Making Digital POSiTiVES & Negatives for Contact Printing 2005-13 Sandra C. Davis Suggested reading: Making Digital Negatives for Contact Printing by Dan Burkholder, Twin Palms Press, and The Inkjet Negative Companion, both available at DanBurkholder.com Photoshop CS (edition for your # of Photoshop) for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby Digital negatives information by Clay Harmon on AlternativePhotography.com Scanning Tips Always scan as RGB, this gives you more bit depth and can capture more information. Scan in Professional mode if you have that option Scan at original size (100%) at 300 ppi/dpi or greater if you want to print it larger. For negatives you will need to scan on a film scanner or a scanner that has a backlit lid or drawer Scan 35mm or 120 film at the highest resolution possible, (at 4000 ppi/dpi at original size). Don t Auto-sharpen or Auto anything on the scanner. Scan and Save as a tiff, never a jpeg Working in RAW / Camera Raw or Lightroom Develop It is best to get as much information in the image at this stage before preparing to print. If the image is a tif that was scanned or a jpeg that the shot (from an older camera) Open the image through Photoshop. In Photoshop: File > Open Smart Object, Navigate to your image. (Note bottom left the file format will appear on a toggle. Toggle to Camera Raw. Hit Open. The image will open in Camera Raw. Do not double click it the icon you see in the list on your disk, it will not get you to RAW In the basic palette: To check for and compensate for overexposed areas, click on the white triangle in the top right above the histogram, if red splotches appear on the image, this is showing you that information in those area is clipped. You can correct this by pulling the HIGHLIGHTS slider, until the red disappears. (recovery slider to the right in earlier versions of Photoshop) If the image is overall overexposed or underexposed, move the Exposure slider and check it is looks better. If it appears that you are losing shadow detail but the rest of your image exposure looks OK, pull the SHADOW slider until the detail you want appears. Pull the Fill light slider to the right in earlier versions of Photoshop). In Photoshop Always work in Layers. This way you don t change your original image permanently. You can readjust a layer over and over again without losing detail in the image. Always have your Info palette open on screen. Set it to K and CMYK, (we want to know about final output, not screen hues). Tips on some tools in the tool box: The Brush, Clonestamp, Eraser and Healing Brush (Band aid) can be customized with same actions below. You can choose the size of your brushes quickly by using the bracket keys on your keyboard. [ bracket reduces the brush size. ] increases the brush size. You can choose the softness/hardness of the brush on the top menu bar. Softness refers to the blended edges created by the brush. 100% hardness creates a shape with no blend. You can choose the opacity and flow on the Brush, Rubberstamp, and Eraser tools. Opacity refers to how much you will affect the area you are brushing. Example: a brush loaded with black at 80% opacity produces an 80% paint. Flow refers to pressure, like an airbrush. 100% flow will put paint on fast, 50% flow will put paint on slower. Remove dust from the scans sooner rather than later. Use the healing brush and /or the clonestamp tool with a setting around 10 and the softness at 0% at 100% opacity. Making a gray tonal image while maintaining an RGB file via Black & White layer Add a layer from the adjustment layers menu and choose black and white Adjust sliders (triangles) on the different color channels. This will change the contrast and can enhance details and/or boost contrast. If you don t like the results, hold the option key to hit Reset and try again. Hit OK. Note: This option is a good choice for images that tend to be overall one color for example, a landscape with many shades of green. Adjusting the contrast - For good contrast, your image should have: The darkest tone at 98% to 100%. The lightest tone at 3% to 5%. 0% should only be in the spectral highlights. Notes on Adjustments: Using adjustment curves on layers gives you the most control of individual tones. Customizing your Info Palette: Find the Info Palette, which may be nested with the Navigator and / or the Histogram Note the little clipboard/list symbol at the top right of the palette. Click on it. A list will appear. Choose Panel Options. A new menu will appear. Under First Color Readout, Next to Mode, toggle to Grayscale. This will allow you to track tones on a number scale that will print rather than tracking colors on screen.
