Help with a color matching issue.

If anyone has knowledge of icc profiles / profiling or can make any suggestions to try, I would be most appreciative. Its taken over 20hrs to no avail!

My objective is simple: scan a blue swatch and print the same color on my printer.

I went through the following steps;


Printed Linearization chart with desired settings (Dual CMKY 14x7 on epson 9800)
Linearized
Printed CMYK profiling chart on newly linearized setting
Scanned profiling chart with I1 Using profilemaker
imported profile i made into rip
scanned lab value of swatch i want to match using profilemaker 'colorpicker' program
exported pallet file and imported into photoshop, saved file as tiff
imported to rip
printed.

The color is off, and i dont know if its wasatch or photoshop, Ive tried so many different variations of settings in photoshop and the rip, i just wondered what the default setup is, or what other people have set up to get color matching?

1. The RIP settings should be identical to when i printed the swatch, except for adding the newly created icc file, correct?
2. How should the colors be scanned, or rather handled through photoshop (I feel photoshop color settings may be the culprit).


Thank you in advance!

G

 

Hi ggg,

Couple questions - After you linearized your RIP and imported ICC profile into RIP, how was your test strip output. If it was good, we can rule out device calibration as the culprit.

Photoshop Settings - Make sure the CMYK Workspace is the same as the CMYK profile you just created.

I would take the L*a*b* values taken from the Swatch and while in Photoshop, enter them into your color picker (in Photoshop). Photoshop will provide the CMYK values based on the CMYK working space (Your press profile).

Hope this info helps. I don't know what the blue looks like but it is possible that it could be outside the gamut of the printer is it's a really bold bright blue.

Greg

 

Color matching question w/ Wasatch

Hi ggg-

I would recommend using Wasatch's 'Spot color capture' feature to sort out your color matching issue. Open a file on the Job tab and right click on the color you are trying to match. In the context menu select 'Replace spot color'. Change the replacement color space to CIE Lab. After changing the replacement color space click the button Spot Color Capture. After calibrating your i1 place the i1 over a printed sample with the blue color you are trying to match and press the button on your i1. Save the spot color replacement and save the new imaging configuration. If the color you captured is within the gamut of your output profile your output should match the sample you scanned.

Check out this video on using Spot Color Replacements. This video deals with replacement color space RGB not Lab, but it should give you an idea of UI for this feature. -> http://www.wasatch.com/flash/english/spotColor/spotColor.html <-

If you don't have a printed sample for the color you are trying to match I would suggest looking at Wastach's 'Color Atlas Generator'. This feature can be found on the Color drop down menu. This feature will create pages with an array of patches that can be printed and then visually compare to resolve your color matching issue.

If you have a current service contact with Wasatch you can also give me a call on Monday to discuss further. I can be reached at 1-800-683-8214 and ask for extension 140.

Best regards,

Bryan A. Beens
Team Lead - Support
Wasatch Computer Technology