Stochastic screening plugin available?

Jeffrey 65 Smith

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Jul 12, 2002, 8:30:23 AM7/12/02

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Is there any way to accomplish a stochastic screen effect on images with a plugin or software? This desired effect is not just to simulate the look (like a mezzotint) but to be used for offset print. The hardware (screening boards for the RIP) are the final option, however if there is a cheaper alternative, any advice would be appreciated.

sp_clark

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Jul 12, 2002, 9:04:55 AM7/12/02

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I remember something from a few years back for this; there was a relatively cheap package for inkjet & a higher-end solution for offset as well. Haven't seen anything about it recently though.

I have a copy of the software - came across it recently doing some *housecleaning* - but can't recall the name of it offhand. I'll check & get back on the forum later

Laurentiu Todié

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Jul 12, 2002, 11:41:15 AM7/12/02

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http://www.isisimaging.com/ <http://www.isisimaging.com/>

Richard Rose

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Jul 12, 2002, 12:22:02 PM7/12/02

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Whoa!

Laurentiu - thanks!

Rich

Laurentiu Todié

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Jul 12, 2002, 12:49:49 PM7/12/02

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Hi, Richard!
Glad to be of service.

Laurentiu

Jeffrey 65 Smith

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Jul 15, 2002, 7:59:16 AM7/15/02

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Laurentiu, have you used Isis's stochastic tools on images for offset, if so, did you have any print problems? One concern that I have is the printability of the microdot under 10% tonal range, this of course is a problem with any process of stochastic screening.

Laurentiu Todié

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Jul 15, 2002, 9:20:45 AM7/15/02

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Yes I did. Proofing on Matchprint was a problem. Fuji and Agfa proofs came out decent.
I forget what brand of offset plates were used.

Jeffrey 65 Smith

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Jul 15, 2002, 9:56:34 AM7/15/02

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Laurentiu, I would be interested to know the problems you encountered with Matchprint, because that is our analog contract proofing. Would you or your customers accept a digital contone proof of a stochastic print job?

Laurentiu Todié

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Jul 15, 2002, 10:40:55 AM7/15/02

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Digital proofs would be dangerous.
Matchprint II wasn't holding the spots, or was inconsistent.
Fuji Art looked good before and after the print run.

JasonSmith

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Jul 16, 2002, 9:36:04 AM7/16/02

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hmm..this may be a bit extreme, but i think you could emulate a stochastic with it...break each channel out to it's own greyscale document, convert to bitmap mode with the dithering pattern...convert back to greyscale...re-assemble each respective channel into a cmyk document.

Richard Rose

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Jul 16, 2002, 12:38:35 PM7/16/02

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Jason,

From time to time I've done that over the past 10 years using various means of dithering. Andromeda's mezzotint was about the most successful. The problem always was the RIP's difficulty in digesting the large one-bit ("bit-mapped") files. RIP's don't like such files - long processing times.

In-RIP dithering such as Crystal Raster and other propietary stochastic methods have always been MUCH better.

Rich

Laurentiu Todié

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Jul 16, 2002, 1:00:59 PM7/16/02

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Inspect closely the midtone of a dithered (by PS) file.
In my opinion it doesn't match the quality of Isis (or Crystal, Diamond or... I forgot the Scitex name for their variable spot size stochastic solution).
You can leave the bitmap channels separate and place them in duplicate pages (or duplicate picture boxes with no offset, color=none and overprint) with color set in Quark.

JasonSmith

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Jul 16, 2002, 12:43:31 PM7/16/02

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I posted this in another thread - with the convert to bmp, select halftone - do you know how/what format a file needs to be to import in as a halftone dot pattern?

Jeffrey 65 Smith

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Jul 17, 2002, 7:46:36 AM7/17/02

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Jason, that sounds like an interesting do-it-yourself procedure.

Richard, sending Jason's stochastic method at a RIP would be no different than sending a copydot scan. If the newly created image's rez is the same as the RIP's resolutions, there would be little problem.

Laurentiu, what is different with an Isis's midtone than a Photoshop's dithered midtone?

Laurentiu Todié

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Jul 17, 2002, 9:08:35 AM7/17/02

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It's smoother, no patterns, no clumps of checker-board spots.

JasonSmith

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Jul 17, 2002, 9:10:05 AM7/17/02

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there is some color shift in the 4cp test files that i did - havent quite perfected it yet. for my one color job it worked great though - the client wanted that look, and that's what he's got.

there are some repeating patterns at around the 18% areas too, LT's suggestion is probably the way to go.