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screen color does not match print
- Thread starter Wrapdup
- Start date
Custom_Grafx
New Member
First question.
Is your monitor colour calibrated?
Is your monitor colour calibrated?
SignBurst PCs
New Member
You should probably educate yourself on:
Monitor Profiles / Calibration
RIP / Print Profiles
It can be a pretty long process, but it is worth it in the long run. It looks (sounds) like you are new to the business, but matching colors can be frustrating if not done correctly.
Monitor Profiles / Calibration
RIP / Print Profiles
It can be a pretty long process, but it is worth it in the long run. It looks (sounds) like you are new to the business, but matching colors can be frustrating if not done correctly.
This is a long story, but to make it short it involves me and a business partner who is the "educated" one. He has fallen on some hard times and diagnosed with some serious health problems about a couple months into going into business.
Having said that, I'm just looking for some direction as I do not know all the in's and outs yet. Thanks for any help.
Having said that, I'm just looking for some direction as I do not know all the in's and outs yet. Thanks for any help.
Custom_Grafx
New Member
That's why I asked that to start off with.
If you don't know what it is, or how to do it, or whether or not your screen is calibrated, my only next step is to direct you to Casey's advice.
The process is as follows;
1) if you don't already have one, buy an i1
2) calibrate your monitor
3) linearise your printer
4) calibrate your total ink limits
4) create a custom colour profile for your media and resolution/settings
5) "soft proof" in your graphics application to see a preview of your print as close as possible to the real thing (note, it will never be exactly the same as on your screen).
6) print with the same colour management settings as you are previewing with.
This is a generalised answer to your problem. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to your problem. (not without sitting next to you and seeing it myself anyway).
If you don't know what it is, or how to do it, or whether or not your screen is calibrated, my only next step is to direct you to Casey's advice.
The process is as follows;
1) if you don't already have one, buy an i1
2) calibrate your monitor
3) linearise your printer
4) calibrate your total ink limits
4) create a custom colour profile for your media and resolution/settings
5) "soft proof" in your graphics application to see a preview of your print as close as possible to the real thing (note, it will never be exactly the same as on your screen).
6) print with the same colour management settings as you are previewing with.
This is a generalised answer to your problem. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to your problem. (not without sitting next to you and seeing it myself anyway).
CS-SignSupply-TT
New Member
Calibration!
+1 I HIGHLY recommend the X-Rite end to end solution. You must know at the outset, CALIBRATION requires an investment of time and money.
+1 I HIGHLY recommend the X-Rite end to end solution. You must know at the outset, CALIBRATION requires an investment of time and money.
Custom_Grafx
New Member
CS-SignSupply-TT
New Member
+1 a foundational step that allows you to show your customer the colors available on that particular media. Once the customer "points to the color and says THAT ONE", then you are both assured that the color delivered is the right color. Produce color charts for the top five media you print on.
CS-SignSupply-TT
New Member
If the color charts are unacceptable, then color calibration i.e. X-Rite is the next step
Custom_Grafx
New Member
If you don't have the time or patience for learning this thing called colour management, which is what you're after, there are also people available who do it for a living. They are not cheap, but will visit you, calibrate your machine and even explain to you about the whole process.
Try googling "colour management consultant" or "colour calibration services" and you should find someone local.
Try googling "colour management consultant" or "colour calibration services" and you should find someone local.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
When you say it's off, do you mean a purple looks blue... or a brown looks maroon or are we splitting hairs and you are at 98 out of a 100 just not dead balls on ??
Some color manipulation just isn't possible and it will vary from profile to profile.
The very first thing I would do is find some common colors like reds, blues, browns and so on.... kinda like a Crayola crayon pack and print all the colors out and see which ones are off a little or entirely a different color. Next, instead of fixing it yet, go through all of your profiles with the matching media and see if they are all off the same in each of the profiles. We've had experiences of using the wrong profile with the wrong media and finding out, the colors weren't off, but the profiles were out of whack.
I don't know how true this is, but even using one brand of banner material will vary when using another manufacturers of the same stuff. Supposedly, they all have their own profiles.
After you figure out what is off, then if you want to calibrate everything go ahead, but there are still some other things you can do before calibrating your system.
Remember, if you're doing the artwork from scratch, you'll have a pretty good chance of everything working out. However, the vast majority of files come in from so many sources and regardless of how well your system is color calibrated for monitor to wide format printers to your desk top printer.... it won't mean squat if your customer sees a different color on their monitor. You can complain til you're blue in the face.... PMS 286, but if they give you something and in their heads it has to be PMS 280, you're always gonna be wrong.
There are programs out there which will in fact, print out the color you've chosen on your system and will print out about 100 or 200 close matches in all directions. This is by far the best way for someone to choose their color if they are finicky. We do it all the time.
Some color manipulation just isn't possible and it will vary from profile to profile.
The very first thing I would do is find some common colors like reds, blues, browns and so on.... kinda like a Crayola crayon pack and print all the colors out and see which ones are off a little or entirely a different color. Next, instead of fixing it yet, go through all of your profiles with the matching media and see if they are all off the same in each of the profiles. We've had experiences of using the wrong profile with the wrong media and finding out, the colors weren't off, but the profiles were out of whack.
I don't know how true this is, but even using one brand of banner material will vary when using another manufacturers of the same stuff. Supposedly, they all have their own profiles.
After you figure out what is off, then if you want to calibrate everything go ahead, but there are still some other things you can do before calibrating your system.
Remember, if you're doing the artwork from scratch, you'll have a pretty good chance of everything working out. However, the vast majority of files come in from so many sources and regardless of how well your system is color calibrated for monitor to wide format printers to your desk top printer.... it won't mean squat if your customer sees a different color on their monitor. You can complain til you're blue in the face.... PMS 286, but if they give you something and in their heads it has to be PMS 280, you're always gonna be wrong.
There are programs out there which will in fact, print out the color you've chosen on your system and will print out about 100 or 200 close matches in all directions. This is by far the best way for someone to choose their color if they are finicky. We do it all the time.
CS-SignSupply-TT
New Member
Color management
+1 If time is money and you do not want to learn the art of color management, hire it out!
+1 If time is money and you do not want to learn the art of color management, hire it out!
summit graphics
New Member
Pantone Huey Stick
go to office depot and drop a hundred on the pantone huey stick. It will automatically adjust the monitor to pms colors and also adjust for lighting. Unless a customer gives you a specific pantone color, its hard to match "Blue".
Print out color charts for the 2 or 3 materials that you use and put them in a binder for your customers to look at.
go to office depot and drop a hundred on the pantone huey stick. It will automatically adjust the monitor to pms colors and also adjust for lighting. Unless a customer gives you a specific pantone color, its hard to match "Blue".
Print out color charts for the 2 or 3 materials that you use and put them in a binder for your customers to look at.
Here are some articles from Rich Adams to introduce you to color management:
http://www.mutoh.com/color_management.php
http://www.mutoh.com/color_management.php