major color differences

[tboneman2]

Just did a business card project for my wife's little business. We have a Pixma iP 1600. It's the best ink jet printer I've ever owned. Having said that, however, there seems to be a problem with the printer reading color instructions from software. She wanted the cards to be bright. Using the Avery Design Pro 5.5, which is a dream to use, we created the card and selected the colors.

The problem is, the colors we see on the monitor and the ones we get on the printout, are 2 different shades of color. The printout is much darker than the monitor. The monitor colors are the ones we'd like to have; the printout is drab by comparison.
The Avery software is excellent in providing all the color data I could ask for. I don't pretend to know what the various settings mean(color, sat, lum, red, green blue...each has a number setting).All I know is, when I try to get a bright color, I get about 2 or 3 shades darker on business card glossy stock.


Is there a fix? Can the printer be adjusted to print what the monitor/software creates?

Thanx.

 

[fotofreek]

Generally you have to callibrate your monitor to get as close a match as possible from monitor to printout. Also, You must use paper that is specially coated for inkjete printing. Standard card stock or glossy stock that are not inkjet-printer coated will almost always produce unsatisfactory results.

 

[Grandad35]

Generally you have to callibrate your monitor to get as close a match as possible from monitor to printout. Also, You must use paper that is specially coated for inkjete printing. Standard card stock or glossy stock that are not inkjet-printer coated will almost always produce unsatisfactory results.

+1

Also remember that inkjet printers can print some colors that your monitor can't display and can't print other colors that your monitor does display. The wire frame in this 3-D model shows the color range (gamut) of my right monitor and the solid shows the color range of my printer (both calibrated). You have asked a very complex question that can't be properly answered with a simple explanation.

 

[tboneman2]

"...Generally you have to callibrate your monitor"

How do I do that?

 

[crenedecotret]

Normally you would need a hardware device to measure your monitor's response and create your profile for you. But those usually start at around 100$ which you might not want to spend.

There is a method on the cheap that while way far than perfect is better than leaving your monitor at the default level. Take a few sheets of your paper just enough so that the color of your desk will not be shown through. Turn on any lights that you use to evaluate your prints.

Set your monitor to display a completely white image (Red 255, Green 255 Blue 255), full screen or close to that (set your desktop background to white). If your monitor has an "sRGB" default, switch to it. Then slowly lower the brightness on your monitor until it matches the brightness of the paper. Typically monitors are way too bright on factory defaults to look impressive in a store demo.

When you're done, your prints should not look much darker than the monitor.

The colors will not be an exact match.. this is very difficult to do with "eyeball" adjustments. What you could do is look at your paper in whatever environment you will be evaluating the prints in then adjust red, green and blue on your monitor until the white of your monitor matches the white of your paper. Like I said, this is extremely difficult because your eye adapts to the white you're looking at and your brains tells you "this is white". This is why I suggest looking for an sRGB setting on your monitor which will be as close as your can get without calibration hardware.

 

[barfl2]

Just did a business card project for my wife's little business. We have a Pixma iP 1600. It's the best ink jet printer I've ever owned. Having said that, however, there seems to be a problem with the printer reading color instructions from software. She wanted the cards to be bright. Using the Avery Design Pro 5.5, which is a dream to use, we created the card and selected the colors.

The problem is, the colors we see on the monitor and the ones we get on the printout, are 2 different shades of color. The printout is much darker than the monitor. The monitor colors are the ones we'd like to have; the printout is drab by comparison.
The Avery software is excellent in providing all the color data I could ask for. I don't pretend to know what the various settings mean(color, sat, lum, red, green blue...each has a number setting).All I know is, when I try to get a bright color, I get about 2 or 3 shades darker on business card glossy stock.


Is there a fix? Can the printer be adjusted to print what the monitor/software creates?

Thanx.

crenedecotret gives you very good advice and Grandad35 shows what can be achieved with proper calibration. You can also try Quick Gamma a free application which will set your gamma to 2.2. It may be cheaper to get your business cards professionally printed.

 

[tboneman2]

".... It may be cheaper to get your business cards professionally printed.

Yes, I agree. But I tried that once before, several years ago. I sent them several examples of cards I created on the computer, and asked them to duplicate the cards. I used CorelDraw at the time, and the colors on the monitor and the printer were surprisingly close. The printing company didn't use CorelDraw, and kept asking me questions (technical) that I couldn't answer. I never did get the cards printed and finally gave it up. But yes, I can get 500 color cards printed for about $15 or $20, with no aggravation. Probably the best way to go.

 

[The Hat]

tboneman2
When you go to print go into Preferences color/Intensity Manual Color balance Contrast Brightness.

There are more than enough colour sliders there to alter the output for you to get the right colour balance thats required,
it could take you a half dozen tries to get it right but worth it I reckon.

If you wish to send your artwork out to be printed elsewhere then send it in PDF format,
which should satisfy most high street printers..