How do I make a color chart ?

[olea]

Hi Guys,

The help and information on here has been excellent.

I am still in the process of setting up the printer at our work to do the vinyl printing we need for our clients.

I have got our printer up and running (mutoh VJ 1204)

But sometimes things print out different colors from what I view on screen. Or different to what our local printing vendor sends to us.

I heard there is a way to print color charts and match them up.

What does this process involve and are there any links or information you could point me to?

I am not looking for absolute perfection here but something that at least has a method or thought process behind it.

Thanks !

 

[bob]

What software are you using? I you're wrangling Flexi making color charts has been covered many many times, do a search.

 

[J Hill Designs]

http://www.signs101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77476

 

[4R Graphics]

Things printing different means you need different profiles if you need to hit exact colors from other peoples files you have 2 choices first and best one is to build your own profiles and you should print really well or 2 make a chart like your asking about print it out tell them to use it or you make the changes to there files (which sucks hope you charge for your time).

As for printing what you see on the screen well is your monitor calibrated if not then dont even bother trying to print what you see you will never be able to until you calibrate your monitor and printer.

Good Luck.

 

[olea]

Thanks guys. I did read some heated discussions in regards to colors rgb cmyk, that was very interesting read.

Pardon my naivety but what exactly does it mean to create a profile. How does one go about doing that?

Thanks for all the answers.

 

[aaronJREgraphics]

If your using flexi production manager the tab up top on the layout page that says "default job properties" You do all your color corrections in color management tab and the color adjustment tab, vividness, your values, gradient smoothness, color correction all this will effect your color mess with them until you get your desired color and then re-name it and save it with the tabs next to your profile selector in the top left hand corner......i have hundred of profiles for different customers and materials in my production manager. Good luck!

 

[4R Graphics]

Olea,
Do a search here on the forum for color managment and profile making there is alot of info.

Making profiles requires the right equipment and software and depending on the rip you use it could be $1500 to $5000 to beable to make your own profiles. Plus there is a little bit of a learning curve.

 

[EstiSetser]

Related question:
If you build a profile for a specific brand of substrate, will it work for other brands that have the same technical specs? Or are there factors not typically listed on those (i.e.: coating, density, denier, adhesive, flame resistance) that go into it?