Making Digital Positives and Negatives for Contact Printing page 2 Finding light and dark points: Click on the pointing finger symbol near the top of the curves grid (under the word curves) To find the darkest point, click on the top right of the grid and pull to the left until your image appears white. Begin to pull back to the right slowly until some information appears. Memorize this and note this is the darkest dark. Pull the diagonal line back to its original position To find the lightest point, click on the bottom left of the grid and pull to the right until your image appears black. Begin to pull back to the left slowly until some information appears. Memorize this and note this is the lightest light. Pull the diagonal line back to its original position Adjusting the contrast Pull an S curve that works for your image. Do not create a zig zag. This will reverse tones in the image. Start by getting your darkest area to 98% - 100% Move the curser over your image and watch the Info Box. In the K side, the number on the left represents the original tone and the number to the right is the tone that you are changing it to. You can watch these change on the info palette. Did this make all of your other tones too dark? Click on the pointing finger symbol and take the curser which becomes an eyedropper over the image and touch on the area you want to change. You will see when holding the mouse button down, where the tone is plotted on the grid. Take a note of that spot on the grid and go back to the grid where to clear dot appeared and adjust there. Applying an adjustment curve to only part of your image (by masking). Select the area you want to affect using the lasso. Feather the selection at about 3-5. (This doesn t have to be exact) Create a new Curve layer while the selection is still active. These steps will create a mask on the curve layer automatically. Note the black shape on the mask in the layers palette. Make your adjustments. You can go back to the layer mask and modify the selected area by painting on it. This is why I don t worry so much about the original selection. To choose more of an area that you want to be affected by the applied curve, load the brush with white, and paint on the image. This opens the area, allowing it to be affected by the applied curve. Photoshop masks see black as blocking and white as clear, allowing the image to show through. To mask or hide areas that you don t want to be affected by the applied curve, load your brush with black, and paint on those areas of your image. Wherever you paint will be masked (not affected) by the curve. Note: Remember have the curve layer that has the mask selected on the layers palette in order to paint on the mask. Also: You can change the opacity of the brush to make the applied curve change less dramatic or load gray into the brush. To darken a sky or an overexposed area: Make a duplicate layer of your image layer. On the Layer palette, next to the word Normal, toggle down to Multiply. This doubles the tones. You can choose the amount of opacity for this layer to change the tones a bit. With the eraser tool, you can erase areas of the selection that you don t want doubled. Tip: The eraser settings can be set the same way you set the bushes with size and softness. When you love your image and are ready to print, save as a layered PSD file, this will preserve all of your changes. Resize to 240 or 300 ppi so you know how big your image is for print output. Image > Image Size, Set sizes to inches UNCHECK the resample box and type in Resolution box: 240 or 300 pixels/inches. Note the size. (Epson printers print with a 1/4 border on top, left, and right sides. The bottom border must be a 1/2 ) You can turn your image to Portrait if it is a landscape by going to Image > Rotate, Choose 90* CW Make sure your image is only 12.5 x 18.2 to print on 13 x 19 or 8 x 10.2 to print an 8.5 x 11 You can change the inch size, with the resample box still unchecked. For an 8.5 x 11 type in 8 next to Width. if that makes the height taller than 10.2, then type 10 in the next to Height. If this makes your image 400ppi, it s still OK to print. If you want to test your output, you can add a step ramp / gradient to the file. Sharpen using Unsharp mask. Filter>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask Amount - is like a volume control: go higher to show more difference. Generally it is set a 1/2 the ppi number Radius - 1.5-2 You have to watch that too high a number can cause white outlines around darks. Threshold - protects the smooth values, this number should be between 5 and 7, if it s too low, the sky and flesh tones can become puckered like an orange peel. Note: if you are working from a digital capture, you may not need to sharpen your image, depending on how the sharpening was set on your digital camera, when the shot was captured.
