Digital BW, The Print

(Cross-posted on the QTR forum)

Thanks to the efforts of Alain Oguse (oguse@alienor.fr), both my matte-only and glossy carbon variable tone inkset approaches for Epson K3 printers are now available in French (as well as English). These inksets were originally set up on a 3880. While I no longer have a 3880, the approach is generic and should work well on all Epson K3 printer.

For matte paper only see http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/3880-Eboni-Variable-Tone.pdf for English and

http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/3880-Eboni-Variable-Tone-01-2017-fr.pdf for the French version.

For the glossy paper versions, see http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Glossy-Carbon-Variable-Tone.pdf for English, and http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Glossy-Carbon-Variable-Tone-02-2017-fr_2.pdf for French.

Note that I use a specialized version of these inksets that have two MK positions in them to get the optimum dmax on Arches Hot Press watercolor paper. See http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/9800-Eboni-Variable-Tone.pdf and http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/7800-Glossy-Carbon-Variable-Tone-2016.pdf . Unless you really want to print on Arches (uncoated) watercolor paper, I do not recommend this approach. Arches takes special handling, including ironing of the deckle edges. I do not recommend this approach for most people.

I also believe all prints that are intended to last for the long term, display under museum glass or acrylic is needed. The only time I use the glossy carbon inkset is where the prints are so large that glass or acrylic would make them too heavy. In those situations I use Premier Art Print Shield acrylic spray to coat the print. Once my September 2017 "Carbon on Canvas" show at Gallery Los Olivos (http://www.gallerylosolivos.com/) is over and orders for the limited edition prints are filled, I may well abandon the glossy carbon approach. The matte (Eboni MK based, with generic base c6b) inkset is so reliable and inexpensive that it may be all that I use going forward.

These predominately carbon pigment inksets produce the most lightfast B&W images reasonably available to us at ink costs that can be two orders of magnitude less than the OEM desktop, small cart printers. All you need is good, refillable carts, and there are competitive suppliers of those, including both MIS (www.inksupply.com) and Jon Cone's Inkjetmall (where my 3880 carts were sourced).

There are also very competitive sources of matte black. From what I've seen the Epson 774 EcoTank is one of them, though I do not have the same degree of experience with it as the MIS Eboni MK.

Paul

www.PaulRoark.com

http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/