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Hi! 
I have been working on designing a logo and a business card for the last month. Now, when trying to print a page of the preliminary design, my bright red prints out as a dull, brownish red, and the clear pink comes out greyish. I tried printing red from several programs -- and got the same result. I also printed it on my husband's Cannon printer and the red also came out brownish. After spending about an hour on the phone with Epson and doing head cleanings and printing practice sheets, Epson said they were sending me a new printer. (The printer is only 2 months old.)
But I'm thinking if the color was also off on my husband's printer, maybe that is the best a printer can do?
I did go into Microsoft Publisher and tried increasing the contrast. It did help some, but the red still looks pretty dull. I tried an Epson photo paper, also.
Have other people run into this problem? I was hoping to be able to print out my own business card. I have Microsoft Vista, and thought maybe that is somehow causing the problem. Epson, however, didn't think so when I mentioned it.
Thanks for any help!
Cleathero CreationsI have this trouble with pictures after fiddling woth various setting I have given up. Any advice would be wonderful.
Could you try taking the image to a photo-printing shop? Even if you just get one print of it, that will tell you if it's your colour that's the problem or the printer... There are different colour selections available in Photoshop, one of which is just the basic copier colours, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was! I'll look when I get home...
As a last resort, try looking at the image on another computer... maybe it's the contrast of your screen Or you can e-mail it to me and I'll have a look with Photoshop: if that's easiest please feel free!
(sorry for the ramble-ness!)
Good luck!
Chloe,
Thanks for your help. That's a great idea -- the local photo place said they could print the image off a cd. I'll try that.
I found a color test page http://www.digitaldog.net/tips/ (first item on top left) and printed it out on both my Epson and my husband's Canon. It came out a lot brighter and with more saturated color on the Canon. The black on the little color grid came out grey on my computer, and the other colors were also pale.
I made the parts of the card in a few programs -- mostly Paint Shop Pro and Illustrator and then inserted the parts into Microsoft Publisher to make the card. My Photoshop can't open the Microsoft Publisher file. I could save it as a jpeg or png and send it to you. Would that work? Thank you for offering to look at it.
Yep, either will do I'll take a look at it this weekend for you. You could always have the cards printed at the photo place too, that was they'd be all shiny! Oooh, now I want to make some...
Sunshine Coast, QLDHi Ellen :)
This can sometimes happen for a few different reasons. One of them is that computer monitors display in 3 colours; Red, Green and Blue (RGB). Printers (both inkjet and laser) work on 4 colours; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK). When you see a colour onscreen made with a 3 colour process, it's often different to what a CMYK printer can mix. Also, the screen works on projection of light through colour, while the printout represents light reflecting off the page - it's always different. I work in the graphic design industry and I still have trouble explaining this! :S
What you can do that might be of some help, is to create your images in a CMYK colour space. In Photoshop, you would go to: Image > Mode > CMYK. In Paintshop Pro I'm not too sure, I haven't used it in so many years. It should be something similar though. CMYK colours will reproduce more true on the printer. You'll often find that if you have an RGB image and convert it to CMYK, that the colours inevitably get duller on screen. It's just something that happens.
Having said that though, the quality of the ink and the paper and the printer and screen's calibration will affect it also. If you really want to know how it's going to come out, using a professional printing house is your best bet. Coated paper will make for more vibrant colours, and vice versa for dull papers. The only downside to print-houses is that short run jobs are expensive.
I've also just thought of something - I have noticed that Microsoft Office software doesn't like CMYK images. I haven't tried publisher, but I know Word just doesn't handle them at all. See how you go.
If all else fails, I would also see if you can find some free monitor calibration software - it might just be the RGB balance of your screen display. The other thing - which would be a last resort - is to see if you can get your hands on a Pantone book. Pantone colours are made of one ink only, and are designed so you can take your book, pick a colour out of it, and use it in your job knowing exactly how it's going to come out. They always look muddier on screen, but when they come back from the printer it's all good. Pantone books are by no means cheap - something like $300 I think. I don't own one, but there are some at work. Your print-house might even have one that you could look at to find a red you like, and take note of the colour code and use it when you get home.
I hope I've made some sort of sense here - I am a horrible teacher!! If there's something you don't get, just give me a yell. I know how confusing and frustrating all this colour business is, it took me a little while to get my head around it all.
Happy colouring!
Matilda Huggington-beareEllen I also have the same problem with my printer. But since I laminate my cards I have found that the laminate seems to add the richness back into the colour. Dont know why and I will not question it in case I jinx it. hehehehe
Wendy
Sunnie BearsIt more than likely is NOT your printer. I got a clue when you mentioned that your computer shows black as grey and pale colors. Which means when you are designing your card, you are over compensating to make your red look red on your monitor, but when you print it, it will look like the REAL color. You need to adjust your monitor. I would first look in your monitors manual and se if you can set it back to default settings. If not, you need to increase the contrast and decrease the brightness.
Sonya
Matilda Huggington-beareWell who ever thought? what absolutely sensible advice. That is something I had never given a thought to.
Ya live an learn aye???
cheers Wendy
Erin, Suni, and Ellen, Thanks for your help! 
I checked my monitor and it is set to default settings (as far as I can tell :redface: .) It looks kind of technical, so I'm afraid to change it. I tried working in cmyk color mode and that did seem to help.
I tried printing out a page on the business card paper, and it did come out better, but still too greyish.
Ellen, is this the type of program you mean? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/custom … merReviews
Hugs,
Ellen
Elle,
Your monitor should have a calibration program built into it. Play with the menu button directly on your monitor. Trust me, it is not nearly as complex as it sounds, although it is important to do the calibration in the same lighting conditions as when you're usually on your computer.
Matilda,
Laminating your card provides a richer color because of the way light scatters. When light hits a rough surface, it bounces off in every direction. By applying the laminate, you fill in the bumpy paper surface, and create a flat surface for the light to hit. That's a really simplistic explanation, but it's basically true. You'll notice the same thing with different types of photo paper - glossy surfaces will have the richest colors and greatest contrast, luster less so (but smudge-free), while matte paper is very dull and flat by comparison, and watercolor paper even more so.
Amul, thanks for your help.
I can adjust the brightness and contrast with the buttons on the monitor and the colors rgb are all set to 100%. I did adjust the brightness and contrast as Sony suggested.
Supposedly there is Adobe gamma that came with the Adobe Creative Suite, but I can't find it. If I go into the color management, I see the settings that don't mean anything to me. If I copy something (not using the computer), the colors come out much truer but a little too light.
I received the replacement printer, and the blacks print darker now, so that is better. But the colors printed from the computer still look like they have a greyish film over them.
Perhaps this link will help?
http://epaperpress.com/monitorcal/
I only briefly skimmed it for content, but it seems to give the advice and images I want to give you.
Thanks, Amul That looks pretty easy to understand. I'll try it. The smooth rectangle is quite a bit lighter on my monitor than the striped background.
