help with print colours

[shmick]

Hi all,
I'm having issues getting print to look like monitor. I find (for me) a case of paralysis by over analysis. ie too much info about profiles and colours and what not.
*removed, refer to site rule #23*. Cos at the moment, I have a printer which cant give me accurate results.
FYI its epson r2000. Photos are looking a bit light on the reds, bit washed out. And dark. I have to set the monitor brightness to zero so I have an idea about how much to brighten the photo.
Or it might even be the monitor calibration. Again, I'm clueless on these things. Its a dell u2713h. I dont have a calibrator and have used the profiles from tftcentral. Its on ARGB.
Thanks

[ricktas]

you need to start with calibrating your monitor with a hardware calibrator. Getting your monitor correctly set-up is the first step to resolving this. Go out and buy a monitor calibrator.

You might find this useful, once your monitor is calibrated: http://www.redrivercatalog.com/infoc...g-started.html

[arthurking83]

So many aspects to getting prints looking like the image on screen.

I'd say you need to achieve a start point to begin with.

Start point would be:
Use Epson inks, use Espon papers, use Epson's print drivers.
All those points above are 'calibration points' for your printer.

Epsons support has always been regarded well with respect to calibration data.
They have a dedicated website that offers printer profile downloads.

I don't have an Epson printer(been thinking to get one tho!), but as any company would do, they probably only provide printer profiles for use with their papers(which are supposedly pretty good anyhow!)

So if you're using just any old (cheapo) paper and some cheapo aftermarket inks ... you'll definitely want to invest in a calibrator too.
Not just any calibrator tho, you'll want one that can do the screen AND the printer too. They usually come in a kit, but I think you can get a one device that does it all solution too.(eg. Colormunki Photo or something like that)

[shmick]

thanks guys. i had a feeling that would be said, which is the obvious thing. was hoping to avoid spending 300 on a calibrator. but i guess the frustration, waste of paper and ink probably outweigh that.
ATM i only use epson inks and paper, and their built in profiles for their paper.
ill look into getting a monitor/printer calibrator.

*removed, read site rule #23: Admin* i just love huge prints for everything and a3+ just aint cutting it for me. looking at a2 printers.

[ameerat42]

...i just love huge prints for everything and a3+ just aint cutting it for me. looking at a2 printers...

...and without a calibrator, potentially unsatisfactory A2 prints...

[arthurking83]

thanks guys. i had a feeling that would be said, which is the obvious thing. was hoping to avoid spending 300 on a calibrator. but i guess the frustration, waste of paper and ink probably outweigh that.
.....

I don't think $300 will cut it for what you 'need'.
I reckon closer to $500 so that you have a printer calibration device as well(that's what I'd be doing, if it were me).

If you're using a 2713 Dell, I doubt that your screen is the issue.
I'm more inclined to think the printer or the software linking screen to print is the place to start.

If you're curious to know exactly the best start point to focus your attention, what I'd recommend is to get a print done at a professional printing service as a test.
I can also recommend you try Prism in North Melbourne(very helpful).
If they print you up a nice large print and you compare it to your screen .. by eye .. and they look pretty much spot on, then you know your screen is calibrated fine!

So, by reason of deduction, if any print you make on your printer is sub optimal(by way of comparison) then you know that the next two areas to concentrate your efforts will be the printer profiles and or software used to print.

[shmick]

more like $600. Im looking at the x-rite spydermunki photo or spyder5 studio.

i actually do have a print, done at image science, on metallic paper, it does look way closer to screen image (though the monitor is a touch more saturated on the reds).
in the short term ill get new drivers and see what i can do with the printer profiles, but ill still get the calibrators (and epson p800), right after i sell *removed - read the site rules: admin *

thanks again

[Hamster]

Do you have to use your printer? If it's for top notch prints for hanging, you could just get a cheaper calibrator and do the screen, then give to a print house for printing. You could get their printer profiles off them. Fair enough if that's a top notch printer and the whole point is to do quality prints at home. Then you'll need to go full Monty. If the home printing is more proofing work then you could just get the screen calibrated and go from there. Like you say, a big and complex topic. Good luck