1. Quickstart & Typical Workflow¶

This chapter shows how to install LumaPrint, launch the desktop studio, and create your first color-managed Fine-Art print in four steps.

1. Installation & Launch¶

Build & Install from Source¶

cargo build --release --workspace
sudo install -m 0755 target/release/lumaprint target/release/lumaprint-cli /usr/local/bin/
./bin/install-desktop

Running ./bin/install-desktop installs the desktop entry (de.colorcube.lumaprint.desktop), AppStream metadata, and icons into ~/.local/share so LumaPrint appears in your application launcher.

Launching LumaPrint¶

Launch LumaPrint from your desktop application menu or from a terminal:

# Start with an empty session:
lumaprint

# Or pass one or more image files directly on the command line:
lumaprint ~/Photos/FineArt_01.tif ~/Photos/FineArt_02.tif

2. Your First Fine-Art Print in 4 Steps¶

Step 1: Import Images into the Image Pool (Left Dock)¶

1. Click + Add in the 🖼 Image pool dock on the left (or press Ctrl+O), or simply drag and drop .tif, .png, .jpg, or .webp files from your file manager into the window.
2. To place an image onto the current sheet, double-click its card in the Image Pool, drag it onto a slot on the sheet, or click 🪄 Distribute onto sheets to automatically populate sheets with all unplaced images.

Step 2: Select Printer, Media Type & Paper Size (Right Dock → 1. Printer settings)¶

1. Choose your CUPS queue under Printer (e.g. Epson_SC_P900).
2. Select your paper under Media type (e.g. Velvet Fine Art Paper or a custom paper installed via epmi).
3. LumaPrint automatically selects the matching black ink badge (PK Photo Black vs. MK Matte Black) and default Paper source (e.g. Rear feed (sheet) or Front feed – Fine Art).
4. Select the Paper size (e.g. A4, A3, A3+, A2) and Print quality (e.g. High quality / Photo (1440 x 1440 dpi) or Max. quality (2880 x 1440 dpi)).

Step 3: Adjust Layout (2. Sheet layout)¶

1. Choose a Layout type:
2. Standard: Single image on the sheet. Drag the corner handles directly on the canvas to resize, or enter exact millimeter margins / print dimensions.
3. Template: Multi-image contact sheet or Bento layout (up to 25 slots).
4. Gallery: Canvas stretcher frame with mirrored or shaded wrap borders.
5. Panorama: Roll paper / banner print.
6. Gang: Automatic space-saving nesting of multiple print sizes.
7. Use the frameless icon strip directly above the sheet to switch between Fit (Bild einpassen) and Fill (Fläche ausfüllen), open the Crop modal (✂), or rotate/flip the image.

Step 4: Configure Color Management, Softproof & Print (3. Color settings & Footer)¶

1. Under 3. Color settings, select your Color mode:
2. Color-managed (ICC paper profile): LumaPrint applies the paper's .icc profile (with Relative Colorimetric intent + Black Point Compensation by default) and disables the printer driver's internal color correction (NoColorAdjustment).
3. Printer automatic: Sends the image in Adobe RGB (1998) (LUT 0x06, matching Epson Print Layout) to the printer driver.
4. Black & white (Advanced B&W): Enables neutral or toned monochrome printing (Advanced view).
5. Optional: Click 👁 Soft proof (Ctrl+Shift+S) in the top toolbar and enable Paper white to preview how the paper's white point and black density will look under D50 (5000K) viewing light.
6. In the sticky bottom footer of the Right Dock, choose the Range (All sheets or Current sheet), optionally enable Test strip (Print a 1:1 section) to print a narrow test band first, and click 🖨 Print (or switch to the 💾 Export tab to save a 16-bit TIFF/PNG sheet).

3. Headless CLI Quickstart (lumaprint-cli)¶

For batch workflows, studio automation, or printing calibration charts without opening the GUI, use lumaprint-cli:

# List discovered CUPS printers and ICC profiles:
lumaprint-cli printers
lumaprint-cli icc-list

# Render a 16-bit print sheet to a 720 DPI TIFF file:
lumaprint-cli render \
  --image ~/Photos/AlpineTwilight.tif \
  --paper A3+ \
  --media VelvetFineArt \
  --dpi 720 \
  --output /tmp/sheet_a3plus.tif