Test prints

[Michelle Gifford]

My test prints look a bit blue compared to my screen. What do I need to do?

[Damien Symonds]

Can you remind me which calibrator you have?

[Michelle Gifford]

Spyder x pro

[Damien Symonds]

Right.

So are you on this page right now?

[Michelle Gifford]

I got test prints from Miller's. They sent color-corrected ones and also some straight from my file to their printer. They look the same except very subtle differences. What am I missing? The blue is gone thank goodness, but I was thinking that the prints would look different for some reason if my calibration is off. Maybe it was just those few prints from the other lab and my calibration is good??

Anyway, my question is, in soft-proofing, the monitor doesn't look good at all (with the ICC profiles that Miller's sent), but the prints are good. What's that mean?

[Damien Symonds]

3 hours ago, Michelle Gifford said:

I got test prints from Miller's. They sent color-corrected ones and also some straight from my file to their printer. They look the same except very subtle differences. What am I missing? The blue is gone thank goodness, but I was thinking that the prints would look different for some reason if my calibration is off. Maybe it was just those few prints from the other lab and my calibration is good??

This is great news.

3 hours ago, Michelle Gifford said:

Anyway, my question is, in soft-proofing, the monitor doesn't look good at all (with the ICC profiles that Miller's sent), but the prints are good. What's that mean?

Can you show me a screenshot of your soft-proofing settings?

[Michelle Gifford]

Some photos it looks fine and others it sucks. Why does it affect the reds so badly? Screenshots in working CMYK and Miller's Perceptual.

[Damien Symonds]

Did the lab specifically tell you to use Perceptual?

NEVER use working CMYK.

[Michelle Gifford]

 

23 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

Did the lab specifically tell you to use Perceptual?

NEVER use working CMYK.

They did. The ICC profile came with PDF instructions. I can't remember what I was working in before I swapped the profile for soft proofing. What should it be?

 

[Damien Symonds]

No, that's ok.  If they specifically said "Perceptual" not "Relative Colorimetric", then that's what you should do.

It's definitely uncommon, but that shouldn't be surprising from stupid Millers.  They certainly march to the beat of their own drum.

[Michelle Gifford]

I thought you had no opinion on labs lol. now the one I picked and am happy with, you hate😆

[Damien Symonds]

Anyway, the important question is, does soft-proofing make the reds look more like the print?

Just now, Michelle Gifford said:

I thought you had no opinion on labs lol. now the one I picked and am happy with, you hate😆

https://www.facebook.com/groups/askdamien/posts/4143619009031601/

[Damien Symonds]

21 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

Anyway, the important question is, does soft-proofing make the reds look more like the print?

@Michelle Gifford?

[Michelle Gifford]

22 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

Anyway, the important question is, does soft-proofing make the reds look more like the print?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/askdamien/posts/4143619009031601/

I haven't tested any reds from them yet, but am sending some asap.

 

[Michelle Gifford]

1 hour ago, Damien Symonds said:

Did the lab specifically tell you to use Perceptual?

NEVER use working CMYK.

What profile should I be working in?

[Damien Symonds]

1 minute ago, Michelle Gifford said:

I haven't tested any reds from them yet, but am sending some asap.

 

What?  I thought you said you had prints with reds in them?  Reds that had turned dark?

Just now, Michelle Gifford said:

What profile should I be working in?

https://www.damiensymonds.net/2014/07/proof-setup-working-cmyk-not-really.html

[Michelle Gifford]

3 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

What?  I thought you said you had prints with reds in them?  Reds that had turned dark?

https://www.damiensymonds.net/2014/07/proof-setup-working-cmyk-not-really.html

No, just that the PROFILE showed yucky reds...no actual prints in red yet from them.

[Michelle Gifford]

5 minutes ago, Damien Symonds said:

What?  I thought you said you had prints with reds in them?  Reds that had turned dark?

https://www.damiensymonds.net/2014/07/proof-setup-working-cmyk-not-really.html

So it should be turned off?

[Damien Symonds]

It should be turned off while you're editing, yes.  Just turn it on to check colours before printing.

[Michelle Gifford]

I am requesting test prints from WHCC now, since reading about Miller’s. I’ll update once I get them. I did send the red family for a test print in addition to the same ones I sent to Miller’s for comparison. 

[Michelle Gifford]

These are the instructions given by WHCC lab. Am I fixing to screw things up? I swear on my life this is getting way more complicated than I can deal with right now. 

[Damien Symonds]

No no no no no.

Thank you for asking.

https://www.damiensymonds.net/why-do-some-print-labs-tell-you-to-change-your-photoshop-color-settings/