Printing the wrong colours

[tyrese5FE6]

So I've tried absolutely everything all day. 
My Mac works on high Sierra 10.13.6 (latest version for it) and I'm using the photoshop that works with my laptop.

every time I try to print a logo I created it just won't print with the correct colours! 
I'm using a hp envy 6000 (6032) printer.

ive checked the colour utility and I've got 5 profiles which say they've been fixed but come up with the " header message digest (MD5) is not correct. Fixed" message but when I verify it says "verify done. Found 5 bad profiles" and it won't fix them (same message under the profiles)

is this why it won't print correctly? 
I'll show what I'm trying to print and what I get along with the utility thing.

I genuinely don't understand why it won't print simple colours. The red looks orange and the light blue is dark blue! 
desperate for some help

[NB, colourmanagement]

Hi,

let's not worry about warnings in the colorsync utility, for now, much of the time those seem to be spurious.

Ideally, you should be: 

1: working with an image which has an embedded ICC profile

2: working on a calibrated and profiled display screen, that [and only that] allows true on-screen simulation of the image colours

3: in Photoshop's print dialogue select "photoshop manages color" and select an ICC profile that names your printer and the loaded media. 

4: in printer settings under media select the loaded media by name.

now you're ready to print

That should help, but please be aware that even with the above settings adopted there are limitations to the capability of ink and paper as compared to screen colour saturation. Photoshops View/ proof setup/custom and select the actual printer icc profile can help simulate output. If you also activate gamut warning in the view menu this will use the printer profile to show you out of gamut (beyond printer capability) areas. 

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management
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[tyrese5FE6]

Thanks for the reply.

my printer doesn't allow photoshop colour manager apparently it's too much of a standard printer (it also won't download anything when I try to do it, just a folder) so I have to select printer manages colour.

can you suggest anything else? Do I need a better printer? 
also I have no idea how to change ICC profiles 

[NB, colourmanagement]

Hi

I have never come across a situation [with any installed printer] where the "Photoshop Manages Colour" is not available in Photoshop's "Print" dialog.

Could you be mistaken?

The "Photoshop Manages Colour" option is provided by Photoshop NOT by the desktop printer software.

See my screenshot below

You would select your hp envy 6000 (6032)  printer under printer setup and the correct ICC profile naming printer AND loaded media

Photoshop Print dialog (Photoshop Manages Color)

Next set the media type to the actual loaded media in the "Print Settings" dialog

Desktop inkjet printers are not designed to accept CMYK files.

You'd likely be better off, if a desktop printer is your final destination, to work in RGB rather than CMYK

Please follow the instructions in my earlier message noting the screenshots in this message 

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management
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[tyrese5FE6]

No it's there but even when I've installed the Adobe colour management it doesn't actually do anything, I'm using Mac high Sierra (latest update) and it doesn't open or perform anything when it's downloaded.

I think I've given up trying to print the colours I want now, nothings worked.

is there an inkjet printer that would be capable of printing vibrant and accurate colours that you know of?

[NB, colourmanagement]

Hi tyrese5FE6 
you write: No it's there but even when I've installed the Adobe colour management it doesn't actually do anything, I'm using Mac high Sierra (latest update) and it doesn't open or perform anything when it's downloaded.

so now you have me really confused

- you write "even when I've installed the Adobe colour management" 

what does that mean? how are you installing "the Adobe colour management" you mention?

All the colour management Photoshop needs is within the application

-  there is nothing else you need to install other than the printer driver software which you'll need to download from HP.

- you write: "Adobe colour management it doesn't actually do anything"

did you select the printer/paper profile as I explained earlier? what do you mean by "it doesn't actually do anything"

are you suggesting that the ICC profile selected here is making no difference to print appearance?

your hp envy 6000 (6032) printer should be able to give decent colour.

Question:

in the printer settings screen under media type - can you see actual HP paper names or just generic types such as matte / semigloss

please add a screenshot to your reply (use the photo icon at the top of the text frame to insert) 

if not, try deleting the printer and reinstalling the printer (in system preferences/printers and scanners)

make sure name: is hp envy 6000 (6032) printer or similar

and IMPORTANT "Use" is set to the printer name also NOT to AIRPRINT because that calls up generic printing software not the HP driver

Your HP should be fine, it seems like you're not understanding all this fully so any issues would likely reoccur with your new printer!

If you really want a new machine and you'd like a great desktop photo printer, have a look at Epson's Surecolor range and use Epson paper in it. 

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management
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[tyrese5FE6]

 

  

 

Ah okay I've been printing over WiFi which I assume is contributing to this.

what I mean is when I go to print it says select Printer manages colour or photoshop manages colours.

it leads me to the page online to download abode colour printer utility however once downloaded it doesn't open anything as my files are in PNG or JPEG and it only allows TIFF images. I've converted one to see if it helps and printed it however there's no change (only managed to print it as we speak). 
when I try to print on photoshop it suggests I print that way so I gave it a go.

when I use the printer manages colour option I have generic paper types.

I'm trying to print on heat transfer paper but until I get the colour right I'm using normal plain paper.

