Expert: Glen Demers - 2/18/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hi Glen,

Got ya! I mean I figure png would work and thank you very much for the heads up on it. I am not disappointed at all by what you said, by all means. As I said png works for me, and that gif would only work in animation which I have done a few animation, just blinking text with switching of text and images that’s all.

I figure now, I can send you the full view of my Star USA image to show you the text anti-aliasing smooth method and rasterize the shape I did in png and no ragged edges as I got in gif. What do you think? I will continue as I have said in the past to continue on asking questions if I have any and I think I will, I know I will that’s me!

I do have a question about printing, well about the printer. First I always print out my images graphics and I do not have any problems though they do print out large. I know I would have to resize my images and that no problem. This is not problem for me though some one was telling about when you print out a image that it is not the same color as the image itself after you print the image out and I told them that you will not get the same color only close to it, well at least when I told a college course online for wed designing from Microsoft FrontPage that is what the teacher said about printing an image out. Is that really true or did technology really get to the bottom of things with printing out images?

And about printers I do not get this and I don’t think I will. But, printers now well some don’t thank GOD, but I had a Epson, yeah I know I heard about Epson you have to clean out the printers heads at least once a week, but I loved my Epson, but only now when I had to buy a printer that my Epson, (rest in peace), well I looked into Epson Printers to see that they have 4 to 5 ink cartridges of different color and one black I do not understand that, what was wrong with having 2 cartridges one black and the 2nd one of the same colors that you now have to buy individually I do not get that and I do not think I will and I do not care as long as I can still get my cartridges 2 one black and 1 color of the same color that you will need for some printers now (and thank GOD as I said not all of them) that needs different colors to do the same printing that one color cartridge can do. It doesn’t make any sense, money, money, money. May as well buy refillable ink for your printer. You save money and you are also saving the part that makes this world go round and I think you know what I am talking about, Glen. And thank you.

Martin

ANSWER: Hi Martin,

ALL printers have to print with CMYK inks. Most Monitors, cameras and scanners are in RGB mode which allows for more color. To compensate for the CMYK color space not being able to reproduce all the RGB colors Epson and a lot of other printers have added more ink cartridges. Our Epsons have 8 ink cartridges; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Light Cyan, Light Magenta and three Black cartridges.

With 4 cartridges, C, M, Y & K, you only replace the color that is used up without replacing an entire cartridge because only one of three colors is empty. More than 4 inks is not at all needed unless you are printing color critical proofs.

Hope this helps explain printers,

Glen

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Glen,

I still think with having one color ink cartridge is all that is needed. I mean as you said, "With 4 cartridges, C, M, Y & K, you only replace the color that is used up without replacing an entire cartridge because only one of three colors is empty. More than 4 inks is not at all needed unless you are printing color critical proofs."

See, why more than 4 ink is not needed unless you are printing, I guess those colors. So what I am saying if you are out of red then you are not printing red, with one color ink cartridge you can replace all instead of the ones that is needed and you will need it or not at least you will have it when you need it or not. I guess everyone has their option and it is a waste of money if you ask me. That you are replacing those colors you need. Still does not make any sense to me, but as I said everyone has their option. I just thank GOD that they still have and will I hope printers that has only 2 ink cartridges for printers that you would never think of getting, but as long as I am printing out still picture or text documents. And I think what you are saying about the printers the way they are, most monitors, cameras and scanners are in RGB mode so you are printing out what the monitors, cameras and scanners are showing, but it isn't and you are trying to get that on photo paper unless you are printing and you want that moment, but can't so to say that the monitors, cameras and scanner why they. I do not know I guess you are trying to get on photo paper by printing out what you see on the monitor, cameras and scanner I guess.  

And you mentioned about your Epson has 3 blacks, why three? Thanks, Glen.

Martin

Answer
Hi Martin,

All the extra colors are attempts by the printer manufacturer to extend the color range of their printers. The three blacks each have their own range in an image, we have normal black, a light black to extend the range down to the lightest grays and a photo black for filling in the darker shadows on images.

In our case, we have calibrated our printers to match the color range of our offset presses and to do this accurately we needed printers that had a larger color range to start with.

For a more detailed explanation of color click here;
http://www.bestprintingonline.com/cmyk-color.htm

Hope this helps,
Glen Demers
Adobe Certified Expert, Photoshop 7
Prepress Technician, Best Printing Online
www.bestprintingonline.com

For more Photoshop tips please visit our help pages here: http://www.bestprintingonline.com/photoshop.htm