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screen printing => 4 Color and Simulated Process Printing => Topic started by: Rockers on May 26, 2017, 05:08:50 AM

Title: Grayscale-how many colors maximum . vs. minimum
Post by: Rockers on May 26, 2017, 05:08:50 AM
This would go on white tees.
As usual the client ask for the cheapest option but still wants a good result.
I would love to give him a choice of cheapest, a compromise price and the top drawer option.

Cheers.
Title: Re: Grayscale-how many colors maximum . vs. minimum
Post by: tonypep on May 26, 2017, 07:59:51 AM
My usual formula is highlight/shadow/midtone but that is a tough image. Way too much contrast.
Title: Re: Grayscale-how many colors maximum . vs. minimum
Post by: mk162 on May 26, 2017, 09:03:57 AM
yeah, the dark areas are going to turn to junk real fast.  I can barely see the one guy's face to begin with.

I agree with tony, we usually do 3 colors.
Title: Re: Grayscale-how many colors maximum . vs. minimum
Post by: Sbrem on May 26, 2017, 10:26:12 AM
I'd be 2 grays and black, but if I had to, a single black. The image is pretty tough to work with though, it requires some judicious Photoshop work, if there is anything under all the black to work with...

Steve
Title: Re: Grayscale-how many colors maximum . vs. minimum
Post by: Prince Art on May 26, 2017, 10:47:26 AM
I doubt I'd agree to print the image as-is. I'd pull it into Photoshop & see how it could be tweaked. My first stop is Image>Adjustments>Shadows/Highlights to see how much range/underlying data I've really got to work with. I'd aim to get rid of the "mud" in the dark range, and see how crisp we could get it. For limited color b&w, my approach is always to bring out as much clarity & definition as possible, at the expense of more natural gradients. It ends up a little more stylized, but I think it prints & "reads" better that way.

Disclaimer: I am not widely experienced with high-end photo-realistic printing, and my approach has been tailored to customers who rarely pay for more than 2 inks for such things! I'd fully expect my typical customers to want this done in all black, and to consent to black + 1 grey after I pushed them. I try to give them as clear of an idea as possible of what outcome they'll get based on what they're willing to pay for.
Title: Re: Grayscale-how many colors maximum . vs. minimum
Post by: blue moon on May 26, 2017, 11:20:47 AM
there are many ways to skin this cat.
You could do one color and adjust the image so you can stroke twice. This would give you the deeper blacks you need.
Next one would be to print the shadow (black), midtone (gray) and use the shirt for highlights (2 colors total). If the customer is willing to pay for it, this is probably what we would do. It is still a cheap solution, but should be close enough.
For pickier customers, we would add the white next (3 colors total) and finally an additional gray (4 total) if they really wanted it to look as good as possible.
We have done similar jobs with 6 colors before and it won the Golden Image, so it's really up to you how good you need to make it look.

pierre
Title: Re: Grayscale-how many colors maximum . vs. minimum
Post by: mk162 on May 26, 2017, 11:33:36 AM
of course you could always go DTG and adjust it on the fly.  ;)
Title: Re: Grayscale-how many colors maximum . vs. minimum
Post by: ZooCity on May 27, 2017, 01:20:52 AM
Monochrome cheapest.  Budget allowing I like three colors for best reproduction. 

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Title: Re: Grayscale-how many colors maximum . vs. minimum
Post by: Orion on May 27, 2017, 10:04:58 AM
I agree with at least three colors for best reproduction. I once saw a b/w print at an SGIA show quite a few years back that was engineered with a six-color count. Does anyone else recall seeing that print of the motor bike and the black leather clad model? Absolutely stunning print!