I've downloaded the HP smart app as this is what HP says to do and I've checked that there's no software updates I'm missing but all seems to be fine - it should be working but any bright colours I try to print just come out dull and dark - even red comes out orangey.

I'll order a wired connection cable from Amazon to hook up the Mac instead of printing wirelessly and see if this makes a difference 

[didiermazier]

If you mean that the printed colors are not the ones you see on screen, you have to be sure that the screen display CMYK colors.

Check these items (sorry for french UI)

You will be then able to work with colors accurately.

Also an other tip : most printers do not make difference for less than 5%… so avoid colors like Y : 48.2% M : 32.5% that will be printed randomly as Y 50% or 45% and M 30% or 35 %…

For brand identity the colors must be chosen for every support… so the simplest possible…

😉

[tyrese5FE6]

Hi, all profiles seem to be correct and corresponding with the settings it's just what's printing that's incorrect. For example the red in lines is file but a red box will appear orange and a light blue will never look light it's rather dark 

is this my printer or my settings?

[NB, colourmanagement]

HI, didiermazier, I am sorry to disagree, but I think your advice will only serve to confuse the original poster tyrese5FE6.

For work printing to a desktop machine like the HP they are using, proofing to CMYK output seems totally irrelevant. 

If they wish to 'soft proof' and see a warning for out of gamut colour the actual media profile should be selected

as I suggested earlier: - - - - please be aware that even with the above settings adopted there are limitations to the capability of ink and paper as compared to screen colour saturation. Open Photoshops View/ proof setup/custom and select the actual printer icc profile can help simulate output. If you also activate gamut warning in the view menu this will use the printer profile to show you out of gamut (beyond printer capability) areas. 

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management
[please only use the blue reply button at the top of the page, this maintains the original thread title and chronological order of posts]

[NB, colourmanagement]

You mentioned heat transfer paper, well, for that you'll need an ICC profile for that specific paper and your printer - and maybe special inks too. 

Also, you write that you are testing on plain paper, you'll never get full range accurate colour on plain paper.

To print accurately on heat transfer paper is quite difficult - you need instructions from the paper manufacturer and you may even need special inks. 

Printing over wifi may contribute to the missing manufacturer specific media names in "printer settings" IF you have selected "use:" Airprint when "adding" the printer in System Preferences - maybe you haven't? 

here is an example of what media types I'd expect to see with an HP printer.

here are media settings for another HP printer, those are still apparently HP specific names

If you can print over wi-fi without selecting the AirPrint driver you don't need to get a cable.

LET'S GET THAT RIGHT FIRST - 

Can you open system preferences and remove then re-add the printer and make sure that the actual printer name is selected there under "use:" rather than Airprint?

here's a screenshot below of me doing that, the printer name wasn’t there so I selected "auto" there under "use" and that found the right HP driver as you can see. 

'Airprint' may not even be available but let's rule out that issue.

The printer works better with its own software (not the Mac airprint driver). 

That step is not connected with Photoshop Manages Colour or Printer Manages Color - you need to get this step right first.

NOW

I have never seen that behaviour where the Adobe Color Printer Utility is asked for in Photoshop, the ACPU utility was designed a while back for printing colour profiling patches without colour management. That IS NOT what we want here.

I have High Sierra on a Mac and I do not see that request when I select "Photoshop manages Color" in Photoshop v 20.0.9

I suspect a bug there, what version of Photoshop are you using?

Can you not even make a print using "Photoshop Manages Color" ? is printing from Photoshop disabled?

Having selected "Photoshop Manages Color" you'll need to select the printer profile. I see you have sRGB - that's not going to make for accurate prints.

The right ICC profile will name your printer and a manufacturer's paper.

HEAT TRANSFER PAPER:

For now, in your position, I would want to learn how to get the printer working accurately on normal photo paper

So I'd make my tests for colour by printing on an HP Photo paper using an HP ICC paper profile [and Photoshop Manages Color"] to do that.

Once we've confirmed that you can see actual HP paper names in media type in printer settings that should work well

Of course, a decent screen to print match will require a good monitor display profile too.

You've quite a way to go to get all this right. 

Once you have a decent colour accurate print on HP Photo paper its time to think about the heat transfer printing. 

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management
[please only use the blue reply button at the top of the page, this maintains the original thread title and chronological order of posts]

[tyrese5FE6]

ok so im using photoshop 21.2.4 version which is the latest that i can use on high sierra.

i've ruled out airprinting as its not an option, its just printing wirelessly however ive tried the same over a wired connection and it seems to be the same.

the heat transfer paper is designed to work with inkjet inks and is really basic so there shouldnt be an issue. i did email the logo to someone else with a HP printer and it printed the same as my one does which is intresting.

it allows me to print with the "photoshop managing colours" option however the logo comes out the same as printing with the printer manages colour option. when i click photoshop manages colour theres a yellow triangle that is there and it asks me to download the ACPU and takes me online to download it and says to print from there instead (its like a different application) which is doesnt do.

ive fiddled with the printer profiles to see the different results but i just cant seem to produce any bright colours.