I think he meant the previous Piezography Digital Negative system. These were the “Meth3, Meth1” curves. They were not beta at the time . . and they required different half-shades of ink.
best,
Walker
Yes, Walker is correct, I was using the Meth1 and Meth3 curves (winter 2015/16) and incorrectly referred to them as “beta”… “earlier version” would have been more accurate. I’ll be printing this weekend and will provide an update. Kieth and Walker… thank’s very much for your help.
Robert
When printing the 129 step target, do I need to embed the same profiles in PS as noted above for printing an image? If I just open the step target in the Print Tool, the Embedded profile is “untagged”.
When I open the step target in PS and go Edit>Convert to Profile, under Destination Space the Grey pull down menu gives me several options. For an image print, based on your comments above, I would choose Grey Gamma 2.2 (screen shot attached). For the step do I choose the same or the PiezoDN-PtPd_Default (screen shot attached)?
Robert
Just print directly from print tool with no color management.
These targets are hard-coded Gray Gamma 2.2
best,
Walker
Hmmm… that was very odd… I printed my first DN using the new Cone system. It looked right. I dried it, coated my paper with 100% Pd per the Data Sheet and exposed for 2 minutes as instructed using fresh Potassium Oxalate developer. There was no image… not a hint. (remember, I’ve had a lot of success the past).
Any ideas what might be wrong?
(I’ve always combined Ferric Oxalate (solution #1) with my Metals. I was under the impression that it not only helped with contrast but was required for the Palladium / Platinum to become light sensitive. Not required?)
Dear Robert. Where did you see 2 minutes? First you have to determine the minimum exposure time to get maximum black. This exposure amount entirely different for every single darkroom/method. So first figure this out and then exposure your target.
-Walker
Ok. So the “development” time was 2 minutes. Not the exposure time. As the data sheet shows, the exposure time was 180 Units of UV using a specific bulb on a specific exposure booth with specific chemicals in the coating on a specific paper. Your conditions are certain to be different. This data sheet is simply showing the conditions at the time of the initial calibration.
You need to still get your basic exposure time set (the same way as if you were printing a large-format analogue negative made from your camera) before printing the target.
best,
Walker
Robert - Assuming that you had previously determined the correct exposure time for whatever negative making method you were using, start with that.
My first DN printed well. I printed the same image with the same settings, with the same DN curve selected in the Print Tool. All settings the same, but the image was not inverted this time. Any ideas why that might happen?
Thanks…
Robert
Print from Print-Tool exactly the way you would print a normal Piezography (ink on paper print). That means no inversion or flipping in Photoshop.
In QuadtoneRIP menu Select the PiezoDN curve.
In the Layout section, select (Flip Horizontal).
[attachment file=28898]
best,
Walker
There is no issue with the image being flipped horizontally… the problem was the image was not Inverted during the printing process even though the same DN Curve was selected.
Please post screenshots of all your settings and printing process.
Thank you,
W
This image was flipped horizontally in PS, but not inverted. Grey Gamma 2.2 was the embedded profile in PS.
Opened in Print Tool with settings as shown in the attached screen shots.
Worked fine the first time. Image was not Inverted the second time. Same Settings as screenshot.
Robert
I’m not sure how to help you as all your settings are fine. I suggest re-installing QuadtoneRIP to fix and backend permission issues that might be causing the curve to not print correctly and run another test print.
all the best,
Walker
In PS: this image was flipped horizontally, but not inverted. Embedded Color Profile was Grey Gamma 2.2
In PT: settings as shown in attached screenshots. First DN printed properly, second one with these settings did not become Inverted.
Further: I re-processed printed the first DN (the one that came out OK) with the same time I had in prior successes (5 minutes)… still zero image appeared using 100% Pd.
Robert - Just to be clear, are you saying that what is coming out of the printer is a positive, just like the preview?
That you are getting no image when printing in Pt/Pd suggests a problem with chemistry. If it’s really no image at all I suspect the sensitizer. Is there any change during exposure or development?
Yes
That’s wacky. Have you reinstalled QTR?
That you are getting no image when printing in Pt/Pd suggests a problem with chemistry. If it’s really no image at all I suspect the sensitizer. Is there any change during exposure and development?
To the first question: No I have not reinstalled QTR yet.
To the second: Zero change during exposure in my light box, and zero image during development. Just out of curiosity, I tried a test strip, same result - zero. Then, I Pd reprinted the DN that I created the first time (the one that came out good), only this time I added some Ferric Oxalate to the Pd, and exposed it 5 minutes as I was doing before. The image exposed, but was exceedingly dark. But at least there was an image!
Robet