Prints do not look colour correct after printer profiling

In reference to the following products:

• Calibrite ccStudio / X-Rite i1Studio

In response to the following range of questions:

• Q1. After profiling my printer with the ccStudio, my prints are still not looking like my screen.
• Q2. Even when I use the ‘No Colour Management’ option on my printer driver, my prints still look dark and saturated after profiling my printer.
• Q3. My prints are no better after profiling my printer, but I’m sure I have followed all the colour management settings correctly.

The Solution:

This can be caused by some Printer Driver versions and is overcome by changing the Printer Driver colour management settings.

On an Apple Macintosh, please try the following workaround that usually helps the problem:

1. Make sure you have the latest operating system and revision installed, which should normally also include the latest printer drivers. Alternatively, check on your printer manufacturer’s website for the latest printer drivers.
2. Make sure your printer is set up with ink and paper and is ready for printing. Sometimes running a nozzle check or cleaning the heads may be a good place to begin to prevent banding or posterisation within the patches on the Test Charts.
3. Start the printer profiling procedure with ccStudio.
4. When printing the test chart and opening the printer driver, under the Colour Matching menu, select ColorSync (not Vendor Matching). In the pop-up menu that appears, select Generic RGB (instead of OFF No Colour adjustment that is normally recommended for printer profiling), select ‘other’ if the profile is not in the list. Please note this step is critical to printing your test charts.
5. Go further and select your corresponding paper type, output quality, and resolution as usual. Save this setting as ‘Generic RGB’ so you can use this setting when creating profiles.
6. Print the first chart, let it, dry then measure it. Drying times will vary depending on the inks, media and printer being used. Most inkjet printers will need a minimum of 10 minutes, but some can take up to 24 hours (matt papers).
7. Now print the second chart with the same settings listed above.
8. Measure the second chart and save the profile.

To print your images correctly with your ccStudio printer profile from Photoshop, follow these steps:

1. Open your image, making sure the correct source profile is assigned or has been converted to.
2. Go to Print, make sure the option ‘Photoshop Manages Colour’ is active, and your ccStudio printer profile is selected. If not, select it from the ‘Printer Profile’ drop-down box.
3. Click ‘Print Settings’ to get into the print driver settings.
4. Make sure that the same paper type, output quality and resolution is used from when the profile was created and in colour matching choose Vendor Matching (Epson Colour Controls).
5. Select No Colour Adjustment in print settings.
6. Print your image.

On a Windows PC, use the following settings:

1. Make sure you have the latest updates of the Windows for your system, which should normally also include the latest printer drivers. Alternatively, check on your printer manufacturers’ website for the latest printer drivers.
2. Make sure your printer is set up with ink and paper and is ready for printing. Sometimes running a nozzle check or cleaning the heads may be a good place to begin to prevent banding or posterisation within the patches on the Test Charts.
3. Start the printer profiling procedure with ccStudio.
4. When printing the test chart and opening the printer driver, go to Colour Management/ colour settings. Please note this step is critical to printing your test charts.
5. Select Colour Controls and select printer standard or sRGB (instead of OFF No Colour adjustment that is normally recommended for printer profiling)
6. Go further and select your corresponding paper type, output quality, and resolution as usual. Save this setting as ‘Generic RGB’ so you can use this setting when creating profiles.
7. Print the first chart, let it dry, then measure it. Drying times will vary depending on the inks, media and printer being used. Most inkjet printers will need a minimum of 10 minutes, but some can take up to 24 hours (matt papers).
8. Now print the second chart with the same settings listed above.
9. Measure the second chart, save the profile and activate the AppSet option if you would like to utilise this feature as one of your preferred printing methods.

To print your images correctly with your ccStudio printer profile out of Photoshop, follow these steps:

1. Open your image, making sure the correct source profile is assigned or has been converted to.
2. Go to Print, make sure the option ‘Photoshop Manages Colour’ is active, and your ccStudio printer profile is selected. If not, select it from the combo box ‘Printer Profile’.
3. Click Print to get into the print driver settings.
4. Make sure that the same paper type, output quality and resolution is used when the profile was created and select ICM Off No Colour Adjustment or NONE.
5. Print your image.