Users Instructions ImagOn Ultra photopolymer films

8. Digital Positive Transparancies

Computer generated images can be used to create positives for the ImagOn film. You can use either an ink jet printer or a laser printer. The Epson 3000 Ink jet printer is recommended.

  1. Open your image in Adobe Photoshop
  2. Check the bit size or your image by going to the tool bar, open the "image" menu and scroll d6wn to "mode". You should see either 8 bit or 16 bit checked off, make sure that 8 bit is checked.
  3. Change your image to Grayscale under "image" -"mode".
  4. Check your image size. Go to "image" on the tool bar and look at the pull down menu for "image size". Check to be sure that the image will be the size you want it to print out. You can change this by changing the numbers in the dialog boxes, make sure you are on inches and not cm. This dialog box is where you will check your resolution. Set this at 300 DPI
  5. The black areas of your image will need to be opened up. If your image is very black it will result in open-biting in the final print. Ideally you want to make a digital positive onto InkJet transparent film that looks like a gray and white image not a black and white one. This can be done by adjusting the "curves" found under "image" - "adjust"-"curves". The adjustment will vary from image to image but a standard adjustment is 65% output. To do this you put your curser on the lower left, click and hold down, now raise the curve line at a 45 degree angle, watch the output, they should start at 0 and end at 65. If you watch your image you should be able to see the blackest areas loose tone and turngray.
  6. Now you are ready to print out your transparency. Go to "file" on the tool bar. On the pull down menu there should be "page setup". Check all the attributes. Make sure you select transparency. Check the box for black ink only, no color. Print out your transparency and you should be ready to expose it to your laminated plate.