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@..., "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@...
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
