rossfmj <ross.jarvis@...> wrote:
> **
>
>
> ...
> I have an Epson 1500w (identical to Artisan 1430).
> Will be using UT14 6-cart set
> Mac OS 10.8.2 Mountain Lion
> Photoshop Elements 11 with Elements+
> QTR 2.7.2
> Spyder3elite v4 Spyder3print
>
> I have used QTR using the OEM colour inkset following Paul Roark's
> tutorial and had some interesting results, which has helped me familiarise
> myself with QTR. I have read the tutorials on the QTR site and Paul Roark's
> related to UT14, some of the contents are a bit beyond my current
> understanding.
>
> I believe UT14 can be used with both QTR and the standard Epson driver;
>
Correct.
>
> With QTR I would use prepared .quad profiles to print from either
> greyscale or colour images (de-saturated or not).
>
The color images will be converted to grayscale in QTR. Controlling how
that is done is an important step in B&W, so I would encourage you to do
that conversion step yourself.
> These profiles could be mixed for split toning, e.g. by having warm,
> neutral and cool profiles, using QTRs three curve options. Also one profile
> could be used just for warm, neutral or cool prints. I can get pre-prepared
> profiles (.quad .qidf) or create my own with such as a Spyder3print.
>
> Correct.
> Using the Epson driver an .acv curve is applied to the colour image in the
> editor, this converts the image, adjusting the colours to "fool" the epson
> driver, which thinks it is using the standard colour inkset to favour the
> relevant combination of UT14 carts. Greyscale or de-saturated images are
> not used.
>
I never print from a color image. The curves do need an "RGB" image, but I
convert to B&W from color first, edit the image as needed, then convert
that image back to RGB (where each channel is identical) for the printing.
Inside the ICC, that is what is done. The g/s image is converted to RGB
so that the RGB curves can be applied. When I make an ICC with curves, the
21-step test file is a Gray Gamma 2.2 g/s image that has been converted
back to Adobe RGB (1998).
> Only one .acv curve is applied and should be one of the last actions,
> following dodging, burning, brightness, contrast etc. There should be an
> .icc profile matched to the .acv curve to match the image to the paper
> used, which can also be used in the soft proof facility.
>
If an ICC is used, no curve is used separately for printing. In my
Profiles Zip file I have the .acv curves there as well as some ICCs. The
curves are there not to be use with the ICCs, but to be used by people who
want to make custom ICCs for new or different papers.
Where an ICC is used, edit in g/s and print what you see on the monitor,
pulling up the ICC in the PS Print dialog box. Do not use a curve on the
image plus an ICC.
...
>
> 2, I am unsure how to produce .quad profiles specifically to take
> advantage of the tone variations available in the ink set, is there an easy
> to read article on this?
>
The QTR profiles were not made by me, so I'm not sure what is out there.
One clever way to control contol a variable tone inkset like UT14 is to
have one profile be warm and one cool. The warm one would only use the
100% carbon inks in the magenta channel (plus the MK for matte paper). The
cool one would use only the cyan channel (plus MK for matte). Then the
sliders in QTR could be used to blend or mix the profiles as needed to any
or the tones that are within the inkset's range.
> 3, Am I correct in assuming only one .acv curve would be applied in the
> editor when using the Epson driver, which would have to be produced to
> either favour one tone or to produce split tone effects? or could more than
> one curve be applied/blended?
>
Use only one curve at a time, and keep in mind that the ICC contains a
curve. So, you can use a curve on an g/s image converted to Adobe RGB and
printed with no ICC (use Adobe RGB as the profile so that there will be no
change in the file).
If you use an ICC, use no curve in PS. The idea of the "color managed" ICC
is that the print should match what you see on the monitor without any
further curves, etc. having to be applied.
> 4, is there any easy to read article on producing these .acv curves to
> utilise UT14?
>
Not that I know of. It seems to be an art that is hard to explain. That
is why I have tried to make some basic curves that I hope will be close
enough that they can be used to make ICCs for new and different papers.
> 5, I have practiced with the .acv curves in elements, but whilst waiting
> for UT14 to clear customs have not been able to make prints. When applying
> the ilford-warm curve the image produced seems washed out, soft proofing
> with what I assume to be the associated .icc profile, gives a similarly
> washed out and warm image. Is this normal, or am I on the wrong track here?
>
For practice, work with 21-step test files. Before doing anything,
however, have your PS Color Settings (Edit>Color Settings in PS) include
Gray Gamma 2.2 for the gray space and Adobe RGB (1998) for the RGB space.
Pull up http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/21-step.jpg, save it as a Tiff
file. The PS Info palette/"Window" g/s K values should match how the
patches are labeled on the test strip. Convert the test strip to Adobe RGB
(1998). If the Color Settings are as noted above, Image>Mode>RGB color
will do this. Now the PS Info will show the 50% patch as having the same K
and RGB values as before. However, the image has R, G, and B channels as
opposed to just a single g/s channel. This RGB 21-step test file is what
is used to make ICCs and what you apply curves to. When you apply a curve
you'll see the image turn weird colors and the graph of the curves will
show the 3 separate color curves that have been applied.
Hope this helps.
Paul
www.PaulRoark.com
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