Sneaky Dirty QUICK way to address greyscale color shifts with a bonus feature

[ColorCrest]

I Agree, a lot of people don't understand the concept of colour management, or know that they should be creating their own media profiles

It seems the OP's current issue is printer calibration which, technically, does not necessarily involve color management nor ICC profiles. There are imaging industries and workflows which require only calibration and no ICC profiles and others that may use permanent ICC profiles. Calibration is what keeps their systems true.

I've mentioned before, calibration may be performed using densitometers, spectrophotometers, and by eye. Some are easier than others.

 

[jtiii]

I get that the OP has this tip that helps him out, but this is a crummy plaster solution to a much bigger problem on so many printers, with operaters not caring to get educated on how to fix the problem. Again, not dissing the OP, but this is not moving a the problem towards a good, sustainable solution.

Stephen, I completely agree that this doesn't address or correct the larger problem. I just posted it so people who need to get something out the door, and don't have the knowledge or maybe the tools to get that neutral gray, might have a way to get the job done.

 

[ColorCrest]

Stephen, I completely agree that this doesn't address or correct the larger problem.

Since you’re going to the trouble to work on individual raster elements, there is a technique which does address and readily exposes any larger problem…

Print a raster file of neutral gray steps. It’s best if the printed gray steps are the same size as your standard printer’s gray scale. Comparing the print to the standard, simply notice any color differences and correct each step of the file using the color curve control in your raster editor until the subsequent prints match the standard within reason. The goal is to save one curve out of the raster editor which can be applied, potentially global as well, to files going forward which need manual correction for the particular printer / ink / media setup.

The color curve is directly transferable to a RIP, in one way or another, and reveals the directions and values for calibration corrections whenever that might happen.

The method is not new. It is / was mainly used to correct closed-loop systems which inherently use poor calibration as the factory default.

 

[bob]

I get that the OP has this tip that helps him out, but this is a crummy plaster solution to a much bigger problem on so many printers, with operaters not caring to get educated on how to fix the problem. Again, not dissing the OP, but this is not moving a the problem towards a good, sustainable solution.

What if the file is being viewed close up? What if the image contains grey areas within a larger colour image? What if it’s an actual logo? What if you’ve been supplied a massive flattened image?

Rather put time and money into sorting out your profiles. If he is running a 315 then the profile is very possibly not correct for the media (remember that white comes in many colours) so you might be thinking a profile for a white cast is fine for a cheap promo white vinyl. But it’s not. Cheap vinyls have been whitened to within an inch of their usability with OB’s. HP actually ships with really good profiles, so I doubt it’s their profile that has the issue.

Check if the light colors are holding up during printing. The light colours on latex machine have been historically shitty and that side of the head would fail way before the others.

The biggest issue I have with this tip is that if your greys are out, then your whole image is very possibly out. Greys are the first thing I look at after doing a profile. How is this solution fixing all your other colours?
I’m willing to help you create a proper profile, just keep in mind that I am based in South Africa, so sending printed swatches will take a while.

Spoken like a true colorista with the light of righteousness burning in its eyes. To steal a line from the bard; there are more ways to get perfectly acceptable output from a printer than are dreamt of in your philosophy there Stevie.

 

[ColorCrest]

Rather put time and money into sorting out your profiles. If he is running a 315 then the profile is very possibly not correct for the media (remember that white comes in many colours) so you might be thinking a profile for a white cast is fine for a cheap promo white vinyl. But it’s not. Cheap vinyls have been whitened to within an inch of their usability with OB’s.

A "sneaky dirty QUICK" way to see if OBs are present is to use any black light. The attached images show 2 very expensive canvas media that react very differently to certain lighting. (Canvas print on the left vs a portion of a canvas print, lower center.)

 

[jtiii]

see if OBs are present

What are OBs and why are they bad?

 

[ColorCrest]

What are OBs and why are they bad?

OBs, more often referred to as OBAs, are "optical brightener agents" added to print media coatings (among many other materials.) OBAs will influence spectrophotometer readings unless a UV cut filter is knowingly used and OBAs will influence perceived color, especially black & white images, between appearing either bluish or yellowish in different light and also over time, the older the media gets and what lighting the print was subjected to.

If you're making exhibits, museum displays, or critical branding signage as well as investing time in creating your own ICC profiles, you surely want to know if the media is loaded with OBAs.

 

[Pauly]

OBs, more often referred to as OBAs, are "optical brightener agents" added to print media coatings (among many other materials.) OBAs will influence spectrophotometer readings unless a UV cut filter is knowingly used and OBAs will influence perceived color, especially black & white images, between appearing either bluish or yellowish in different light and also over time, the older the media gets and what lighting the print was subjected to.

If you're making exhibits, museum displays, or critical branding signage as well as investing time in creating your own ICC profiles, you surely want to know if the media is loaded with OBAs.

100% if you're doing any photography prints, branding, anything colour critical, even colour matching (pantone), you'll want to make your own icc profiles.
You can pick up an i1pro3 publish and have all the tools you'll need for a long time.

 

[StephenOrange]

Stephen, I completely agree that this doesn't address or correct the larger problem. I just posted it so people who need to get something out the door, and don't have the knowledge or maybe the tools to get that neutral gray, might have a way to get the job done.

I really, honestly get it. More than willing to help you try and figure out what the underlaying issue is. Dm me if you need more assistance and I'll try my best to help.

 

[StephenOrange]

Spoken like a true colorista with the light of righteousness burning in its eyes. To steal a line from the bard; there are more ways to get perfectly acceptable output from a printer than are dreamt of in your philosophy there Stevie.

My name is Stephen, not Stevie. I joined the group to partake in finding solutions and for asking assistance, not to deal with shitty responses from members. Why not actually offer assistance to jtiii instead of posting useless dribble?

 

[jtiii]

I really, honestly get it. More than willing to help you try and figure out what the underlaying issue is. Dm me if you need more assistance and I'll try my best to help.

Thanks Stephen!

 

[bob]

My name is Stephen, not Stevie. I joined the group to partake in finding solutions and for asking assistance, not to deal with shitty responses from members. Why not actually offer assistance to jtiii instead of posting useless dribble?

Well Stevie, when it's your turn to post you get to post whatever you want to say. When it's my turn I get to post whatever it might please me to say. For my reasons or no reason at all. I seek neither your permission nor your approval. If what I might have to say bothers you then you're going to be bothered. By the bye, it's "Drivel" not "Dribble". Dribble is what you do when you can't find your sippy cup. Drivel is what you produce when you write about it.