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JGiunta
JGiunta
Participant
February 20, 2025
Question

Confused about CMYK color profile for printing artwork using Printify

  • February 20, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 1225 views

Hello,

 

I'm working on setting up a Shopify store for artwork using Printify to print my products. I noticed that when I upload an image to Printify it has a CMYK color profile checker which makes the image look much more flat, and grey and less vibrant. I want more accurate printing of course, so I was researching into Color Profiles and Soft Proofing and I was trying to convert the image in Photoshop to CMYK as well as changing the Proof Setup to CMYK, however; I noticed zero changes in the image. Why do I see so many changes in Printify's CMYK checker, but zero changes when I convert in Photoshop? What am I missing?

 

Thanks,

-J

3 replies

Stephen Marsh
Community Expert
Stephen MarshCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 21, 2025
quote

Hello,

 

Why do I see so many changes in Printify's CMYK checker, but zero changes when I convert in Photoshop? What am I missing?

 

Thanks,

-J


By @JGiunta

 

It depends on the source file and assigned/assumed ICC profile and the destination profile and settings used for softproofing or conversion.

 

I doubt that the Printify website is using ICC-based colour management to simulate printing previews, they probably just have some simple "desaturate by N%" toggle.

    NB, colourmanagement
    Community Expert
    NB, colourmanagementCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 21, 2025

    @JGiunta I too think sending sRGB will likely be safest. If you send them sRGB they can then convert it to the correct CMYK for the print process to be used. That's the ideal.

    I would take a representative test image and do a test.

    Here's mine: please go here and download the Adobe RGB testimage: https://www.colourmanagement.net/downloads_listing/

    Take the RGB image and convert to sRGB then send to the vendor. Do skintones look natural etc.

     

    I wonder if you can trust your own display screen when it comes to assessing a print. Ideally it should be calibrated and profiled using an on-screen sensor. 

     

    Online soft proof from a company that may not have implemented soft proofing properly could be misleading. You mention that you've tested CMYK in Photoshop, you didn't mention which CMYK (they are totally device and media specific). Of course you'll need to use the correct media profile from the vendor to make the Photoshop conversion / soft proofing test representative 

     

    I hope this helps

    neil barstow colourmanagement - adobe forum volunteer,

    colourmanagement consultant & co-author of 'getting colour right'

    See my free articles on colourmanagement online

    Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered.

    Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts

     

      JGiunta
      JGiuntaAuthor
      Participant
      February 22, 2025

      Do you suggest using a Monitor Calibration Hardware tool such as "Datacolor Spyder X Pro?"

       

      D Fosse
      Community Expert
      D FosseCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      February 22, 2025
      quote

      Do you suggest using a Monitor Calibration Hardware tool such as "Datacolor Spyder X Pro?"


      By @JGiunta

       

      That is always recommended - but for the purposes of this discussion, it needs to be clear that it doesn't affect the file itself in any way. It just lets your monitor reproduce it correctly, so that you can properly see what you're doing, instead of having to guess.

       

      As for your original question, as the others have pointed out - a "CMYK checker" is pointless if they don't specify which CMYK profile to use. And no, there shouldn't be general desaturation, only those colors that are out of gamut in the specific target CMYK profile.

       

      I'd go elsewhere. There is no indication that Printify has a properly color managed process - or even that they know what they're doing.

        Stephen Marsh
        Community Expert
        Stephen MarshCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        February 21, 2025

        Most POD service providers are clueless about colour management. This SP is no different to the others.

         

        They suggest that you work in RGB, but they fail to mention which type of RGB:

         

        https://help.printify.com/hc/en-us/articles/4483625994513-Which-color-profile-should-I-use-for-my-files

         

        If in doubt, I would always use sRGB if no further information was provided.

         

        The CMYK would depend on the substrate that you are printing on and the print process. It will be different for a mug vs. a t-shirt.

         

        https://printify.com/blog/rgb-vs-cmyk/

         

        https://printify.com/guide/design-guide/

          davescm
          Community Expert
          davescmCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          February 21, 2025

          Amazing that their 'Ultimate guide' goes through an entire description of how to control colour without mentioning exactly which RGB profile or exactly which CMYK profile to use. It also suggests using Image > Image Mode to convert, which will convert to whatever default the user happens to have set in colour settings, rather than Edit > Convert to Profile and specifying the correct profile for their press.
          You summed it up nicely Stephen.

           

          Dave

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