Re: RGB vs CMYK: gamut and some important notes for CMYK users

Good morning all,
After being in the darkroom til 1:00 AM last night getting some bromoils
ready, I appreciate coming back to this thread because in my dark time, I
got to a thinkin'.

Question: is it easier/more accurate/more realistic to use RGB vs. CMYK?
Or does it boil down to matter of preference, a matter of working with what
you're used to--you grew up drinking whole milk and skim tastes like water?

On the RGB side IN PRACTICE: Sam, myself, Katharine, perhaps Judy? Kate?
(add names here)

On the CMY side IN PRACTICE: Keith (maybe both sides), Joe, Livick...(add
names here)

Shortly I will have about 20 of my gums online, so I can show the RGB ones I
have been doing. I mean, I didn't think there would be a better way to work
with the gum process because we are dealing with subtractive color here
(pigment on paper). But I am very willing to be enlightened.

I think Joe is right; those of us using one method should try the other. SO,
my next gum I do, I will print side by side, same method of pigment and
development and all else, RGB and CMY for an example. Then, if the CMY
looks weird, I will see what I might have to do to add to it in any way.
Maybe it'll be perfect and I will have "seen the light".

The only problem: I don't know what SWOP is, and I have no idea of the
steps to go thru in Photoshop 7 to get the negs to where you want them to be
in CMY. Could someone please please write a SIMPLE 1,2,3 list for me so I
can do it right? No heavy computer terminology. It would be helpful to all
those LURKING gum printers out there, too, who are afraid to post (ahem!!!).
Like, do I absorb the K channel into the rest?

Forgive me if this has already been done; I have read every one of the posts
carefully, but perhaps need it said more simply. But I'm up for a
challenge--yeah!! Actually, I am really willing to see if there might be a
better way than RGB, knowing that my test will certainly not prove anything
in the gum process (unless every one of us does it and comes up with the
same result--any more takers?)

What most interests me is in **teaching** neophyte gummists, whether one
system would be better than the other, as Joe has attested the CMYK is.
Chris
Received on Sun Dec 5 08:47:02 2004