Image File Preparation

Basic File Specs:

Your files should be sent to us in a proper print-ready form

  1. Adobe RGB 1998 for Color and Gray Gamma 2.2 for Piezography

  2. Flattened TIFF

  3. 300-720 PPI

  4. Image size set to the correct dimensions for printing (with white borders if specific sheet size is desired

Please note, we are unable to print full-bleed (to the edge of the paper). If white borders are not in the file, we will simply print with 2 inch borders or the maximum border available on the roll (if less than 2″).

Portfolio Templates:

We have made a set of print templates that will ensure a perfect upload and print workflow. Use these templates to size and position your image. Click and Download the template below that corresponds with your desired portfolio print dimensions.

Portfolio Print Templates:

8″x10″   |   8.5″x11″   |   11″x14″   |   11″x17″  |   13″x19″   |   16″x20″   |   17″x22″   |   20″x20″   |   20″x24″   |   20″x30″   |   24″x32″   |   24″x36″   |   30″x30″   |   30″x40″   |   40″x40″   |   40″x50″   |   40″x60″

How to Use a Template:

  1. Open your first image file in Photoshop.

  2. Download and open the template file that corresponds with your desired print-size. (See links above.)

  3. Go to your first image file and go >Image>Image Size.

  4. In this window, make sure “Resample” is checked on.

  5. Set the resolution (400 Pixels/Inch for Piezography, 300 Pixels/Inch for Color) and set your desired print size (the longest edge should be equal or shorter than the longest edge of the template file). For example, when printing a 20×24 print, a standard long-side dimension would be 20″

  6. Flatten your image. (>Layer>Flatten Image).

  7. Select all (>Select>All).

  8. Copy (>Edit>Copy).

  9. Go to your template file in Photoshop.

  10. If your image file is horizontal, rotate your template file by 90 degrees clock-wise so it is horizontal as well.

  11. Go to >Windows>Layers and click the eyeball next to the “HIDE THIS GROUP” group. This will make sure the instructions are not printed in your portfolio! Then click the background layer (once) to make sure you are on the Background

  12. Go to >Edit>Paste Special>Paste In Place. This ensures that your image file will be pasted into the center of your template file. If a “source space” warning comes up, click “Convert.”

  13. If the borders are not to your liking, go to your image file and re-size the image by going to >Image>Image Size. Make sure the ppi is still set to 400 though! Then copy the image and paste-special into the template file.

  14. Flatten your template file. (>Layer>Flatten Image).

  15. Go >File>Save As, and type a name in (eg: Portfolio_Print_One). We suggest saving all of these files in one location (e.g. the Desktop).

  16. Select TIFF as the file format and click “Save.”

  17. When the TIFF file options window comes up, make sure LZW Compression is turned on. Ignore all the other settings and click Save a final time. Close the image window.

  18. Repeat these steps until all the files have been saved.

  19. At cone-editions.com choose your paper type and Piezography toning and then upload the print file. Hit the “+” button to get to the next upload row. Do this until all images have been uploaded and then click “Add to Cart” to proceed.

ICC Profiles (for soft Proofing)

Use our Soft-Proof ICC profiles to perfectly simulate the final printed image in Photoshop. This will enable a close match between the image on your monitor and the final print. There are two types of soft-proof ICCs in the download link below. One type of ICC is a “Piezography Soft Proof ICC” and one is a “Color Soft Proof ICC.” The Piezography ICCs are used to simulate the color and contrast of a particular Piezography ink/paper combo and the Color ICCs are used to simulate the color/contrast of a particular Color ink/paper combo.

Download Piezo soft proof ICCs here

Download Color Soft proof ICCs HERE

Overview:

Soft Proof is a feature that has long been used in Photoshop for previewing images as they will appear in print. The “Soft” is for software. Proofs are normally hard copies that are printed to give the designer or photographer an idea of how a digital image will print prior to going to press. The Soft Proof therefore, is a way to look at an image that is being converted by the software (Photoshop and Lightroom) to simulate the color of the inks, the color of the paper, and the dynamic range (contrast) of the inks. It will give you, the artist, a better idea of exactly how your print will arrive in the mail so you can edit the tones in a more precise matter. Softproof ICCs profiles are not used for printing. They are only used for previewing images.