Making Digital Positives and Negatives for Contact Printing page 3 For negatives: you will need to use an adjustment curve to hold details in the shadows. And change the color to be more dense to hold back the Ultraviolet light. When printing the Epson inkjet printers, such as the 4880 in the imaging lab or the 3880 or the R2000 (R2000 with gloss optimizer is better than the R3000 in the Terra 1506). If Printing in the Terra, use the 4800 or 3880 with photo black ink in 1402. NEW in 2013: there are different negative adjustment layers to go to different printers. If you are printing to the 4880 / R2000 / 4800 / 3880: Add a Green Screen Create a new Adjustment Layer > Curves Navigate to the GreenScreen2.acv curve hit the Load button, then click OK. Make sure this Inverse layer is above the contrast adjustment curve on your file. To use the Green Screen layer: add the green color layer: In the color-picker menu: mix R: 70 / G: 140 / B:0 Change the blending mode from NORMAL to SCREEN OR: If you are printing to the 4880 / R2000 / 4800 / 3880: Add an AMBER OVERLAY Create a new Adjustment Layer > Curves Navigate to the 4800_PA10.acv curve hit the Load button, then click OK. Make sure this Inverse layer is above the contrast adjustment curve on your file. To add an Amber color layer of 0-10-10-0: In the color-picker menu: mix a pinky - orange color using the cmyk boxes: 0 cyan, 20 magenta, 20 yellow, 0 black Change the blending mode from normal to color If you are printing to the 9900: Choose Load Curves Preset. Navigate to the 9900AmberScreen.acv curve, hit the Load button, then click OK. Make sure the Inverse layer is above the contrast adjustment curve on your file. USE the AMBER Screen layer. To add the amber color layer: In the color-picker menu: mix C: 28 / M: 76 / Y: 100 / K: 22 Change the blending mode from NORMAL to SCREEN Save a version with all layers. (These layers can be dragged & dropped to any other file you want to make into a negative. For the Imaging Lab: To Print as a negative on PICTORICO OHP TRANSPARENCY on the Epson 4880 or the 9900 inkjet printer PRICE: $5.00 for 8.5 x 10, $10.00 for 13 x 19 Flatten it and save if under a new name as a tif Flip it horizontal and save it again. Take the image on a USB drive to the 6th Floor Imaging Lab and fill out paperwork, make sure to indicate that it is for Pictorico and you want a negative for non-silver. YOU NEED TO SPECIFY WHICH PRINTER 4880 or 9900 PRINTING in the Terra LABS - Flip it horizontal and save it again. Send to print: see page 5 for the print settings.
Making Digital Positives and Negatives for Contact Printing page 4 For SILVER NEGATives to contact print under an enlarger (NOt NON-Silver) If you are printing to the 4880 / R2000 / 4800 / 3880: Add an AMBER OVERLAY Create a new Adjustment Layer > Curves Navigate to the 3800_Silver_neg.acv curve hit the Load button, then click OK. Make sure this Inverse layer is above the contrast adjustment curve on your file. To add an Amber color layer of 0-20-20-0: In the color-picker menu: mix a pinky - orange color using the cmyk boxes: 0 cyan, 20 magenta, 20 yellow, 0 black Change the blending mode from normal to color See previous page for printing options. For POSItives: When you love your image and are ready to print, save it as a layered PSD file, this will preserve all of your changes. FOR TINTYPES Resize to 4 x 5: Image > Image Size. Set size to inches Make sure to CHECK the resample box and type in 4 for the Width for a portrait or 5 in Width for a landscape. Note the Height measurement will change. You can decide to keep the whole shape or crop the image to 4 x 5. You can set the crop tool to make the image 4 x 5 and 300 ppi. Or you can crop the sides or one side by choosing Canvas Size and typing in the 4 or 5 for height. This will crop to the exact inch amount. To Print Two 4 x 5s on an 8.5 x 11 sheet: File > New Width is 8 inches / Height: 10.2 inches / Resolution: 300 pixels / inch (or it can be 240 pixels / inch) Color mode: RGB / Background Transparent Go back to your 4 x 5s and Flatten them. Drag and drop them onto your new document or Select All, then Copy and Paste. You do not need to save the 4 x 5 files, but if you want to, save them under a different name because you flattened them) If you want to test your output, you can add a step ramp / gradient to the file. TO Sharpen your image: See the bottom of page 2 for step-by-step instructions. Note: if you are working from a digital capture, you may not need to sharpen your image, depending on how the sharpening was set on your digital camera, when the shot was captured. Printing Positives on Pictorico OHP Transparency on the R2000 Epson Inkjet printer: After running several tests, for this workshop, we discovered that the file on screen may look dark enough, but it will print a better tintype if the file prints a bit darker. We want to get 5-8% tone in the highlights. Darken the image overall using a curves preset: Create a adjustment layer / curves Click on the tiny clipboard/list icon setting in the curves palette. Toggle to Load Preset, Choose R3000_Darken_POS2.acv curve, click Load. NOTE: TO PRINT A POSITIVE you do not need to add a NEG-contrast curve to create details in the shadows. Flip it horizontal and save it again and send the positive to the printer and let the printer manage the color. Optional: You can try a color screen layer to test it (green or amber) Select one of your images and create a mask by having only one of them selected when you add the color layer. To use the Green Screen layer: add the green color layer: In the color-picker menu: mix R: 70 / G: 140 / B:0 Change the blending mode from NORMAL to SCREEN - OR: To add an Amber color layer of 0-10-10-0: In the color-picker menu: mix a pinky - orange color using the cmyk boxes: 0 cyan, 20 magenta, 20 yellow, 0 black Change the blending mode from normal to color -
Print menus for Negatives on the epson R2000 Photshop CS6 for MAC Note: Choose to print with gloss optimizer wherever it is available. On the first menu: Color handling: Printer manages color Printer Profile (if available) Adobe RGB or ProColor Click on Print Settings to get the second Menu Toggle under Layout to: Printer settings: Click on Advanced Control Settings Media type: Premium Photo Paper Glossy Output Resolution: Superfine - 1440dpi or Best Photo Click Mirror Image (if you didn t flip the image). Toggle under Printer Settings to: Color Matching Click radio button to EPSON Color Controls LOAD Transparency sheet with Notch on the TOP RIGHT Hit Print After printing, let the ink dry a bit, then flip it over and tape it to acetate to protect the ink. Note it is now right reading!
