DIY Screen Development and Testing

**mechman** · **07-13-09, 09:59 PM**

This thread will encompass getting Black widow darker. I think it will be fairly easy to achieve and I thought I'd start tonight. But I've got an early day tomorrow so I'm gonna hit the sack early.

We're gonna look for something that's gonna be as dark as a Firehawk - something in the N6-6.5 range. And then a N7 to fill the gap between the current Black Widow and this darker one.

Added to this I'm also going to mix up the latest Silver Fire. This is the one that utilizes Liquitex Basics paint - I think the popsicle stick paint comments must've struck a nerve somewhere.

I've already mixed up the color component of this mix and I should have a spectro reading of that tomorrow.

A brief recap of the previous Silver Fire - My version as well as two completely independent versions all produced the same spectral curve. Which wasn't good at all. One of those versions was harpmaker's. This was previous to him becoming a moderator here and previous to him owning a spectro. I believe his spectro confirmed my reading but I cannot recall for sure at the moment. Harp?

I plan on getting started fully on Wednesday and hope to have something close to being done by the time I leave for the cabin on Thursday. This being the darker Black Widow versions. I should have the SF done tomorrow with a spectro reading on Wednesday. For now I just have the 'color component' finished.

**Harpmaker** · **07-13-09, 10:46 PM**

Yeah mech, with some of the new PJ's hitting the 5000 Lumen mark a darker BW would be a good thing to have ready.

Yep, I got essentially the same spectro reading from my Silver Fire screen as you did.

I will be testing the new formula for SF as well. I mixed the 'color component' up some time ago, but have yet found time to make the total mix. Something I can't really explain is that the new SF CC mix separates! A lot of the green color comes to the top of the container after setting for a day or two! I made sure it was totally shook up and mixed as well as possible short of using a commercial paint shaker (there isn't enough paint volume to use a squirrel cage mixing attachment).

Yeah, I think you guys struck a number of nerves with the Mudd mixes (the designers name not mine). PB finally did some color correction on SF. We'll see how close to neutral he got.

**mechman** · **07-14-09, 06:59 AM**

Quote:

Harpmaker wrote:

I will be testing the new formula for SF as well. I mixed the 'color component' up some time ago, but have yet found time to make the total mix. Something I can't really explain is that the new SF CC mix separates! A lot of the green color comes to the top of the container after setting for a day or two! I made sure it was totally shook up and mixed as well as possible short of using a commercial paint shaker (there isn't enough paint volume to use a squirrel cage mixing attachment).

Yeah, I think you guys struck a number of nerves with the Mudd mixes (the designers name not mine). PB finally did some color correction on SF. We'll see how close to neutral he got.

I'll check today and tomorrow on the separating. As for the color correcting, it still seems they are a bit off. I highly doubt the base is going to bring it into neutral. I'm not going to post RGB numbers, I'll just post spectrums. And those will come later today.

Also, throw the Harp's black recipe in here.

**mechman** · **07-14-09, 07:29 AM**

In case you're wondering what the new CalMAN spectrum looks like:

I am not a happy camper at the moment. And I cannot find an old copy of CalMAN either.

Plus, in the old version you could copy and paste the chart. Now, I have no idea what the chart is or how to modify it.

I've got some messages over at their forum regarding this. Derek and company have been very helpful in the past. I hope it continues. And I think they were even showing off the old spectrum chart at avs as what a person could use for color measures.

Here's what that chart should look like:

I can get the rest of data fields on there, including the CIE plot. But no spectrum...

**Harpmaker** · **07-14-09, 09:15 AM**

I like the 0-100 Y-axis, but what's up with the 1-4 X-axis on the Spectrum? I hope you can get it straightened out.

Here is the spectro data on Harp's Black, now all I gotta do is find the formula.

L*ab 16.22 0.08 0.11

RGB 40 40 40

OK, got it!

Craft Smart Black/Premiere Mars Black 1:1. Premiere is a brand name and it has an accent mark.

**mechman** · **07-14-09, 11:33 AM**

Danke Harp. Looks like I may not need it though since your 2:1 was in need of a blue touch.

**Harpmaker** · **07-14-09, 04:53 PM**

Quote:

mechman wrote:

Danke Harp. Looks like I may not need it though since your 2:1 was in need of a blue touch.

Uhhhh... no, I don't think so.

I assume your talking about the BB/AAA-F 2:1 mix. I'll give the data again:
L*ab 74.03 -0.38 -1.15

RGB 180 182 184

Color Temp 6694.8

The extra aluminum was making the mix begin to push blue while not darkening it all that much.

**mechman** · **07-14-09, 10:12 PM**

Definitely misunderstood you and skipped the data. Sounds like I could use some SF color component?!?!?

**Harpmaker** · **07-15-09, 09:11 AM**

Quote:

mechman wrote:

Definitely misunderstood you and skipped the data. Sounds like I could use some SF color component?!?!?

I think there are easier, cheaper and more reliable ways to do it. Also, you need to specify the 'new' SF CC, not the old one!

**mechman** · **08-04-09, 08:23 AM**

In case anyone's wondering why we don't advocate 2:1 or 3:1 Black Widows:

I'm going to be getting these two neutral today. Extra credit for anyone who can tell me what to add to the base.

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