matching CMYK values from uncoated to coated materials

[clapczyn]

Hi, I have company stock (business cards, etc.) printed on uncoated paper. It has a very unsaturated silky look and we're totally happy with it. We now need to produce rollups and other products that have a coated surface and I am struggeling with the colors.

I'm using pantone cmyk color guides to compare colors from uncoated to coated but can't find a match that's at least somewhat close. Same values naturally look completely different (pic attached) but I can't find anything in there that would be even close. 

Any tipps are appreciated! Thanks

[TheDigitalDog]

You need an ICC profile for each stock and printing condition. The only ones who can help here are the printing suppliers.

[Bob_Hallam · Accepted solution]

The proper way to make this work is if your uncoated printing was at a standard. The uncoated standard in the US is CRPC3 in Europe Fogra 47.  If the uncoated work you're trying to match was printed to one of those standards you will be able to match that on coated printing by opening the image in Photoshop and assigning one of those 2 profiles above.  Then convert to the coated profile standard your printer is using.  There are many standards for that but Sheetfed Offset coated in the USA is CRPC6 and in europe it's Fogra 51.  This will keep the color apperance of the first profile (uncoated printing) and allow you to either get closer or match that on coated papers.  

[TheDigitalDog]

If only I had a dollar for every print shop that told me and their customers "We print to a standard" (or SWOP). 

Trust but verify. 

Here's a great example, Blurb! 

The Blurb ICC profile is definitely GRACoL2006 Coated1, which is a so-called "print standard", right down to the paper white L*a*b*. What they're using is essentially a copy of the IDEAlliance GRACoL profile and has little to do with how they're actually printing.

I have measured all the papers Blurb provides, and just the papers alone are not even close to GRACol 2006. In fact, the deltaE differences in just the two most different papers are nearly dE4!

The three biggest lies in the world: The check is in the mail, we print to a standard, and the third is too dirty to post here. 🥹

[Bob_Hallam]

Regardless of Andrew's cynical approach, the method I've outlined will get you there or close as I mentioned.  I work for an award winning G7 color space printer who regularly cuts that industry standard in half.  So the good printers are out there.   Good luck  

[TheDigitalDog]

 

My “cynical approach” is based on actual colorimetry in the Blurb* example and the trust but verify (with measurements or by contacting the actual print provider rather than by assumption) is up to the OP and other readers here.

Good printers exist, no question.

Others who promise “print standards” and do not as outlined, exist. 

*As for printing companies awards...

[clapczyn]

Thank you all for your inputs. I don't know the printer and on my request I just got a pdf with the info that document colors should be cmyk and iso coated v2 … so there's that.

I decided to go with Bob_Hallam's approach to get as close as possible and then vary the colors, make a grid and let the printer produce a sample on the actual material. Gonna go pick it up this week … we'll see.

Thanks again for your insights.