Rating: 
Summary: Great Research, Describes the State of the Art
Review:
There are a lot of books on digital cameras and how to take digital pictures. There are also a lot on processing these images to create the special effects that you might want. But up until now I have not seen any that talk about converting these beautiful images into something so mundane as a picture you can put into an envelope and send home, or hang on the wall.
Of course everyone starts out with an inexpensive ink jet printer, the kind you get at WalMart or where ever for only a few tens of dollars. The next step is to realize that the ordinary typing paper you've been using is not the best, so you go get some that promises photo quality.
If the result you're getting with this approach is satisfactory for your needs, you need go no further, and this book probably isn't for you. I say probably, because there are hints here on paper, ink and techniques that will help you get the most out of any printer.
But if you want to go further, up to advanced amateur standing or beyond, then I'd consider this book a necessity. It covers everything. From printer technologies, to specific brands, to inks, to papers.
At this level, you're not talking about $29.95 printers, and just getting the right printer is worth far more than the cost of this book. It clearly represents the state of the art in photo printing today.
Rating:
Summary: A Virtual Milestone
Review: A Virtual Milestone
Harald Johnson's new book, Mastering Digital Printing: The Photographer's and Artist's Guide to High-Quality Digital Output (Muska & Lipman, December 2002) seems to me something of a milestone, not only for its prodigious content, but for its very concept. For Johnson has not only written the Bible of digital printing for fine-art printmakers and photographers, but he has also solved the abiding problem of people who write books on technical subjects: currency. Technology changes fast and books on technological subjects go stale just as rapidly. So Johnson has provided his readers/practitioners with the added support of both a website (http://www.dpandi.com) and a lively online discussion group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/digital-fineart) which he created a couple of years ago and conscientiously moderates. Into the Fourth Dimension
These online resources constantly lever the power and actuality of the book, providing instant access to current information on the ever-changing state of the art. More than a simple book, what Johnson has created is a "metabook" which extends its domain into the fourth dimension: time. This is a prodigious achievement for one man working on his own, one for which Johnson-the Prometheus of digital printing-is to be admired and congratulated. Have I made the book sound stuffy? Far from it! Mastering Digital Printing is written in a personal conversational style which is more like a chat with a friendly expert than a technical manual. It is wide ranging both in breadth and depth, of interest both to beginners and experts. Perhaps the most exciting thing about this new DP compendium is the guidance it offers photographers and fine-art printmakers-and there are legions of them-who are fascinated by the possibilities of digital imaging and printing but until now have not known how to get started. Johnson's book now provides them with a clear roadmap, and is destined to make many converts to digital. My reaction after a first look at Mastering Digital Printing was, "This would make a fantastic textbook on the subject," and less than a week later I see on the Digital-Fineart discussion group that someone is already offering courses based on Johnson's book. They are the first, but they will not be the last! In the Beginning
The book opens with a brief summary of DP's fascinating history, which extends back to the digital printing paleolithic: the year 1989. Johnson says: "... things didn't really take off until the paths of six people-a rock star and his best friend, an art publicist, a sales rep, a computer wizard and a silkscreen printer-unexpectedly intersected..." From these humble rock 'n roll beginnings a little over a decade ago digital printing has already brought about a worldwide revolution in image making, and Harald Johnson very cogently explains how and why. The Who, What, Where, When, Why
People who like to know the underlying reasons for things will love Mastering Digital Printing. Each of its eleven chapters starts out with a brief theoretical discussion of the matter at hand, then moves into specifics, in a nice marriage of theory and practice. If you get in over your head-the chapter on "Understanding and Managing Color" left me dazed and reeling-you will be pleased to find that the second part of most of the chapters contains eminently practical how-to information, complete with product comparisons and insider procedural recommendations. These how-to details cover the complete DP process, from the choice of appropriate digital technologies for the job at hand, equipment and materials, to image creation and actual printing, whether you do it yourself or send it out to a professional print service. There are also illuminating side trips into color management, the choice of inkjet printers and print permanence. On this subject Johnson has come up with a delightful non-scientific yardstick, the Granny Standard: Will your digital print conserve its quality long enough for your grandchildren to see it properly? Digital Ninjas?
Some of the books technical details sound like cult reading. According to Johnson the colors which you perceive on your computer monitor are influenced by the light reflected by your clothing. So, if you're doing critical color work, it is best not to wear a red or yellow shirt, which will inevitably skew your color perception. In fact, for real purists, the best indumentary is all-black. One imagines armies of black suited and hooded digital Ninjas sitting in darkened rooms in front of finely-calibrated monitors all over the world. Frightening concept! The Frosting on the Cake
Midst the at times intense technical talk, Johnson does not forget to show his readers the proof of the pudding, a section which he calls the "Gallery Showcase" which includes digital prints by and brief commentaries on the work of eighteen leading contemporary American digital artists and photographers, a collection of work which fairly represents most of the DP techniques and tendencies current today. All that remains to complement this formidable text/reference/do-it-yourself metabook is a rich appendix listing all available resources, including URL's and e-mail addresses, and there it is.
Rating:
Summary: Worth more than 5 stars..
