
This plate was made from a Stouffer 31 step wedge and PDN Color Density Range Palette printed with an Epson 3880 using UltraChrome K3 inks on Pictorico OHP. The plate is ImagOn Ultra on 1/16″ acrylic and it was exposed in a NuArc 26-1K platemaker, first with a McClain’s aquatint screen for 20 units and then the Pictorico positive for 1.5 units. Step 3 on the Stouffer shows a light blush of gray, and step 2 is solid white, indicating the plate is overexposed by about 1/3 of a stop. An examination of steps 5-9 on the right side of the Stouffer shows that 1/3 of a stop can make the difference between 75% black and 90%. To get to 100% black requires moving all the way to step 9.