Rating: 
Summary: A peer review from across the pond
Review: Harald Johnson is an American photographer with a penchant for long
distance swimming. You know, like swimming right round Manhattan island! [shudder].
Maybe that gives us a clue as to why and how he decided to tackle the daunting
task of getting together THE master reference work that explains the new
digital revolution. He saw that this was a big sea-change subject that needed to be
tackled. He has taken the plunge and successfully produced something that
will help to alter the way art is seen and made forever. I love this book and
thoroughly recommend that you get a copy right now. -- Colin Ruffell, artist and
printmaker, Brighton, U.K.
Rating:
Summary: The Right Book at the Right Time!
Review: Harald's done a terrific job of reading our minds: he addresses all the digital printing questions and concerns that plague today's photographers and printers. If you don't find the answer in this book, you're probably asking the wrong question.There are lots of digital books that we like. This is the book we need!
Rating: 
Summary: Hardly Mastering!!
Review: I agree with the other reviewer who describes this book as only an overview. If you knew nothing about printing before buying this book then you'd have more information than you started with. If you started with some printing skills and a basic understanding of industry terminology then you'd learn little more than a little bit of history There is also a MAJOR emphasis placed on providing information about Epson printers. This obvious bias makes the book come across as a blatant advertisement that only occasionally mentions other printers. This book contained so much advertising that I feel that it could be reduced in size and be passed out for free at all Epson dealers.
Rating:
Summary: Required Reading for a Digital Workflow
Review: I am a nature photographer. This book is an invaluable part of my library. It's a "must have" for any photographer or artist working with digital tools, or thinking about adding digital tools to his or her creative process. The reference section alone deserves a "5-star" rating. Thank you, Harald!
Rating:
Summary: Required Reading for UCLA Extensions Class
Review: I am teaching a course at UCLA Extension's Graphic Arts Department called "Mastering Fine Art Printing" and this is THE textbook that we use. With the release of this book, I now have a solid reference point for the material that I present in the course. I'm glad that Johnson has included the many facets of fine art printing because so many people have no idea that a revolution is taking place in the fine art community. This book provides a great starting for both beginning and advanced printmakers. Johnson exhaustive research and insight make this book a must have for anyone wanting to take their fine art printmaking to the next level. There is plenty of practical information that is easy to follow and will definately help your abiltiy to create great prints.
Rating:
Summary: 2005- second edition
Review: I have to be honest. I read only a few chapters and sknimmed around the the "first edition" of this book. There were a few chapters that were helpful, but too much information I personally did not find helpful. And books are too expensive and time consuming to only be "somwhat helpful".
I just purchased the second edition today. While in a bookstore I read 3 chapters and briefly looked at all the other chapters and found a big improvement.
One of the biggest's complaints I noticed in the reviews here at Amazon, was that the first edition focused nearly exclusively on Epson printers.
Yes, they still discuss Epson, but much more is discussed about HP, Canon, Lexmark and Dell printers. There is also more info on supplies, software, scanning, displaying prints, etc..etc..
I'll write another review when I read several more chapters.
But, right now, I think this "second edition" deserves 5 stars.
One other thing I wanted to mention. When I typed in the ISBN: for the second edition, they are the same reviews given for the first edition. I don't think Amazon has had a chance to wipe the slate clean here.
P.S. I don't see spellcheck. Sorry for any errors.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Resource
Review: I highly recommend this book. It makes for an excellent first reference on digital printing. It reads well and does not innundate you with overly technical jargon. In addition, it covers many brands and types of printers. As for the previous comment on the unfair bias towards Epson printers, I would have to disagree as this book simply mirrors the what's available and popular in the industry. If I had to make one negative comment, it would be that there isn't much in the way of problem solving. However, to incorporate that would make this book unnecessarily long as it's probably unique to each printer.
Rating:
Summary: Very good book- lots of good foundation info
Review: I like this book for 2 reason- One as a amatur printer- it gave me a lot of good ideas for projects and 2. As an IT pro who has to support this type of technology at time in our printing plants, it helped fill in the gaps I had in my printing and imaging specific knowledge. This book covers a broad range of topics- so think of it more as a primer to get you ready for more advanced topics in other books.
Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive Guide to All Aspects of Digital Printing
Review: I wish I had owned a book like this when I started doing digital drawings ten years ago, but the next best thing is to have it now. It is a engaged and loving explication of the many aspects of digital printmaking, starting with the basic building blocks of a digital image, the bits, bytes, and pixels, and finishing up with curating and shipping the final prints out the door. Along the way it explains the different digital printing methods (with great diagrams to illustrate how things like inkjets actually work), the pieces of hardware you'll need, how to capture and handle your source material (including scanning, digital cameras, digital drawing programs, and image editing), color space and the pros and cons of calibration, permanence, how to do your own printing from machines to inks and papers, and how to deal with an outside printing service if you decide not to print your work yourself. Especially if you're in the latter category, this book is an invaluable guide to an understanding of what's going on technically that will help you to make aesthetic decisions that translate onto paper more successfully and to better communicate with your print atelier. Lastly, the very useful appendices are a gold-mine in-and-of themselves - print service providers all over the USA, suppliers, online groups and sites, books, galleries, print exchanges and more. From the introduction on, the sense of excitement about the blossoming digital revolution is contagious. Fine art printmaking has not had a major new medium since silkscreen, and Harald Johnson does an excellent job of fitting digital prints into the history of printmaking in general. The book finishes up with a gallery showcase that gives an inspiring overview of the kinds of imagery that are being made digitally these days - ranging stylistically from realism to abstraction to manipulated photographs and from methods that rival traditional media to creations that could only be computer art.
Rating:
Summary: A must have reference
Review: I've got tons (literally) of books on digital imaging, color management, Photoshop, color output and the like. Few belong at the top of the list but Johnson's book is one that belongs there. It's an exhausting and through book on the subject that many of us needed years ago. Along with the "Real World" series (Photoshop and Color Management), I've managed to use up more than a few yellow high-lighter pen's marking up the books for reference. This book should be required reading in all computer graphic classes!
| 
