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Setup colors for print

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
April 27, 2018
4 replies
1074 views

Hi to everyone,

I’m working with different files from different applications(photoshop, illustrator). Im trying to get a color consistency when I print! Is there any setup that would keep the colors I see in the different applications when i print ?(sometimes different printers)

Or what would be the best approach to it?

thank you

Loris

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer rob day

I have an Icc profile of one printer I use
I found now in Indesign under color settings - color conversion to working space. Would that solve the problem if I set the color profile of the printer im going to use?

No, the color management concept for composite printing is you choose a single RGB working space for editing your images and colors and then the conversion to the printer's profile happens when you print—you would choose the output profile in the print dialog and not in the document's color setup. Composite printers almost always use RGB drivers—if you work with CMYK colors they don't print the provided values. In general for composite printing your images and colors should be RGB to avoid extra color conversions.

The RGB Working Space you choose in Color Settings should be a display profile that isn't your monitor profile. The common RGB editing spaces are sRGB, AdobeRGB, AppleRGB, and ProPhotoRGB. Derek recommended sRGB, but it is a smaller space and doesn't include a significant part of the blue and yellow spectrum that inkjet printers are capable of printing, so I would think you would be better off with the default AdobeRGB.

Derek Cross

Community Expert

If you want to learn more, I recommend this online video tutorial from Lynda.com (you can get 30-days free):

InDesign: Color Management

happie_97

Community Expert

I agree with all of the suggestions so far.

Another option could be ... Do you have color management software?

We use X-rite color management software.

It is a more costly solution, but we have the whole suite. If you research, they might have less expensive options.

lorisc84290215Author

Participating Frequently

I thank everyone for the replies!

I found now in Indesign under color settings - color conversion to working space. Would that solve the problem if I set the color profile of the printer im going to use?

rob day

Correct answer

Community Expert

I have an Icc profile of one printer I use
I found now in Indesign under color settings - color conversion to working space. Would that solve the problem if I set the color profile of the printer im going to use?

No, the color management concept for composite printing is you choose a single RGB working space for editing your images and colors and then the conversion to the printer's profile happens when you print—you would choose the output profile in the print dialog and not in the document's color setup. Composite printers almost always use RGB drivers—if you work with CMYK colors they don't print the provided values. In general for composite printing your images and colors should be RGB to avoid extra color conversions.

The RGB Working Space you choose in Color Settings should be a display profile that isn't your monitor profile. The common RGB editing spaces are sRGB, AdobeRGB, AppleRGB, and ProPhotoRGB. Derek recommended sRGB, but it is a smaller space and doesn't include a significant part of the blue and yellow spectrum that inkjet printers are capable of printing, so I would think you would be better off with the default AdobeRGB.

rob day

Community Expert

By print do you mean to composite desktop printers or professional offset printing?

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

Without knowing any details of your printing...

Use Adobe Bridge to set the color management settings between all the programs. I normally customize them in Photoshop and set them in Bridge.
Turn on Overprint Preview is available (AI & ID)
Turn on Proof Colors on the individual programs.

Notes:

If you have an ICC profile that includes paper "color" you can use Proof Setup to simulate a more accurate preview.

Everything assumes you have a high-quality, calibrated/profiled monitor.

Many desktop laser and inkjet printers are treated as "RGB" devices even though they usually use some variation of CMYK inks.

Documents should not be open when changing color settings.

This is far some complete, but covers some basics.

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

rob day

Community Expert

Documents should not be open when changing color settings.

I'm not sure I see why closing documents would matter.

Existing documents are color managed by their assigned RGB and CMYK profiles, which can be different than the Color Settings' working spaces. Making a change to or sync'ing Color Settings wont change an existing document's profile assignments or affect its color management whether it's open or not.

An exception would be if the document was created or saved with no profile assignments—the CM Policies were set to Off when the doc was created. In that case the document will fall back to the Color Settings' working spaces for color management and the document's color appearance will change any time you make a Color Settings Working Space change. That's why the Off CM policy is rarely a good option.

Derek Cross

Community Expert

I suggest you keep everything in sRGB and use the InDesign PDF Export presets to select the appropriate PDF for your output (unless you've been provided with another PDF spec).

lorisc84290215Author

Participating Frequently

Thank you for your reply. I have "working cmyk" that I think is for print!

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