Epson ET-8550 scanning artwork to make greeting cards on fine art papers and card
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- Опубликовано: 31 июл 2024
- Keith Cooper looks at many different aspects of producing high quality reproductions of artwork on greeting cards with the Epson ET-8550 EcoTank printer
00:00 Start
00:26 Use the right paper/card
01:22 Using fine art media
03:34 Printing ICC profiling targets
05:14 Why the ET-8550 benefits from profiling
10:06 Creating a profile
10:31 Scanning artwork
12:40 Using Epson scanning software
13:14 Using VueScan for scanning
15:34 Printing the greeting cards
18:50 Print settings examples
19:46 Printing the cards
21:19 Printing times for making lots of cards
23:32 Looking at the cards
Starting with making a custom printer profile, he looks at what is needed for the best print quality from the ET-8550.
After paper profiling, the built-in scanner of the 8550 is used to create image files suitable for printing.
Due to serious website problems at the time of testing, the scanning article was later included in the main review at:
www.northlight-images.co.uk/e...
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Thank you for your videos, Keith. So very informative.
Glad they were of help!
Dear Mr. Cooper, thank you so much for the video on printing greetings cards. I have to confess much of it went over my head but I immediately found Fotospeed and have ordered some fine art textured paper and will download the profile hoping my daughter will know what to do with it! In the meantime I have printed a digital downloaded Klimt paper from Etsy using Bockingford ink jet water colour card on the velvet setting and am super satisfied (nay thrilled) with the result - the card in my hand is better than the screen. Even at 88 there’s something new to learn.
Excellent - glad the info was of help!
Hello Keith! Wanted to thank you for your videos which helped me choose the ET 8550. And I was hesitating about purchasing the V600 scanner to scan my art too, but I'm glad to see that it's not necessary. That'll be a little bit of extra money going towards a good camera! Thanks again for the great quality of your videos and advice!
Glad I could help - there is more detail on the scanning in the main [written] review at www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper Thanks a lot, bookmarking it!
Great Keith, thank you sooooo much for creating this video's, really helps.
Thanks
I've had to delay the longer written version due to web site problems. Hope there was enough detail for you
The printed card looks amazing.
Thanks - I wanted to show how effective colour management and good media were key factors in this. The printer is a bit too slow if you wanted to run a card business, but nice for personal use.
Excellent end result Keith which is no doubt due to the profiling. The original watercolour and the resultant inkjet print look identical. Looking forward to your colour management videos in the future 👍
Thanks - the lack of written content (on the site) at the moment is a problem for me in that I've lots of more detailed stuff to include, that just doesn't fit with the videos (there is already a lot of colour management stuff on the Northlight site).
I need to get some more (grey) ink for the PRO-300, so I can do some stuff for profiling - my 300 videos are some of the first I did, so are a bit simpler than I'd now try ;-)
Thank you for the tutorial
Thanks!
Thank you so much for this video Keith, very informative! As a watercolor artist I can definitely recognize the struggle with getting the color right. And as I am not capable of making my own ICCs for now it is not the easiest task to get the colors anywhere close to the original. However I can say that already by just using VueScan the quality of the outcome increased rapidly, the scans are much more accurate and very crisp, so thank you for this great tip! I am now just hoping companies will create ICC profiles for this printer for more "craft" papers. I just purchased the Epson Velvet Fine Art but quite frankly that is very pricey to use for printing cards. I am also starting to accept that sometimes it is not necessarily bad things the colors come out "different" then original because in combination with right interesting paper you just create completely new piece of art :)
Thanks - some companies (UK) will create profiles if you buy paper/card. The Fotospeed ones I used here will. One problem is that many 'craft' media are simply not very compatible with inkjet inks, so no amount of profiling will do. See some of my other card printing items for test images and the like.
I'm not sure when I'll be able to publish the accompanying article - that has more specific info on scanner profiling and my adjustments to the image (a selective hue shift on the blue/purple colours in Photoshop, with an adjustment layer) That said, VueScan is just very good on its own...
