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All of the Weber-Valentine papers, with the exception of the "faux canvas" (#CKPC-2) printed best on Epson Stylus Color printers using the "Photo Quality Inkjet Paper" setting for "Media Type".
For additional color intensity and color saturation, we suggest the following advanced technique:
INCREASING COLOR INTENSITY
Increasing "color intensity" should not to be confused with increasing "color saturation". "Saturating" any color is caused by the reduction of black from that color until there are only pure color hues, with no black. On the opposite end of the scale, total "de-saturation" of a color will turn it into just a shade of gray.
Therefore, increasing saturation will "brighten" hues, but will not "intensify" the colors as you can do through the technique we are going to describe.
Many of you who visit our Web site are photographers. Those who shoot with color transparency film (i.e. slides) have probably used the technique of slightly underexposing your film to produce greater color saturation and greater color intensity (i.e. rating a film at ISO 80 instead of it's recommended ISO rating of 64). This forces a slight underexposure of the film, leaving each color layer (cyan, magenta and yellow) with more dye after the reversal developing process.
You can do a similar thing in Photoshop by darkening the digital image (using the "levels" or the "curves" feature under the "Image" menu). When you print the image, you will get a somewhat richer image, at the expense of a loss in brightness. This is not quite the same as the technique we are about to explain, because in this technique you will not just make the image darker, but you will increase the intensity of each color by simply adding more dye color to the paper.
This technique works best on heavily coated papers that can handle the addition of more ink without going muddy due to dot-gain. Our favorite papers are the glossy, Weber-Valentine's JPG series of papers (#170 and #206), their satin-matte finish 770-HGC paper, and Epson's glossy "Photo Paper" (#S041141 in the 8.5" x 11" size).
Try the following technique after first making a print using normal settings, then compare.
- Choose "Print" in the "File" menu. The "Main" print window will appear. Within the "Mode" box, you have a choice of an "Automatic" (default) or an "Advanced" button -- Choose "Advanced". You should now also click on the "More Settings" button (The following dialog boxes are for the Macintosh Epson Driver for the Photo 700, your dialog boxes may look slightly different, especially on Windows, but will have the same settings).
- A new window will appear. Select "Fine - 720 dpi" or "SuperFine - 1440" for your "Print Quality"
- Select "Photo Quality Inkjet Paper" from the "Media Type". This setting produces the best results for most Weber-Valentine papers. If you use Epson's "Photo Paper", then do select that media type.
- Next to "Ink", choose "Color"
- Next to "Halftoning", select "Error Diffusion"
- The "MicroWeave" box should already be checked, if not, check it. If "Super MicroWeave" is available, check it.
- Check the "Finest Detail" box.
- On the top, right side of this window, under "Color Adjustment", select the "Automatic" Mode (default).
- Do not adjust the "Brightness (leave at "0"). Do not adjust the "Contrast" slider (leave at "0"). Contrast can be adjusted later if desired.
- Leave the "Saturation" slider at "0" for now. We discuss the possibilities of this option later.
- Move the "Cyan" slider to a starting point of "10" (a "+10").
- Move the "Magenta" and "Yellow" sliders to the same value as you have given the "Cyan". You have now increased the volume of cyan, magenta and yellow ink going to those nozzles. This increase in ink volume will intensify the colors on the final print. See for yourself if this does not increase color intensity better than any other technique you have ever tried.
- Click on the "O.K." button; the window will close, and you will be back to the main print window; and you can now click the "Print" button. You also have the option of saving the settings from the previous window (once you find a combination that works for each paper or image type).
NOTE: Because the Epson print driver is an "RGB" driver, and converts to CMYK output, there will not be just 100% pure CMY output (with no addition of "K" or black ink) through your print nozzles (by sliding to a +10C, +10M, +10Y). If you notice any "muddying" or brightness loss (due to the addition of black ink), just increase the saturation in the "Saturation" slider to reduce the black ink output, as increasing the saturation will reduce the volume of ink going to the Black ink nozzles!
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