Offset Duotone for Selenium Toned B&W - Which Pantone?

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

Dear All,

I am approaching a major milestone in my photographic fine-art career. A catalogue/book will be printed to accompany my first solo exhibition. There are 24 B&W photographs, which all have been toned in selenium. The files for this book are all repros of actual prints, not negative scans. There will be 500 copies printed, 64 pages, 8x10", landscape orientation.

I am going through the pains of making choices regarding the printing process. What seems to have been decided is that it will be done on a relatively new Heidelberg offset press as a duotone, 200-lines, on coated matt-ish paper (it seems to me demi-matt) called Garda MarArt 170g. There will be no varnish layer.

I would like the book reproductions to have a slight plummy note of the selenium toned prints. The person in charge of the printing seems to suggest using a combination of Process Black and a Pantone CoolGray 6C which would produce a rather neutral tone. Alternatively, they were extremely cautiously suggesting Pantone 663C which is a plum colour. It seemed fine to me in Photoshop, but they were unsure of that choice. There is still an option of using tritone.

What I would like to ask you about is any suggestions regarding the choice of a particular Pantone colour that you may have used to create a selenium tone in your book reproductions printed in duotone or tritone offset.

Also, as always, I would appreciate any other suggestions you may have. I apologise if I posted this in the wrong forum...

Thank you, very much, for your kindness.
Rafal

[Ron McElroy]

You or your printer needs to make a test page of images using different PMS colors. This needs to be printed on their contract proofing system. What kind of proofing system does your printer use? The Fuji Final Page digital proofer do a good job of emulating spot colors.

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

Dear Ron,

Thanks for the suggestion. I am not sure what proofing system they use at all. Their current suggestion was to make a choice of either of the Pantone colours for the smaller job of printing invitations to the exhibition. This would be a test, I suppose, before committing to the larger job. I will ask about their proofing system.

In any case, could you tell me what colours you have used in the past when printing selenium-toned prints if you have done that? I am curious about your experiences.

Thanks anyway, many times.

Rafal

[Bill Burk]

Hi Rafal,

I went outside this rainy afternoon and held up one of my selenium-toned prints next to a PANTONE guide book and looked at the two colors you mentioned.

I can see that PANTONE 663 C looks good next to the cloud in my picture. Color-wise, I think you are very perceptive. PANTONE 663 C is the lightest shade on that swatch page, it would be good if your images are high-key. But I don't think it will add much to the shadows.

PANTONE 665 C, on the same page (same hue), is a closer shade match to the deeper shade of PANTONE Cool Gray 6C. If your printer was leaning towards that neutral gray - he might be more comfortable with the deeper plum.

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

Thank You, Bill, this is very useful and thanks for the compliment to my printers' perception. I will have a look at 665C, perhaps with a curve that favours shadows.

I am also wondering if anyone has tried a tritone of: Process Black, CoolGray6C (linear), and 665C or 663C for midtones and shadows to give them the slight "plum" selenium hint.

Thanks a lot,
Rafal