Installation:

  • Soft Proof ICC profiles are easy to install.

  • Find the files are end in “.icc”. These are in the same folder as this instructions document.

  • On Macs you copy or move the ICC profiles to your User/Library/ColorSync/Profiles folder.

  • On Windows you get to right click each ICC profile and select Install or you can manually copy each ICC into C:/WINDOWS/system32/spool/drivers/color


Soft Proofing in Photoshop:

  1. Go to View / Proof Setup / Custom menu on the Menu bar

  2. In the Device to Simulate menu you can select one of the ICCs you have down loaded.

  3. If you have trouble finding them – look for the ones that start with “Piezo.”

  4. Set the Rendering Intent to Relative Colorimetric

  5. Under Display Options check both of Simulate Paper Color and Simulate Black Ink

  6. You can select OK to exit this window, or you can Save the setup so it is easily selected again under View / Proof Setup

  7. Your image (even a color image) will have converted to the color of the inks that were profiled while you were selecting the ICC profile in the Custom menu. You will notice that anything that was brightest or near brightest changed to a new color of white relative to the color of the paper that was profiled. And the dMax (the darker parts of the display) got appreciably lighter to as near exact to that amount of light that is reflected off the darkest bits of the inks on that paper that were profiled. Note: Simulating Black Ink may make the darkest portions of your image too light compared to how our Ultra deep black ink actually prints. Sometimes you may simply want keep that off.

  8. Optional Super-Fancy Linear Photoshop Expert Option: With Piezography we give you the option of printing your image in “linear mode” which opens your shadows more. If you want us to print in this way, soft proof by turning on “Preserve RGB Numbers” and keep the simulate black ink off. This will dramatically decrease your shadow contrast but then you can simply add a curve to dial the shadows down to exactly where you want them. Then request “Linear Expert Mode” from us when you order a print and this will perfectly match the condition you soft proof on your monitor. It takes more work to do it this way but sometimes that is worth it. This option is not available in any other application.


Soft Proofing in Lightroom:

  1. While in Develop mode check SoftProofing on the Toolbar.

  2. Clicking that opens the SoftProofing Pane

  3. In the Profile menu you can select one of the ICCs you have down loaded.

  4. If you have trouble finding them – look for the ones that start with “Piezo.”

  5. For Intent I suggest Relative

  6. Check Simulate Paper Ink

  7. Judge the Results


Jon Cone’s aside:

This is where time really shows the difference between imaging in the 1990s and 2000s, and imaging today. I hate to get all “back in the day”, but back in the day everyone had a D50 environment. Everyone doing advanced digital imaging in the 90s and 2000s were mostly professionals in studios – that had perfect viewing conditions for both their calibrated displays and the printed proofs they used for comparing to the display to.

The displays were CRTs calibrated to 5000 kelvin. The displays were in darkened rooms without any other source of light that was not the same color temperature as 5000k or made the room brighter than 50 to 100 lux. Adjacent to the display was a small viewing booth which the print was put into. The light in the booth was dimmed to the same brightness of the calibrated display, and the color temperature of the booth’s light was the same as that of the calibrated display (5000k).

As ICC improved each successive year, the quality of the match of a print to the soft proof on the calibrated display became more and more accurate. Then the CRT died, and the LCDs came on – and with the exception of the Eizos and the NECs — they’ve gotten worse ever since. Frankly, color management today is not what it used to be. And yet that is not saying that ICC profiling does not work. It does. Printing is better than ever. What is lacking is that such a small percentage of users at home have set up good viewing and comparison conditions.

So, the results will vary. Soft proofing depends fully on the quality of your calibration and viewing conditions. For example, I can not use the latest greatest MacBook Pro that I’m writing this on (even though it has both Photoshop and Lightroom.) I have calibrated it with i1Profiler – but Apple didn’t design this MacBook Pro’s display for previewing soft proof ICC profiles. But, I do have a Mac Tower with a 30″ NEC that is hardware calibrated using NEC’s own sensor and software. The print lab this monitor sits in is painted off-white and dimmed to about 75 Lux. There is a GTI soft proof (dimmed) viewing booth – and everything is calibrated to 5000k. The display is reduced to the dynamic range of the Piezography prints for viewing when I am making prints. I use the soft proof in both LR and PS. I will set it brighter for general photo work and can also change it on the fly to look like what most of the world sees when they look at Facebook and web pages.

