TRANSPARENCIES LOOK WASHED OUT.

[simon24447303nngw]

Hi there!! I've got some JPG pictures that mostly have been scanned, and when I print thwm out as transparencies, they look very unsaturated, and washed out! I light them from behind, with 5500K flurencent lamps, and it looks better putting a white piece of paper  behind it, and lighting it up from infront of the imagr.

I've also lit the transparency from infront of a white background LED TV, and again very washed out.

Should I darken the image, or what.

Thanks Simon.

[TheDigitalDog]

Print them to what device, with what output profile for the transparency material? 

[Bob_Hallam]

What output device? How is your output device calibrated?  Do you have calibrated patches on your transparency to check your printer?   Give us the basics of your process and we can help

[NB, colourmanagement]

How are you printing the "transparency"? 

A 'film recorder' is the traditional method, if you are working on a well calibrated & profiled display screen AND the film recorder [or your own printing method] is well calibrated and has an accurate ICC profile describing it's behaviour, then the process should automatically succeed. 

The luminance of the display lighting will be part of this calibration process. 

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer:: co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

[Traci2704705994pm]

Hi there. I'm not sure if you found your solution but I have a similar project. I am printing graphics onto transparency film. It's adhesive and I'm trying to make stickers (I am an adult and this is an actual work project). I should have known this, but this isnt what I normally do so I didnt think of it, BUT the printer doesnt print white. The base layer of color is not present to make your images clear and sharp and opaque. If anyone has a quick fix for that, I would love to hear it. 

[Bob_Hallam]

Without White you need a Backlight to view the color properly.  In the absence of that backlight...You need White Ink.  

[Traci2704705994pm]

yes currently using whiteout on the back of the film where the graphics are. Good thing I was an art major. I was hoping for some kind of setting that would make the output not adjust for a white paper background. I have not seen anything like that.

[Bob_Hallam]

If you profile on a similar media, the images should be close but you may want to increase the printer density a bit to compensate if this work will be back lit.  If not Whit ink is what's needed.

[simon24447303nngw]

Hi there!!! How do you show the First Page of a PDF on a Adobe thumbnaik??

Thanks Simon.

[Test Screen Name]

Simon, nothing to do with discussion. 

[NB, colourmanagement]

"I was hoping for some kind of setting that would make the output not adjust for a white paper background. I have not seen anything like that."

Could you further explain what you mean there please?

I don't imagine the print process IS actually adjusting the image to account for the whiteout 

I hope this helps neil barstow,  colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer

google me "neil barstow colourmanagement"  for lots of free articles on colour maI hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer:: co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

[Traci2704705994pm]

@NB, colourmanagement Not sure how to say it correctly but most printers knockout print for white and use white paper. If a printout uses tints then the colors are printed with appropriate opacity to use the white paper in the tints. I would need white ink and a printer with the settings for white ink to print what I need. It's much like buying iron-on printer sheets. If you are ironing your design on to a dark fabric, you have to buy sheets that use a white background instead of a transparent background. I was able to get what I needed from the sticker transparency film by painting white-out over the areas that needed it. I hope my explanation is clear.

[Bob_Hallam]

Printers that print transparent intme like signage that is backlit and perferated window clings and wraps print using white ink.  That is normal in their process.