The Cave - FAQ

How do I get a door code for The Cave?

Instructors should send an email to the Art Dept. IT Coordinator requesting codes for their students.

What kind of optical media should I buy?

All workstations in The Cave can burn CD's and DVD's. For DVD's, the G5's can handle most of the formats out there (DVD-R and DVD+R) but the G4 computer is limited to recording DVD-R discs only. DVD-R is generally the best (most ubiquitous) type of DVD media, it tends to work in the most amount of machinery out there. CD-R and CD-RW media should be fine for all Cave computers.

NOTE: when purchasing blank DVD's, try to buy media that's rated at or below "8x" burn speed, AVOID getting "16x" speed. You should also AVOID the re-writable formats (DVD-RW, DVD+RW, CD-RW)

Can I use a Wacom tablet in The Cave?

Yes, the Wacom drivers are loaded on the computers.

What do "PK" and "MK" mean?

These abbreviations refer to the type of black ink used. PK is short for Photo Black, and MK is short for Matte Black. The "K" is used instead of "B" to avoid any possible confusion with the "B" already used when describing Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) images.

The colors on my prints are way off, what's going on?

Usually bad color can be traced to 3 common problems. The first thing to check is your print settings. If you tell Photoshop you want to print with a paper profile ("Let Photoshop Determine Colors"), and if you also do not disable the Color Management setting in the Epson print menu, then you are Double Color Managing and this will always, always, always lead to prints with skewed colors.

The second thing for you to check is to make sure that your image in Photoshop has the same color profile assigned to it as the working color space in Photoshop. First go up to the menu bar and choose "Edit--->Color Settings..." and make sure the RGB working space is set to "Adobe RGB 1998." Then go back up to the menu bar and choose "Edit--->Assign Profile..." and make sure the selected profile for your image is "Adobe RGB 1998."

If neither of the first two suggestions solve your color problems, then it's very likely the printer has one or more clogs in the ink nozzles. The process of testing for and removing ink clogs is a relatively straight-forward process. Please contact the Art IT Coordinator for assistance.

Why are some paper profiles created at 720 DPI
when 1440 is the preferred resolution?

You will notice that some of the custom paper profiles have "720" in their names, which indicates that the paper profile was created at 720 DPI. These profiles were created using the Plain Paper media type, which limits the print resolution to 720 DPI. Plain Paper is a recommended media type for printing on uncoated fine art papers; the lowered resolution is an unfortunate side effect. However, you can still print at 1440 with these "720" profiles...they have been successfully tested using "Photo Quality Inkjet Paper" as the media type and 1440 DPI as the print resolution.

What paper profiles are available in The Cave?

Each printer has a slightly different set of papers that have been profiled for it; most of these papers that have been profiled for The Cave are available at the paper store across the courtyard from The Cave (next door to the Printmaking Studio). Click here for a list of Cave paper profiles.

What paper should I print on?

That's a difficult question to answer and depends on many things. Try to use one of the papers that has been profiled here at the Art Dept. Also remember that certain papers work better with certain inks. For instance, glossy papers tend to work better with dye based printers. Also keep in mind that certain printers are configured for certain paper types. The 7600, due to its matte black ink, will not work well on glossy paper types.

What if I have a special kind of paper but no profile?

You have potentially two options. Depending on the manufacturer of your paper, you might be able to download a paper profile directly from that company's website. Or, if you are willing to wait longer, the Art IT coordinator should be able to build you a profile. You will need to submit a sample of your paper for profiling; whichever method you decide upon, please contact the IT coordinator for assistance.

Where can I buy rolls of paper?

You will find the best selection online. Check out B&H Photo, Calumet Photo, and Exim Vaios.

What is the maximum printable length for the printers?

If you are using the standard epson print driver, the maximum lengths you can print are as follows:

Epson 7800 = 90.5"
Epson 7600 = 90.5"
Epson 4000 = 44"

There is a work-around if you would like to print longer than these lengths. If you print your image from within Adobe Illustrator, you can use a feature called "tiling" to effectively double the maximum print lengths (i.e., 90.5 inches becomes 180 inches). Click here for a tutorial on how to do this.

NOTE: although this tiling procedure has been successfully tested on the 7600, you should be warned that it is an extremely buggy process and not everything included in epson's tutorial will be accurate information.

Do the printers have minimum paper sizes?

YES, each printer is different about this. If you want to print a small size, use a bigger piece of paper and then cut out your image.

How do I know which media type to use?

Take a look at the glossary section on Media Type.

What software is available in The Cave?

A software list is available here.

What if I'm scanning a black and white image?

If you are scanning black and white 35mm, use the Nikon V scanner, and choose "14 bit" and "Grayscale" modes when you scan. If you are scanning larger transparencies or prints, use the Epson 4990 flatbed scanner, and choose "16 bit" and "Grayscale" when you scan.

Can I put my art up on the walls of The Cave?

Keep it tasteful, sign and date your work, and don't hide the signage that's already up on the walls.

What do the names of the computers mean?

The computers are named after some famous caves around the world, here is a quick rundown:

Niah - located in Sarawak, Malaysia, this cave is known to have had inhabitants living in it 40,000 years ago.

Lascaux - a French cave system famous for its cave paintings from roughly 19,000 years ago.

Voronya - the deepest known cave in the world (from entrance to lowest point), at 2,080 meters. Located in Abkhazia, Georgia.

Mammoth - a cave in Kentucky that holds the record for being the longest known in the world (579km).

Carlsbad - another very large series of caverns located in New Mexico.

Bat - The Bat Cave

Kazumura - the longest and deepest Lava Tube in the world, located on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Painted - the Painted Cave of Santa Cruz Island off of California is the home of the world's largest Sea Cave.


