Black in fine art prints

[WILT]

I am an artist and digitise my art work using a simple wooden rostrum camera and a compact 8.3 Mp camera. the captured image is then processed in elements and printed on Somerset Velvet using an epson 1520 fitted with a continuous ink system and MIS pigment ink. My problem is the black areas in the image are very harsh and contrasty.Is there a solution that does not require me to change every dark passage in the original works?

[kimi_boo]

Now that is beyond my limited knowledge but WELCOME!! :)

Hopefully someone will come along with an answer.

[John L Gray]

Wecome to the forum.
I'm not sure what is causing your problem in the printing process.
I would contact Epson USA customer service with this print quality question. I would also contact MIS with this issue.
Does the 1520 have two ink tank system? Have you preformed a print head nozzles check for print pattern? Try using paper other than Somerset Velvet to see it this problem persists?

I use Epson 2200 & R300 for my printing. I had a smearing problem once when I use a third party heavy matte paper. My printers get a lot of use but I still clean the heads weekly.

John

[Wendy]

Hi Wilt ...

... and welcome to the forum :)

Do let us know how you go pon with this problem ...

Wendy

[WILT]

The 1520 has 2 ink tanks 1 for the black and one for M.Y.C in this case fed by 4 tubes from the resevoir tanks at the side of the machine.The print heads are checked pretty well every time you print,Paper costs prohibit waste. I doubt
whether the paper is to blame, it is the benchmark paper for inkjet reproduction
of art works.

[Tom K]

Hello Wilt, and welcome to the forum.

I assume your problem is that you are looking for a little gray in
the black to make it less intense.

You might try (PSE 3) in the editor, Select Enhance > Adjust Color >
Replace color. Then use the eyedropper to select a black area in the image.
Next use the lightness slider - a little to the + side.

Hope this helps.. Tom:)

[WILT]

Hi Tom,

thanks for that solution, it sounds great for large areas of the of the picture but would you be able to change all deep blacks throughout the scene
with one command?. I am thinking of a particular beach scene I painted where all the foreground rocks had dark patches scattered about them and a global colour swap would be V.useful.

[Cmcburnett]

I had the same problem as John, I was using a thick premium gloss paper and the printed picture was horrible, I thought something was wrong with my printer. I took out the print carthridge and put it back in and ran the cleaning maintenance and then it printed fine on a different paper. For some reason I cannot use the high gloss premium paper. Good luck Tom. I'd love to see your art work. Sounds very interesting, I've never even been able to draw a straight line. I think artist are very gifted.

[Tom K]

Hi Wilt, Whatever color you select will be altered throughout the entire image.

I just hope it's subtle enough with the black.

Tom :)

[WILT]

Charlotte ,did you mean my art?

WILT

[Cmcburnett]

Yea Wilt, you stated that you were an artist, maybe you’re a different type of artist than I'm thinking about. I’m from GA so I’m probably lacking a lot in the field of artistry. Sorry, I may have misunderstood you. I’m embarrassed:rolleyes:

[WILT]

Is G.A. graphic art? I do paintings in pastel and acrylic. but I also do some digital stuff using elements just for the love of colour :-

I,ll post this inmage when Ive reduced it to a sensible size ,ROOKIE!!!

[Wendy]

Oh my goodness ... that is big.

Unless I extend my browser size it doesn't all fit on the screen so you lose the effect of it .. :(

Wendy

[WILT]

Ive reduced the size of the image to 4" x 2" in elements but this forum posting keeps filling the page what gives?

[Inspeqtor]

Hi WILT,

Welcome to the forum!

The best way to resize an image for use in the forum is this.

Go to IMAGE>RESIZE>IMAGE SIZE

In the top area where it says Pixel Dimensions make sure you are in Pixel and not Percent, then change the largest size to 700 be it width or height.

[WILT]

Thanks charles ,but when i resized to the height to 600 pixels ,it still swamped the forum page!

[Inspeqtor]

Wilt,

That seems weird to me. Sorry but you will have to wait on someone else with more knowledge than what I have.... :eek:

[Wendy]

Hi ...

The best thing to do is post it to Pixentral ... then you can put a clickable thumbnail in the thread which links to a larger version.

Resize your image to say 750 pixels the longest size and file size about 150 K, save it with a new name and then go to
http://www.pixentral.com/index.php

Follow the instructions on the site and then when your image is uploaded copy the URL from just below the image (the one marked forums) and paste it into a message here :)

That should sort it out :) :)

Wendy

[Cmcburnett]

Wilt, sorry your having such a hard time posting your picture. At least Wendy was able to find the link to your picture, I must be missing something, not a surprise. Can't wait to see your work. I bet you will come up with some great ideas and ways to enhance your art work.;)

[WILT]

Ive reduced the file to 99k with a longest side of 600 pixels. It should not matter where the picture is hosted I wouldnt have thought?

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1VmWJRlVoQkoLenM1hgmbV5uIbw7hf1

[WILT]

Oh and a big thanks to Tom K.The replace colour trick does work but because
the darks are so subtle when working in 16Million colour scanned image-- you
virtually have to repeat the operation hundreds of times Nice try though!!

WILT

[Wendy]

Hi Wilt ...

You need to use the link below the image ... the one marked forum.

When you use that it just puts a thumbnail in the thread the clicking on it takes you to the full sized version ...

Like this:

http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1VmWJRlVoQkoLenM1hgmbV5uIbw7hf1_thumb.jpg (http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1VmWJRlVoQkoLenM1hgmbV5uIbw7hf1)

Wendy

[WILT]

Hey Wendy,

Now everyone can see the digital art. Should I post some others or should I post my normal painting or should I just shut up!

WILT

[Tom K]

Hi Wilt, I have been following this post and want to suggest that if
you go to use the 'replace color' function - take a look at the top of the page and adjust the fuzziness slider, it helps broaden the selection.
you should be able to make your changes with one shot. Tom :)

[Wendy]

Hi Wilt ...

Do post some more :)

Great effect ..

Wendy

[Cmcburnett]

Wilt, definately post more. For heavens sake, don't shut up.

[WILT]

That was a blu-ish one ,this is a red-ish one
cant get this damn pixy to work even when i upload to it.I cut and pasted the url in the forum box as advised -zilch

[Wendy]

Hi Wilt ...

You have to copy the URL from Pixentral and then paste it into the thread here :)

Wendy

[WILT]

even when i upload to it.I cut and pasted the url in the forum box as advised -zilch

I thought I,d just done that!

[Wendy]

Wilt ...

there doesn't seem to be a URL in the thread :confused: :confused:

Wendy

[WILT]

No because it didnt work I wiped it and tried the direct linkto my site which just got screwed up as well .I,ll try once more using pixy.

How do you find your images on pixy anyway those serial nos they allocate are too hard to remember! do you just keep getting a new one? the site will be full of my artwork ha ha .http://[URL=http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Nk39cL4OxqpQ6kgLjSum7kl6Ew1]http://www.pixentral.com/hosted/1Nk39cL4OxqpQ6kgLjSum7kl6Ew1_thumb.jpg[/URL

[WILT]

dont ask !
WILT


just checked and the image doesnt link ,, UGH

[WILT]

Just tried the fuzziness trick --- looks very promising

Could be the answer But my 1520 has gone phut so Ive got to find another 200
pounds to find out!!

Thanks a lot

WILT.