Review: After struggling with digital prints, I bought and read this book, based primarily on recommendations here on Amazon. It's terrific! I actually took half a day off from work to finish reading the book. (Only fair, I had blown all my lunch hour already.) Some reviewers have commented on the Epson emphasis of this book; well, they are right. Epson rules the art printing market, and justifiably so. Attention to print quality, advanced technology and archival permanence have earned Epson the attention. However, no other manufacturers are omitted. The vast bulk of material applies to all printers; if anything the two or three Epson charts only demostrate the diversity of possible technologies. As it turns out I abandoned HP several years ago for Epson after some poor support form HP and some correspondingly great reviews of Epson printers. I have a C82, pigment based, printer that I purchased for the kid's homework, and produces wonderful photographic prints. This book has really helped me get the most out of this printer. And... I now know which printer will be my next photoprinter. As the price of this book is less than 5% of the cost of this printer, and contributed enormously to making an informed decision, it was well worth it! The author's web site also has a PDF of Chapter 9, if you want a taste of the book: http://www.dpandi.com.
Rating:
Summary: Book Review ¿ Mastering Digital Printing by Harald Johnson
Review: Anyone who has ventured seriously into creating digital art sooner or later stumbles into the uncharted sea of printing. Once an artist has finally created his or her masterpiece on the computer, they must contend with a vast array of new printing technologies, image management software (sometimes called RIP), and different ink types and substrates to produce their final print. Until now that process has remained a complete mystery to all but a few. But at last Harald Johnson has come forward with his new book Mastering Digital Printing to explain the process from the basics to the complex.
Perhaps what I like most about the book is that is not just a technical manual, but really goes a long way into addressing head on some of the issues that are raging in the art world today regarding digital artwork. Things like what the difference is between a digital reproduction and digital original, and what a Giclee print is. These topics really shed some light onto some controversial and often overlooked issues.
On the technical side he does a very deft job of delicately explaining complex terms such as printer resolution, dpi, and lpi so that even a beginner can start to get an adequate grasp of the subject. This is a book aimed at artists, not propeller heads. And while his coverage of the different printing technologies may be a bit more information than most artists want, it is never the less important when one is considering [purchasing]a print based on those technologies. He also does an outstanding job of explaining scanning and what artists really need to know about sending out work to be scanned, or scanning it themselves.
Finally he addresses two important issues for the professional artist, permanence and substrates. While some of this does go into the deep end, it provides necessary and often overlooked information that seems to be cropping up more and more at art shows and galleries.
All in all, this book is a compendium of information for serious digital artists. If all you want to do is produce snap-shots from your inkjet printer, this book is probably not for you. But if you are a professional or serious amateur artist wants to obtain the highest quality translation from the virtual representation of their art work to the physical one, this book is a must.
Rating:
Summary: Truly Outstanding Book
Review: Digital printing is surely one of the most difficult subjects on which to write - rapidly-changing, multi-disciplinary and inherently technical at times. Johnson handles the subject with great clarity, including concise explanations and strong use of illustrations. I bought this book recently to advance my knowledge of digital printing quickly, but very comprehensively. It served this purpose well. Organization is a strong point of the book - it builds on itself in a way that avoids losing the reader in a morass of technical jargon. Some is unavoidable, but the book navigates the subject wonderfully. I recommend the book without hesitation.
Rating:
Summary: Truly Outstanding Book
Review: Digital printing is surely one of the most difficult subjects on which to write - rapidly-changing, multi-disciplinary and inherently technical at times. Johnson handles the subject with great clarity, including concise explanations and strong use of illustrations. I bought this book recently to advance my knowledge of digital printing quickly, but very comprehensively. It served this purpose well. Organization is a strong point of the book - it builds on itself in a way that avoids losing the reader in a morass of technical jargon. Some is unavoidable, but the book navigates the subject wonderfully. I recommend the book without hesitation.
Rating:
Summary: The best reference-book I've ever owned...
Review: Everything's here. Whether you want to produce your own prints from real or virtual artworks and photos, or are wondering how to find and enable someone else to produce your prints for you, "Mastering Digital Printing" is THE book to buy to clarify all issues and help get you started. And if you're already involved in digital printmaking, this is the book to keep close at hand for its bits, pages, and chapters of information that will help you enhance your images, tweak your workflow, make choices about tools and consumables, and add historical interest to conversations with your patrons. How-To Heaven. From digital input of your images to signing, framing, and displaying your prints and shipping to buyers or exhibitions, the help is all here. Copious, user-friendly instructions with clear illustrations walk you through each step of the way...and further: "Mastering Digital Printing" points you to author Harald Johnson's digital-fineart discussion group at yahoo.com and his website at dpandi.com where digital resources continue to evolve as the new technology evolves. One fine book!
Rating:
Summary: Mastering Digital Printing: The Photographer's and Artist's
Review: Excellent, understandable book. I went from "0 to 60" very fast! Harald Johnson explains the complexity of digital printing in a way novices like me can increase their knowledge from an easy-to-read book. Harald concentrates on color and provides a good understanding of color management, rips and terminology.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent, fun to read
Review: Great overview of the digital printing world with a tremendous command of past history and the present. Not just a wealth of information - but an enjoyable read too. I read this from cover to cover and enjoyed it the way I'd enjoy any well written narrative. The examples are excellent. I pariticularly recommend this book to people who want to use their inkjet printer to preserve family photos for enjoyment and posterity.
Rating:
Summary: An essential book for printers!
Review: Harald Johnson has prepared a fantastic book. It is comprehensive in it's scope; packed with information on photographic and fine art printing from the desktop to the highest end service bureau. I greatly appreciate the organization of the book as well as how Mr. Johnson anticipates the readers concerns by providing complete definitions and cross references throughout. I highly recommend this book for everyone with an interest in understanding digital printing as well as those wishing to master their own printing.
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