Image output size/Printing on canvas/Printer profiling

[kenoli]

The following info relates to a Mac, though I presume there is something similar for Windows.  Maybe a windows person can fill in any gaps.

I just had to go through something again for myself that I have gone through before and from some pretty old posts I imagine others might be going through.

With the Epson 9900 (and I presume other wide format printers), the thickness of media as well as other media related factors can effect the dimension of an image in the direction of feed.  It seems like canvas is especially sensitive to this.  I presume it has something to do with the fact that media thickness affects how much media gets pushed forward on each pass.  I have heard others speculate that it has something to do with stretching the canvas, but I can't imagine that this is really an issue.

Regardless, if you set everything correctly, you can get the correct image size on canvas every time.  Here's how:

Epson has a special setting for various canvases under fine art papers in the media type pulldown menu in under printer settings in the printer driver.  If you are printing on canvas, it is important that you select the appropriate setting, as Epson sets various variables, I presume things like suction, roller pressures, etc. that provide the best feed for canvas media.  The settings for Epson canvases seem to work for other canvases as well.

In addition, the spec sheets that come with Epson canvases indicate that, under the advanced settings, the paper feed adjustment should be set to 70 (for the 9900; it is different for other printers).  This is also important in order to get the proper printed image size.  This is probably a good setting for other canvases, though some experimentation may be necessary.

If you are using Epson printer profiles, they will also match with this setting. 

If you create your own profiles: I create my own printer profiles and have found that it is critical that the settings I use in the printer driver when making a profile must also be used when printing, or the color tables will not be correct.  Thus the canvas and print feed adjustments must be set as above when printing AND when making a printer profile.  I also match other settings like bit length, dpi and high speed (or not high speed), though I don't think these are quite as critical.

Hope this info can save someone some time.  There was a time when I wish I had had this info and didn't.  Epson support is not always helpful on this and other issues.  I have found support personnel to vary a lot in regards to how well they know what they are talking about.  They will seldom tell you when they don't have answers to your issues and can spread some pretty bad info.  Others can be a life saver.

Best,

--Kenoli

[Garnick]

Yes, in all of the years that I've been printing on canvas I've seen several iterations of procedures relating to the "canvas shrinkage" phenomenon.  I have also tried some of them myself(even though the term "canvas shrinkage" is false), usually with somewhat limited success.  When I was still printing canvas on a 7600 and using Premier Art canvas I used the parer feed adjustment(+55) recommended by Premier Art themselves.  It worked flawlessly.  When I changed to Breathing color's Chromata White(7600) the same PF adjustment still worked very well.  However, when I started using the 9900 for the Breathing Color canvas all bets were off.  The paper feed adjustment didn't seem to have much affect at all, so I eventually used the procedure of resizing the canvas and adding 1.4% to the travel dimension.  I do have a roll of Epson canvas that was given to me by a friend who gave up printing, although I've never tried the canvas myself.  I did notice the +75 PF adjustment in the literature packaged with the roll, so I tried that with the BC canvas I normally use.  It produced a print that was approximately .75" too long, so I dropped the adjustment back to +55 and kept finessing it to the point where it produced a very acceptable result.  However, when I ran some tests of various lengths I found that one PF adjustment was not consistent for all lengths.  Therefore I gave up on that method and went back to the 1.4% adjustment.  About a year ago I tried a procedure that has been very consistent and I've been using it since with great results, within 1/16" over any length.  I can certainly put up with that.  One thing to keep in mind is that my method for printing on canvas is probably somewhat different than the norm.  I have always done my testing for canvas on Epson Enhanced Matte paper, since it is obviously much more cost effective than canvas.  Early on I developed a correction factor that takes into account the difference between the image printed on EnhMatte and the final print on canvas.  This method works extremely well and I also use the EnhMatte profile for the final canvas print.  In other words, I do not use a canvas profile, although I will likely try that as well at some point.  My workfolw is as follows:

In the Epson Driver Dialog:

Media Type: Canvas
Black Ink: Matte(since I use Matte canvas)
High Speed: ON
Printer Resolution: 1440dpi(I see NO reason to use 2880, especially for canvas)

PS Manages Color(obviously)
Profile: EnhMatte MK

Printer Control Panel - Paper Type: Canvas

I'm not suggesting that anyone else use this procedure.  I'm only stating that my experience has been very satisfying while following this method, and my customers can attest to the fact that my canvases are second to none and often better than most.  In no way do I mean for that to sound overly self-promoting.  I'm simply saying, it is what it is, and it works.  Of course the caveat would be as usual, your experience may vary.

Gary