately convert the file to a printer profile, it really doesn't matter much whether you're editing in GG22 or lab-gray since PS will colormanage it anyway.

Ok, you experts out there do I get an 'A' - or did I screw something up again?

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Steve Law" <stevenelaw@...> wrote:

>
> Hi there,
> 
> I am a newbie.
> 
> I am new to this web site and would like to get some information about QTR. I just read the most recent posts and am now more confused than ever. Except, it has become clear to me that my setups are incorrect.
> 
> So here is what I have and what I am trying to do. 
> First I am trying to print high quality monochrome images with our printer using QTR.
> 
> The printer is an Epson 9600UC with Lyson Cave Paints installed.
> 
> I am getting a very faded monochrome print with an exceptionally untextured deep black, no detail where I think there should be at least some detail. The separation of tones from the deep black and rest of the tones is with almost no continuity, just the deep black and then all of the rest.
> 
> I saw yesterday's and today's posts from newbie talked about color space, curves and profiles. I even tried to glean a little information from Paul's web site, and it just gets more confusing the farther I go. I am thinking that the problem is the color space I am working in is incorrect and then there is something about a gg2.2 curve or working space. I don't know.
> 
> I need someone to help me get started. I did however try to create some curves in QTR, but as I said, with very poor results.
> 
> Can someone help me get started on this.
> 
> Thanks,
> Steve Law
>