Hi Mark, We have been working with guide/reference prints for our original digital captures for about a year now and we have had generally good success. We are now working on a 'digital gray scale' to insert into the final files to improve the quality even further. We have been trying to work out the number of steps in the scale and the most effective size in the final print. If you are willing, I would love to see the gray scale you are using and any other information you can provide regarding use of it in the prints such as size and placement.
Thanks. Travis Fullerton Assistant Photographer Photography Department Virginia Museum of Fine Arts 200 N Boulevard / Richmond, VA 23220-4007 T 804.340.1538 / F 804.340.1548 travis.fullerton at vmfa.museum www.vmfa.museum On 11/26/08 3:52 PM, "MParadis at Gallery.ca" <MParadis at Gallery.ca> wrote: > Hi Eve, > > It's never too late to catch up... > > We have found this approach to be very effective for all our publications > staff and the printers they work with. Initially we were asked for key prints > when the printers were uninitiated to our concept. The dilemma was that a key > print was another interpretation of colour which deviates from the pure > digital rendering. Hence weaknesses in the key print were then translated to > press. We visited a number of printers with a colour temp meter and measured > their inspection environments and light boxes. The range of colour > temperatures was astounding, varying up to 1500?K from one station to another. > It was clear that we/they needed a measurable source as a starting point. Our > solution and guidance to the printers helped establish a new workflow for > first proofs. After a few growing pains the adaptation of this new approach > made life much simpler for all concerned. Our catalogues certainly reflect an > increase in quality and accuracy since the inception of this approach. > > If you'd like a digital copy of our gray scale I'd be pleased to share it with > you for your applications. Try it out and see if it can help. > > Sincerely, > > Mark Paradis > > Chief, Multimedia Services-Chef de services multim?dia > > National Gallery of Canada, Mus?e des beaux-arts du Canada > > 380 Sussex Drive,Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9N4 > > ph. 613-990-1788, fx. 613-991-2680 > > cell 613-797-0558 > -----Original Message----- > From: mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu [mailto:mcn-l-bounces at mcn.edu] On Behalf Of > Eve > Sinaiko > Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 7:01 PM > To: Museum Computer Network Listserv > Subject: Re: [MCN-L] FW: photography, digitization, and a color/grey card? > > Catching up very late: > >> From Mark Paradis: > >> My objection to color bars when included at the capture/scanning >> stage is that any global changes made in image editing software will > also extend to >> the color reference as well. Send the file to printing and the > printers will correct the >> scale back to its know color and your original will share this bias. > > This is a very good point. The designer or whomever corrects a digital > file should provide the printer with either a match print or a set of > notes about the corrections that have been made. > >> First, calibration, calibration, calibration of all devices used in > the reproduction >> process. This is now an old mantra to most image creators today but > it cannot be >> stressed enough. We have a weekly regimen of systematic calibration > of cameras >> and monitors to ensure consistency on these variables. > > I think this is an excellent rule for museums. Of course, images of > artworks come from a million sources. Where calibration has been > careful, notes to that effect attached to (embedded in?) the digital > file would certainly be more useful than a grayscale or color bar. Many > museums (not to mention other image sources) do not have best-quality > tools or skills. Absent those, a guide to the printer is needed. > >> Third step, create your own unbiased reference scale. Yup, I said it, > a homemade >> solution. Our approach was to create a digitally perfect reference > grey scale in >> Photoshop. We created a 21 step, digitally created grey scale in > Photoshop in .15 >> step increments just like the Kodak ones are supposed to be. > Beginning at values >> of 0,0,0 for purest digital black on up to 255,255,255 for maximum > white. With this >> technique each step of the scale is measurable and digitally accurate > for today and >> evermore. Once an image capture is completed by the photographer (in > their >> calibrated work environment), the digital scale is then added > post-capture thus >> anchoring the original look to a perfect scale. > > This is brilliant. Have you gotten feedback from printers? Are they > finding it useful? Are you seeing better quality in printed materials? > I'd love to hear how it's working. > > Regards, > Eve Sinaiko > Director of Publications > College Art Association > > _______________________________________________ > You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer > Network (http://www.mcn.edu) > > To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu > > To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: > http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l > > The MCN-L archives can be found at: > http://toronto.mediatrope.com/pipermail/mcn-l/ > _______________________________________________ > You are currently subscribed to mcn-l, the listserv of the Museum Computer > Network (http://www.mcn.edu) > > To post to this list, send messages to: mcn-l at mcn.edu > > To unsubscribe or change mcn-l delivery options visit: > http://toronto.mediatrope.com/mailman/listinfo/mcn-l > > The MCN-L archives can be found at: > http://toronto.mediatrope.com/pipermail/mcn-l/
