Digital BW, The Print

With a few threads about the R220 popping up I thought I'd chime in here.  My first digital 
print a few days ago was a reproduction/digital archive project of a 1915 photo using the 
R220.  The image is a digital photo of an original print of my grandparents when they were 
first dating.  In the photo my grandparents are both wearing heavy twead coats,  my 
grandmother is holding a very large white fur muff and wearing a large dark velvet looking 
hat.  The background was a very dark curtain.  Before restoration in PSCS2 the hat scanned 
B&W at K=79% and the background in areas behind the hat at K=78%, after resoration in 
PSCS2 the numbers in the same location were 90% for the hat and 89% for the background.  
There is a barely discernable difference in texture between the hat and the curtain behind 
it.

I used Paul Roark's info and ICC profiles and MIS Eboni and a warm set of UT inks with 
Epson Enhanced Matte for a proof and later on Premier Art's Hot Press 205 for a print.  I 
was astounded at the first proof out of the machine.  The difference in texture between 
the hat and the background was there (and more visible than on my Mac LCD monitor) and 
great detail in the white fur was there as well.   I immediately loaded a sheet of the Premier 
Art, changed the profile and a perfect print came out.  I can't recall how many wet prints it 
took me to get my first "acceptable" 8x10 out of a darkroom but dozens seems to come to 
mind. 

So, a hearty hats off and thanks to Paul for all the ground work he's done with the MIS inks 
and the Epsons!  There's a great deal to look forward to and I'll be very happy to let the 
tang of darkroom chemistry fade away.