@@KeithCooper Hello again! I am sorry to bother you with a question but I still struggle getting decent colors out of the printer. I am printing now on glossy vinyl sticker paper and no matter how I print the colors are really dull and sort of dark compared to the original artwork. Would you have any recommendation how to get bright, vivid colors? I am desperate now :(
@@herinternest3958 The answer is I'm afraid likely in your question "glossy vinyl sticker paper" - sounds like it's just not compatible with the ink set.
Use the test image and print with differing media settings - but it may be that the media is simply no good (with this printer)
Sorry, but media choices are very important with this printer. That's partly why I only ever (initially) test with known good test images - never any work of my own.
Whilst I don't know that media type - it's not something I've ever seen (in the UK) as a specialist inkjet media.
Hi Keith
I loved your videos, especially the Epson ET8550... I had just ordered this printer and it should be here in two days... I was so impressed with your card video that I also ordered the exact Foto paper... then I went to your website only to discover your profile for this paper is not available nor is it available from FotoSpeed either! I’m just an end user making cards only for my friends and family! It’s not commercial!!!
I hope you can resolve this issue for me!
Thanks Keith...
Appreciate your Videos
X
The web site has problems at the moment, so the written review is unfortunately not completed.
Email me and I'll send you the profile
Keith, I just discovered your videos a couple weeks ago and since then, I’ve been watching them for weeks on end. You are incredible with your knowledge. Thank you for sharing what you do. I’ve learned a lot. I have a question regarding scanning artwork with the Epson ET 8550 scanner. I see in this video you are scanning artwork but is the scanner good for scanning charcoal drawings as well? Or is it recommended I buy a separate scanner to copy my charcoal drawings? I apologize if it’s a dumb question!
Thanks - Have a look at the main [written] review for the 8550 - it has far more info on the scanning - the videos are generally just supplements ;-)
With care it should OK for charcoal... The key is how you edit the files
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
Thank you for this info! I will look at the written review. Thanks for taking time to respond :) @@KeithCooper
Hi Keith could you tell me what printer you would recommend to print greeting cards. Ideally print 350gsm cards not glossy and in fairly big quantities? Really appreciate the videos but can’t seem to find the correct printer to buy? I’m looking for some good!
Thanks
Not something I can do - see my recent video the other day for reasons, and why the the answer is always - 'it depends' ;-)
it depends on your market, the type of card and your budget. Also the print time and card loading may be important for volume. Cheap card simply won't work with the printers I look at. it also depends on the types of image and the software you use for design and for printing
So, for the 8550, the inks are cheaper, but print speed is not fast. For personal use, this one is fine, but for a business... ?
I don't make cards for sale, so a few here and there for birthdays/Christmas is no big deal - many of the printers I've looked at would suffice for a few cards.
It's not a business I know enough of to suggest any particular printer is better...
Hi Keith, what software do you use to get the borderless card printing or your editing in general?
Photoshop - been using it for over 20 years ;-)
An example from when I was testing the pro-300
www.northlight-images.co.uk/greeting-card-paper-and-printing/
Affinity photo is getting better though...
Hi Keith! New subscriber here 🙋🏻♀ Thank you for these amazing videos, I'm planning to buy this printer next week from amazon UK and I was wondering if you have an affiliate link I can use :)
Thanks for asking, I've no UK links at the moment...
Do check the main [written] review as well, since it has links to all my articles/videos covering the 8550
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
HI, Keith
Please excuse my ignorance but
what exactly is a printing profile and more importantly how do incorporate them into your printing,
See here for some info
ruclips.net/video/PcUx-WTSgo0/видео.html
Also - read some of my printer reviews, such as the 8550 one
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
Personally I much prefer written reviews to these videos ;-)
Have a look at some of the videos/reviews for other printers - the printing process is covered in many
Sorry, but printing does require some learning if you want decent results. ;-)
Hello Keith! Can you please tell me what is the maximum gsm I can print on this machine?? if I want to make wedding cards? Thank you so much!
it's thickness not gsm you need to look at - see my printing of poster board video for thick card
For the top feed I'd expect no problems with 390 gsm - the main thing is to get card intended for inkjet use if you want to print any more than black text.
