I'm having problems printing the exact colors as diplayed on screen in Photoshop with the Epson R1800. I have changed difference settings, but haven't had any luck. Colors appear to be much lighter than what is displayed on screen. Is this an Epson issue? Other printers like the HP print exactly what is diplayed with the default settings.
Printers never print what is on the screen... there is always to much variation in the way a screen displays. One monitor may show one shade, another could be a completely different shade. Best way to to do a test print and adjust till you get the colour you require.
You also need to think that a screen produces white from light and with a print, white is paper. So yeah, it will never be the same. A note on the CMYK vs RGB. I use an RGB work flow. It's more as long as you are consistant from end to end. Don't make part in CMYK, part in RGB. Make sure you use a consistant color management profile the whole way through as well and when you print, choose the right paper from the print dialog. Even with all this printing rigorosity, sometimes I get stuff that looks very close and other times it comes out greenish. I hate computers. But also love them.
good monitors allow you to calibrate them to display a color that matches the printer. I actually never do this, and follow J's technique.
If your really into to though drop $200 bucks for a set of panatone chips, and 1600 for an apple cinema screen monitor and you will be all set
Oh you will also want your printer in CMYK mode, RBG is for web output. Epson works off of a 4 color platform if you are going to be doing web and print work make two documents, Photoshop has batch convert for this exact reason.
I don't believe any monitor is going to help. Apple's monitor's are no better than those from Dell, Sony, and other high end monitors (at least according to PC Mag and reviews).
I always work straight through in RGB and convert to CMYK if I need to send something out.
I think PC Mag did a test a while ago and about 90% of the time the default settings worked extremely well, maybe it was higher than that. In my experience, this is true. All my images that I print at extremely close to the screen, with the exception of some green/yellow colors in one image. Blues, usually the worst when converted to CMYK, still look perfect.
I print on an Epson Photo 960 and have used a R1800 (everything default).
What kind of monitor do you have? I have all Dell LCDs, no more than a year old. Maybe it's your monitor?
If this is all true, i don't understand why my two other printers (HP designjet 100, and the Officejet d135) do print what is displayed on screen. I have never tweak or done anything with these printers. Black is black, how else can a monitor display this. But Epson gives me a light black when i print.
it's possible that the HPs print black as rich black by default. the epson probably just defaults to black = black and expects you to control the level of rich black. (check print settings, there might be an option to enable rich black)
trace the point wasnt the apple monitor but rather the tactic-sorry you missed my point.
The point is that with higher quality monitors you can color match your screen to printer output. The panatone swatches let you coordinate between the two
gotcha. monitors do make a huge difference. I find it's harder with the LCDs simply because everything is more vivd.
Pete- If it's blatantly off, then perhaps there's something wrong with the printer or cartridge. I'd try a new cartridge, or if you bought it at comething like CompUSA, I'd exchange it (although I think they only give you 2 weeks or something these days - must have caught onto all the students printing portfolios then returning!)
Feb 10, 06 8:14 pm ·
·
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.
Epson R1800 won't print exact screen colors
I'm having problems printing the exact colors as diplayed on screen in Photoshop with the Epson R1800. I have changed difference settings, but haven't had any luck. Colors appear to be much lighter than what is displayed on screen. Is this an Epson issue? Other printers like the HP print exactly what is diplayed with the default settings.
Rule of Thumb Pete...
Printers never print what is on the screen... there is always to much variation in the way a screen displays. One monitor may show one shade, another could be a completely different shade. Best way to to do a test print and adjust till you get the colour you require.
D
Nope, they never do. I worked at a firm that had something like $5000 worth of calibrating equipment, and that was only for the monitor!!
You need to:
1. Calibrate your monitor
2. Calibrate your printer
3. Make sure your image files are using the right format (CMYK vs RGB)
All in all, there are entire firms that just calibrate all the printing with monitors and software - that should tell you something.
No printer is 'hit the button and it looks like the screen'.
You also need to think that a screen produces white from light and with a print, white is paper. So yeah, it will never be the same. A note on the CMYK vs RGB. I use an RGB work flow. It's more as long as you are consistant from end to end. Don't make part in CMYK, part in RGB. Make sure you use a consistant color management profile the whole way through as well and when you print, choose the right paper from the print dialog. Even with all this printing rigorosity, sometimes I get stuff that looks very close and other times it comes out greenish. I hate computers. But also love them.
you can try ICM instead of default epson.
from my exprience ICM give better color matching result
good monitors allow you to calibrate them to display a color that matches the printer. I actually never do this, and follow J's technique.
If your really into to though drop $200 bucks for a set of panatone chips, and 1600 for an apple cinema screen monitor and you will be all set
Oh you will also want your printer in CMYK mode, RBG is for web output. Epson works off of a 4 color platform if you are going to be doing web and print work make two documents, Photoshop has batch convert for this exact reason.
I don't believe any monitor is going to help. Apple's monitor's are no better than those from Dell, Sony, and other high end monitors (at least according to PC Mag and reviews).
I always work straight through in RGB and convert to CMYK if I need to send something out.
I think PC Mag did a test a while ago and about 90% of the time the default settings worked extremely well, maybe it was higher than that. In my experience, this is true. All my images that I print at extremely close to the screen, with the exception of some green/yellow colors in one image. Blues, usually the worst when converted to CMYK, still look perfect.
I print on an Epson Photo 960 and have used a R1800 (everything default).
What kind of monitor do you have? I have all Dell LCDs, no more than a year old. Maybe it's your monitor?
If this is all true, i don't understand why my two other printers (HP designjet 100, and the Officejet d135) do print what is displayed on screen. I have never tweak or done anything with these printers. Black is black, how else can a monitor display this. But Epson gives me a light black when i print.
it also depends on the paper also.
Epson Inkjet Paper has a little magenta in its coating so you can try lower magenta in print setting.
start googling "rich black"
it's possible that the HPs print black as rich black by default. the epson probably just defaults to black = black and expects you to control the level of rich black. (check print settings, there might be an option to enable rich black)
either that or your cartridge is shot.
a decent formula for rich black is c: 60, m: 40, y:0. k: 100.
trace the point wasnt the apple monitor but rather the tactic-sorry you missed my point.
The point is that with higher quality monitors you can color match your screen to printer output. The panatone swatches let you coordinate between the two
gotcha. monitors do make a huge difference. I find it's harder with the LCDs simply because everything is more vivd.
Pete- If it's blatantly off, then perhaps there's something wrong with the printer or cartridge. I'd try a new cartridge, or if you bought it at comething like CompUSA, I'd exchange it (although I think they only give you 2 weeks or something these days - must have caught onto all the students printing portfolios then returning!)
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.