| As images have come to play an essential role in any | | | | of your images and compare the outputs. |
| publishing material, the quality of printing has also gained | | | | You also need to know some things about printer |
| importance and has become a matter of research | | | | resolution, although this may not be the dominant |
| and development. | | | | criterion for choosing a certain device. Resolution is |
| Photographic printing is the technique of producing a | | | | measured in number of pixels. Each pixel is made out |
| printed material that is identical to the original picture | | | | of many tiny drops of color that can be controlled by |
| and involves preparing the negative to be transposed | | | | the PC. Color printers only use three primary colors - |
| on sensitized paper. This process generally has three | | | | magenta, cyan and yellow - and compose the rest |
| main steps that can be done either with an automated | | | | through what is called a subtractive process. Most of |
| photographic printer or in a photographic darkroom. | | | | them also have a separate black toner so that they |
| First, the picture is exposed on the sensitized paper | | | | can produce a deeper black. Through a subtractive |
| through an enlarger or contact printer. Then the image | | | | process a printer can provide eight main colors. There |
| is chemically processed and the print is toned. A photo | | | | is a very wide range of printers available and the best |
| can be printed in black and white (monochrome) or in | | | | choice ultimately goes down to the level of quality you |
| color. The quality of the final output is highly dependent | | | | need. At the lower end you have inkjet printers, which |
| on the printer you choose. But before selecting a | | | | can work great for low printing volumes and personal |
| printer you should have a deeper understanding on | | | | printing. At the opposite end you have dye sublimation |
| how to view a colored picture. First of all, the light | | | | devices, which can provide a very high quality. These |
| should be the about the same in brightness and color | | | | printers don't use toners or inks, but solid dye which |
| as when the image is seen. It may be difficult to | | | | are converted into gas through the process of |
| provide the same light in all situations, but you have to | | | | sublimation without passing through a liquid state. |
| know that it deeply impacts the way the image looks. | | | | These kind of printers are the best choice for the |
| For instance, if you look at a color print in the sunlight it | | | | high-quality printing required in published materials with |
| may appear somewhat bluer than if you saw it in | | | | colored graphics. |
| artificial light (the light of a bulb). | | | | Color laser printers are the most popular these days. |
| The next thing you have to do is choose a good | | | | These printers use a laser beam which focuses on a |
| printer. Luckily enough, the technology has evolved so | | | | photoelectric drum or belt and creates an electrical |
| much that a high quality printer can produce almost the | | | | charge in sections which need to be colored. The |
| same output as traditional photography. There is a | | | | toner then adheres on these areas. For monochrome |
| wide range of inks, papers and processes you can | | | | printers this process only has one step. Color printers |
| choose from. To make sure you choose a good | | | | repeat the same step for each color - magenta, cyan, |
| printer, try experimenting on several models with some | | | | yellow and black. |