Greetings. I'm putting together a system to reproduce from negatives and prints. Should I get a separate flatbed scanner or use the scanner on the ET-5880 printer??? Thanks for your advice....
The 8550 scanner is flatbed, so no good for negatives.
Depends on how 'pro' you want to go - my choice would be something like the Epson V850
Hello and happy christnas:) can you recomendet inkjet printer for busness cards ,thank you.
It's not something I test - for individual cards you need something small like the G500 I looked at. However there are many printers in this range and I don't really cover small stuff like this.
Getting the right card stock is important though
Hi
Sorry, I'm trying to find the paper you have used. I've found the Fotocard platinum etchiing 285 but I've not seen one that says it's precreased or that it comes with envelopes. I was just wondering if you or someone would be able to guide me on where to find the precreased version.
Thanks in advance!
You need to ask the supplier directly about this. I don't actually sell stuff
Fotospeeds own website only has the fotocards that is prescored in A5, A6 and 5x5 in the 285. So seems like it doesn't exist anymore ...
I was looking for it too ...
I'm going to order the A4 and just cut and score it myself :-)
Do you do any reviews on the best scanners for artwork?
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-v850-film-scanner-review/
Would be the best I've looked at for some time
Thats a nice desk the printer is sitting on. Do you recall where you got it from? Regards. David.
It's known as a 'butcher's trolley' - this one from the kitchenware dept at John Lewis [UK] ~12 yrs ago
Hi Keith, where can I get the written article from please?
It's in the main review at
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
There were some serious problems with our web site at the time I did this testing, which led to the scanning bit being included in the main review.
I'm trying to print cards on inkjet heavyweight card paper but the Epson Print Layout software doesn't show letter size card as a media option? I don't have Photoshop. Not sure what setting to use? The only media settings for card are for attaching a roll.
Roll? with the 8550?
Letter is definitely a supported size - card though is a lower quality setting IIRC - see here for my main testing [and links to all my 8550 info]
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
@@KeithCooper by roll I meant longer paper, I assumed the setting was meant for that because when I select it the printer tells me to remove the paper feed unit from the rear and attach it to the feed slot.
The thick loading slot is for thicker card [board] and the straight through print path. See poster-board printing in the review linked above.
Can't I print cards directly from my computer- photos that I've already edited? And why does my printer keep telling me I need to insert a memory card when I attempt to print a scored greeting card? Also, can I download my computer photos onto a memory card or does this only apply to camaras? I'm so incredibly confused and have been trying to figure this all out to make cards. Thanks so much for anything you can tell me. Sorry this is a bit long , I just don't get this!
First up - memory cards have no real place in the process at all.
Something in the computer settings is very wrong (I've never seen this)
Look at the actual review - lots of examples and links (videos as well)
www.northlight-images.co.uk/epson-et-8550-printer-review/
I'd suggest the Epson print software - that and try printing on plain paper - to save waste whilst experiemnting
@@KeithCooper Thank you so very much Keith. I am so frustrated. I will check out what you have suggested.
Hello, is it possible to scan in A3?
No, the maximum scan size is 8.5" x 14" (216 x 355.6 mm)
Is Epson ET-8550 and Epson L8180 are same in all way?
Don't know for sure - L8180 is foreign model number. only Epson know...
can we print on 12*18 300gsm photo paper ?
Yes, it will take paper that size (I printed a lot at 13" x 19" [A3+] )
However, I believe 12x18 [inches?] will need setting as a custom page size and is not supported for borderless printing.
I've not the printer here any more so can't check for sure.
how many pictures we can print per day or regular with this printer ?
Sorry - I've no idea
It's a consumer grade printer, it's not made for continuous or very heavy duty use
How to create a color profile? easy, just print two sheets of paper and use this 5000$ machine...
Fair point, but you could use a cheap second hand i1Pro spectrophotometer and the free ArgyllCMS software.
There are far cheaper methods than mine, but I use that kit for work.
Also some better paper suppliers will do this for you and make custom profiles