GS6000 Gray

[datoshway]

I've owned this printer for 5 years and have had nothing but problems printing gray. Anyone have an solutions? Iv'e tried different profiles, all my grays either come out purple or green or just inconsistent from panel to panel.

 

[Correct Color]

The problem is that what all the profiles you've tried have in common is that none of them were made on your machine in your environment on your media.

They may or may not even be good profiles, but they don't describe exactly how your machine prints, again, on your media on your machine and in your environment.

And what's worth repeating is that your RIP has no idea how your printer prints. All it does is convert pixels into dots based on the information in whatever profile you tell it to use. If that information matches what your printer prints, matching colors -- including grey -- is easy.

If not, it's not.

And the reason you're having trouble with grey is that if you're using a profile that is off by, say, 5% to how your printer actually prints in the conditions in which you're using it, in 'pleasing color' situations you're likely to not be too offended by that difference either in saturated colors or even in unsaturated colors that lean to one shade. But since a neutral has to be neutral, and since odds are most of the profiles you're using don't even start black till around 30%, that means that most of your grey builds are going to be predominantly CMY, or more accurately, lclmY.

Be off then by even a tiny bit, and you will not get neutral.

 

[datoshway]

The problem is that what all the profiles you've tried have in common is that none of them were made on your machine in your environment on your media.

They may or may not even be good profiles, but they don't describe exactly how your machine prints, again, on your media on your machine and in your environment.

And what's worth repeating is that your RIP has no idea how your printer prints. All it does is convert pixels into dots based on the information in whatever profile you tell it to use. If that information matches what your printer prints, matching colors -- including grey -- is easy.

If not, it's not.

And the reason you're having trouble with grey is that if you're using a profile that is off by, say, 5% to how your printer actually prints in the conditions in which you're using it, in 'pleasing color' situations you're likely to not be too offended by that difference either in saturated colors or even in unsaturated colors that lean to one shade. But since a neutral has to be neutral, and since odds are most of the profiles you're using don't even start black till around 30%, that means that most of your grey builds are going to be predominantly CMY, or more accurately, lclmY.

Be off then by even a tiny bit, and you will not get neutral.

Thank you so much for the detailed reply. So do you think I should just build a profile for grey builds?

 

[Correct Color]

Well, since what I do for a living is color management for large and grand format printers -- which includes profile making, what I'd recommend is that you hire me to get your entire color management house in order.

But if you have a spectro and software and want to try, have a go. But understand that there's a very steep learning curve involved in making truly spectacular profiles, and it is your profiles that determine how your printer prints. And my experience over a number of years is that you'll get better results and spend less money by paying me to come do it absolutely right the first time than by taking on the challenge of trying to get there on your own.

 

[datoshway]

I would absolutely love to hire you. How do we go about this? PM me?

 

[Correct Color]

PM sent.