Cave Home	Cave Equipment	Frequently Asked Questions How do I get a door code for The Cave? Instructors should send an email to the Art Dept. IT Coordinator requesting codes for their students. What kind of optical media should I buy? All workstations in The Cave can burn CD's and DVD's. For DVD's, the G5's can handle most of the formats out there (DVD-R and DVD+R) but the G4 computer is limited to recording DVD-R discs only. DVD-R is generally the best (most ubiquitous) type of DVD media, it tends to work in the most amount of machinery out there. CD-R and CD-RW media should be fine for all Cave computers. NOTE: when purchasing blank DVD's, try to buy media that's rated at or below "8x" burn speed, AVOID getting "16x" speed. You should also AVOID the re-writable formats (DVD-RW, DVD+RW, CD-RW) Can I use a Wacom tablet in The Cave? Yes, the Wacom drivers are loaded on the computers. What do "PK" and "MK" mean? These abbreviations refer to the type of black ink used. PK is short for Photo Black, and MK is short for Matte Black. The "K" is used instead of "B" to avoid any possible confusion with the "B" already used when describing Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) images. The colors on my prints are way off, what's going on? Usually bad color can be traced to 3 common problems. The first thing to check is your print settings. If you tell Photoshop you want to print with a paper profile ("Let Photoshop Determine Colors"), and if you also do not disable the Color Management setting in the Epson print menu, then you are Double Color Managing and this will always, always, always lead to prints with skewed colors. The second thing for you to check is to make sure that your image in Photoshop has the same color profile assigned to it as the working color space in Photoshop. First go up to the menu bar and choose "Edit--->Color Settings..." and make sure the RGB working space is set to "Adobe RGB 1998." Then go back up to the menu bar and choose "Edit--->Assign Profile..." and make sure the selected profile for your image is "Adobe RGB 1998." If neither of the first two suggestions solve your color problems, then it's very likely the printer has one or more clogs in the ink nozzles. The process of testing for and removing ink clogs is a relatively straight-forward process. Please contact the Art IT Coordinator for assistance. Why are some paper profiles created at 720 DPI when 1440 is the preferred resolution? You will notice that some of the custom paper profiles have "720" in their names, which indicates that the paper profile was created at 720 DPI. These profiles were created using the Plain Paper media type, which limits the print resolution to 720 DPI. Plain Paper is a recommended media type for printing on uncoated fine art papers; the lowered resolution is an unfortunate side effect. However, you can still print at 1440 with these "720" profiles...they have been successfully tested using "Photo Quality Inkjet Paper" as the media type and 1440 DPI as the print resolution. What paper profiles are available in The Cave? Each printer has a slightly different set of papers that have been profiled for it; most of these papers that have been profiled for The Cave are available at the paper store across the courtyard from The Cave (next door to the Printmaking Studio). Click here for a list of Cave paper profiles. What paper should I print on? That's a difficult question to answer and depends on many things. Try to use one of the papers that has been profiled here at the Art Dept. Also remember that certain papers work better with certain inks. For instance, glossy papers tend to work better with dye based printers. Also keep in mind that certain printers are configured for certain paper types. The 7600, due to its matte black ink, will not work well on glossy paper types. What if I have a special kind of paper but no profile? You have potentially two options. Depending on the manufacturer of your paper, you might be able to download a paper profile directly from that company's website. Or, if you are willing to wait longer, the Art IT coordinator should be able to build you a profile. You will need to submit a sample of your paper for profiling; whichever method you decide upon, please contact the IT coordinator for assistance. Where can I buy rolls of paper? You will find the best selection online. Check out B&H Photo, Calumet Photo, and Exim Vaios. What is the maximum printable length for the printers? If you are using the standard epson print driver, the maximum lengths you can print are as follows: Epson 7800 = 90.5" Epson 7600 = 90.5" Epson 4000 = 44" There is a work-around if you would like to print longer than these lengths. If you print your image from within Adobe Illustrator, you can use a feature called "tiling" to effectively double the maximum print lengths (i.e., 90.5 inches becomes 180 inches). Click here for a tutorial on how to do this. NOTE: although this tiling procedure has been successfully tested on the 7600, you should be warned that it is an extremely buggy process and not everything included in epson's tutorial will be accurate information. Do the printers have minimum paper sizes? YES, each printer is different about this. If you want to print a small size, use a bigger piece of paper and then cut out your image. How do I know which media type to use? Take a look at the glossary section on Media Type. What software is available in The Cave? A software list is available here. What if I'm scanning a black and white image? If you are scanning black and white 35mm, use the Nikon V scanner, and choose "14 bit" and "Grayscale" modes when you scan. If you are scanning larger transparencies or prints, use the Epson 4990 flatbed scanner, and choose "16 bit" and "Grayscale" when you scan. Can I put my art up on the walls of The Cave? Keep it tasteful, sign and date your work, and don't hide the signage that's already up on the walls. What do the names of the computers mean? The computers are named after some famous caves around the world, here is a quick rundown: Niah - located in Sarawak, Malaysia, this cave is known to have had inhabitants living in it 40,000 years ago. Lascaux - a French cave system famous for its cave paintings from roughly 19,000 years ago. Voronya - the deepest known cave in the world (from entrance to lowest point), at 2,080 meters. Located in Abkhazia, Georgia. Mammoth - a cave in Kentucky that holds the record for being the longest known in the world (579km). Carlsbad - another very large series of caverns located in New Mexico. Bat - The Bat Cave Kazumura - the longest and deepest Lava Tube in the world, located on the Big Island of Hawaii. Painted - the Painted Cave of Santa Cruz Island off of California is the home of the world's largest Sea Cave.
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