Print menus for POSITIVES on the epson R2000 Photshop CS6 for MAC Note: Choose to print with gloss optimizer wherever it is available. On the first menu: Color handling: Printer manages color Printer Profile (if available) Adobe RGB or ProColor Click on Print Settings to get the second Menu Toggle under Layout to: Printer settings: Click on Advanced Control Settings Media type: Premium Photo Paper Glossy Output Resolution: Superfine - 1440dpi Click Mirror Image (if you didn t flip your image) Toggle under Printer Settings to: Color Matching Click radio button to EPSON Color Controls LOAD Transparency sheet with Notch on the TOP RIGHT Hit Print After printing, let the ink dry a bit, then flip it over and tape it to acetate to protect the ink. note it is now right reading!
nkjet Color Separations 2012 Sandra C. Davis Using the SPLIT CHANNELS METHOD Making color separations through Photoshop CMYK for Gum Bichromate printing Making CMYK separation negatives on an OHP Transparency Note: Check that your file has about 5% black in the high light and 99% - 100% as your darkest black. 1. Save your file with layers in case you need to alter it later. 2. Flatten it. Save it as an RGB.psd with a new name. Add sharpening if you haven t yet. 3. Size the image to the size you want to print at 300ppi. Example: 8 x10 for 8.5 x 11 or 12 x 18 for 13 x 19 Optional: adding registration marks. In the layers palette, double-click on the Background layer. It gives you the option to save it as Layer 0, click OK. Increase the canvas size. (Image > Canvas size). Choose an inch in each direction. Add an additional layer (Layer 1) and drag it under the Layer 0. Mix a rich black by double clicking on the foreground color, when the color picker menu comes up, type in 100 next to the C, 100 next to the M, 100 next to the Y, and 100 next to the K. While Layer 1 is highlighted, Select all, go to Edit > Fill. And choose Foreground. Add registration marks on a separate layer. Make sure that layer shows them as white on black. Flatten the image. Save this version under a new name. 4. Change the file to cmyk, (Image >Mode >CMYK) If a message comes up, agree with it and hit OK. 5. Save it as a new file, title_cmyk.tif 6. Click on the Channels palette. Note the full color image at the top and four channels below. Note: If you saved your selections as channels while editing your image, you will need to delete those channels now. 7. In the Channels palette choose the little arrow at the top right and choose split channels. This will create 4 black & white tifs. 8. Save each one as a separate document, using its Color Name and making sure to keep the extension.tif with no text following it. 9. Convert each one back from grayscale to RGB (Image >Mode >RGB) 10. Add an invert layer: Image > Adjustments > Invert. 11. Add an adjustment curve to take away some of the under-color removal which is used in offset separations. Load Preset, Choose scitex_like_seps.acv curve, Load, OK 12. To hold more detail in the shadows and keep the highlight from blowing out, load a 2nd curve. Load Preset, Choose 7800_Seps.acv curve or a curve designed for your epson printer, Load, OK Change the blending mode from 100% opacity to 50% opacity For the 4880: When printing on the newer Epson inkjet printers, such as the 4880 in the imaging lab or the 2880 or the R2000 (R2000 with gloss optimizer is better than the R3000 in the Terra 1506): you will need to add an amber layer. 13. To add an Amber color layer of 0-20-20-0: In the color-picker menu: mix a lt orange color using the cmyk boxes: 0 cyan, 20 magenta, 20 yellow, 0 black Change the blending mode from normal to color For the 9900: When printing on the 9900, Amanda will optimize the color density in the print menu, so you can add the Amber layer as a screen rather than a color overlay. 13. USE the AMBER Screen layer. To add the amber color layer: In the color-picker menu: mix C: 28 / M: 76 / Y: 100 / K: 22 Change the blending mode from NORMAL to SCREEN 14. If you have borders, you can add a letter C M Y or K to the image by using the text tool before printing.