Summary:

In summary, Soft Proofing is a useful tool for artists wanting to get perfectly matched prints right off the bat. However, soft proofing will not work equally well on all monitors. We suggest using a high-end monitor that can truly show more than 256 gray levels at even the low contrast ranges required to match printed paper. The brands that stand out the best are Eizo ColorEdge and NEC SpectraView monitors.


ICC List:
Icc Profile Name Ink Set Paper Toning / Hue / Base
PiezoPro Matte Warm.icc Piezography Pro All Matte Papers 100% Warm
PiezoPro Matte Neutral.icc Piezography Pro
All Matte Papers
100% Neutral
PiezoPro Matte Cool.icc Piezography Pro
All Matte Papers
100% Cool (Cool Neutral)
PiezoPro Matte Warm Neutral.icc Piezography Pro
All Matte Papers
25% Towards warm
PiezoPro Matte Semi-Warm.icc Piezography Pro
All Matte Papers
50% Towards Warm
PiezoPro Matte wH cS.icc Piezography Pro
All Matte Papers
Warm Highlights & Cool Shadows
PiezoPro Matte cH wS.icc Piezography Pro
All Matte Papers
Cool Highlights & Warm Shadows
PiezoPro Gloss Warm.icc Piezography Pro
All Gloss Papers
100% Warm
PiezoPro Gloss Neutral.icc Piezography Pro
All Gloss Papers
100% Neutral 
PiezoPro Gloss Cool.icc Piezography Pro
All Gloss Papers
100% Cool (Cool Neutral)
PiezoPro Gloss Warm Neutral.icc Piezography Pro
All Gloss Papers
25% Towards warm
PiezoPro Gloss Semi-Warm.icc Piezography Pro
All Gloss Papers
50% Towards Warm
PiezoPro Gloss wH cS.icc Piezography Pro
All Gloss Papers
Warm Highlights & Cool Shadows
PiezoPro Gloss cH wS.icc Piezography Pro
All Gloss Papers
Cool Highlights & Warm Shadows
PiezoK7 Matte Carbon.icc Piezography K7 All Matte Papers
100% Carbon Warm 
PiezoK7 Matte Special Edition.icc Piezography K7
All Matte Papers
Warm Shadows & Cool Highlights
PiezoK7 Matte Selenium.icc Piezography K7
All Matte Papers
Magenta Neutral Warm (glow)
PiezoK7 Gloss Carbon.icc Piezography K7
All Gloss Papers
100% Carbon Warm
PiezoK7 Gloss Special Edition.icc Piezography K7
All Gloss Papers
Warm Shadows & Cool Highlights
PiezoK7 Gloss Selenium.icc Piezography K7
All Gloss Papers
Magenta Neutral Warm (glow)
CEP9900 Eps PremSemiMatte.icc Color Pigment Epson Premium Semimatte (luster) 
CEP9900 Hahn Matte Fibre.icc
 Color Pigment
Hahnemuhle Matte Fibre (matte) 
CEP9900 Hahn PhoRag.icc
 Color Pigment
Hahnemuhle Photo Rag (matte)
CEP9900 Can RagPhoto.icc
 Color Pigment
Canson Rag Photographique (matte)
CEP9900 Hahn Bamboo.icc
 Color Pigment
Hahnemuhle Bamboo (matte)
CEP9900 Can BFKRives.icc
 Color Pigment
Canson BFK Rives (matte)
CEP9900 Can EdEtch.icc
 Color Pigment
Canson Edition Etching (matte)
CEP9900 Hahn PhoGlossBaryta.icc
 Color Pigment
Hahnemuhle Photo Gloss Baryta (glossy)
CEP9900 Hahn PhoRagBaryta.icc
 Color Pigment
Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta (semigloss)
CEP9900 Hahn PhoRagPearl.icc
 Color Pigment
Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Pearl (semigloss
CEP9900 Canson Platine.icc

Color Pigment  

Canson Platine (semigloss)