Print weirdness: R2400 on Velvet Fine Art

[lausanne]

Driving me postal!

Using Epson R2400 on Velvet Fine Paper

A few weeks ago I managed to get a decent file and prints of a photo of a painting.  Not perfect but good enough.

Today, I try to print the exact same file on the exact same paper and it is all fouled up –

the print is washed out and it’s like the resolution has gone totally flat.  Wasted sheet of 13x19.

So, I changed the paper size (same type) in the Epson print menu and took a sliver crop of a section of the SAME PIXALS – NO change in image size or resolution, etc.  And printed that on an 8.5x11 sheet of VFP – SAME paper type just different size – to save my expensive sheets.

It looked fine – just like what had printed a few weeks ago.

So, I undid the crop in history, changed the paper size back to 13x19 in the print menu – preview image looked clear and sharp – no weirdness there.  Print resolution says the same as before 150.

Printed a new 13x19 – and it looks like cr&p again!  Same flat, washed out mess like the first one I printed today.

This happened a few times before but I never figure out why.

These are the exact same pixals with no change in image size resolution.  Only thing change is the size of the surrounding paper.

[John R Smith]

Probably not the printer at fault. What computer system, what software are you using?

John

[Randy Carone]

Sorry I have to ask. Are you printing on the correct side of the VFA?

[lausanne]

John, XP, CS5 - using all the same settings for both 8.5x11 and 13x19 sheets of paper - only change is the paper size - nothing else.

Randy, good question - last month when this same effect first happened I thought that was maybe the problem but  I couldn't reproduce it automatically.  Now I'm pretty sure I've got the correct side going in. 

The problem DOES have something like what you might expect from a "wrong side" look to it.  sigh.  The packaging says to use the "whitest" side and I see very little difference in side brightness.  So, I'm using the side that to my painter's eye looks like the "right" side of a sheet of watercolor paper - where the texture is more "raised" than "pitted" - if that makes any sense at all.  And using the same "right side" for both paper sizes.

I think the most disturbing thing is the seeming randomness of the problem.

I've given up and left the studio for now - before I break something.  But am still hoping for some objective input.  $2.50/sheet is way too much to be guessing about it.

Could it be a driver issue?  Not that I've made any driver changes.  But do they get corrupted?  Would changing paper sizes trigger some other internal change?

Thanks for the help, meanwhile.

Lausanne

[Randy Carone]

Just to make certain - wet thumb and index finger and grab the corner of the paper. Open your fingers and one side will stick to one of your fingers. That is the coated side. Another method is to touch the corner of the paper on your tongue and the coated side will have a 'salty' taste.

[digitaldog]

Another method is to touch the corner of the paper on your tongue and the coated side will have a 'salty' taste.

Or stick to your lip.

[lausanne]

Seriously?  Ha!  I'm back at the studio and just checked messages.  I did the thumb thing and what'daya know?  My finger's sticking to the back of both bad (big) prints.  and to the printed side of the good 8.5x11.

I don't have my working laptop here but will return in the morning to give this another go.

I'm soooo glad it was that simple!

Thanks!!!!

[na goodman]

For the future, the side that looks more raised is generally the wrong side. The receptive inkjet coating makes the printable side look smoother. But, the lick test can always do the trick.

[lausanne]

Ahhh, mission accomplished!  Feeling a bit the idiot - but a happy idiot!

Thanks!

[Mike Guilbault]

I haven't got any VFA at home to check, but when I printed a sample from the Signature Worthy Sample Pack, the VFA seemed to bleed a lot and looked kinda muddy.  Could this be the same problem?  I remember placing the paper in the printer the same way it came out of the package with the other samples.  Can I print on the 'back' of an already printed image to see?

[lausanne]

Hey Mike, I would first try the wet thumb/finger thing first rather than waste ink.   And I don't remember which way it was coming out of the package but I'll be testing every sheet before loading now.  The "wrong" side looked pale, flat and kind of mushed.  So, maybe you did have the same problem.