Input/Output/Workflow - - strange faces

HarryHardHat · #1 01-07-2006, 11:22 AM

Dear all!

Im doing some b/w work on an epson 2100 (2200) printer. The method that I've relied on so far (and which is recommended by Luminous Landscape) is to print with "Printer Color Managment" and "Color Controls" using the photo-realistic mode. For black and white this has been working out nicely so far. The problem is that recently I started printing faces (with a darker skin complexion) and I'm not happy with the prints.
A friend described the look as plastic, and this is close to the truth. The faces that come out from my printer do have a plastic almost metallic look. On the screen they look OK however.
If somebody has encountered the same problem, or do have tips on how to battle this problem, please do not hesitate to write.
Yours humbly,
HarryHardHat

mistermonday · #2 01-07-2006, 11:44 AM

Hi Harry,
Before you print, check the "Print With Preview" window to make sure that during selection of you print options that the Epson driver has not changed the pull down box on you. Make sure it still say in the Output Pull Down menu "Printer Color Management". In the Printer Options I would deselect photo-realistic and make sure all of the Color Controls are still set to the 0 point. Not sure if you are using an LCD or CRT monitor but you might also want to be sure that it is properly calibrated, that the image you are sending to the printer is indeed tagged with the correct color profile, and that the colors in that image are not way out of gamut for the color space you are working in. Checking these out should lead you to discovering the exact problem.
Regards, MM

HarryHardHat · #3 01-09-2006, 03:54 AM

Thanks for your quick reply mistermonday. I've checked the drop down menue, I've unchecked the photorealistic setting and my colors are not outside of gamut. The result stays the same, I did however notice that when I print with the profile for my paper (under Printspace and Profile) using No Color Ajdustment the result gets slightly better - but just slightly. I will continue experimenting and will let you and the forum know when its getting better, in the mean time don't hesitate to keep me informed if you get any ideas...

Oh... and one more thing which has kept me somewhat confused lately... In Photoshop under the Edit and Colorsettings menue...am I supposed to turn Color Managment Off under Settings, before printing my photos? Or should I keep it at Custom, or any of the other alternatives. As mentioned in my previous post I'm printing on an Epson 2100 (2200).
Yours,
HHH

philbach · #4 01-09-2006, 04:24 AM

Well I have a Mac and I am really pleased with the quality of my Epson 2200 print quality. I've profiled my monitor. I use the ICC profiles supplied by Epson. When the print menu comes up I choose "let Photoshop Determine Colors", then I select the printer profile for what I am printing on. In this case its Premium Glossy Paper using photoblack Ink. When the final Print dialog comes up I select the Premium Glossy Paper and turn color management off.

I've enclosed a couple of screen dumps

Cassidy · #5 01-12-2006, 07:33 AM

I have two identical epson printers, one on an xp machine and one on a 2000 machine, on the xp machine to get good results I let photoshop determine the colours and on the 2000 machine I have to let the printer determine the colours - go figure

mistermonday · #6 01-12-2006, 07:59 AM

Harry, I suspect your problem may be your overall color management. What you are seeing on your monitor may not be representative of the file you are editing and Photoshop & your printer are actually see the color values represented in the file.

First thing you should do is calibrate your monitor with Adobe Gamma, the free control panel which is installed with every version of PS. Next choose a color space in which you want to work. I would recommend you chose sRGB IEC619...etc or Adobe RGB. Turn color management on and in the check all of the warning options. When you open an image file to edit it, you need to honor the images embedded profile or convert it to your working color space. If you ignore color management, photoshop will make some assumptions and those assumption may cause it to significantly change the colors which you see and which it outputs to the printer.

I suggest you read some of the excellent tutorials on color management and printing at the link below. There are tutorials for PS7, PSCS, and PSCS2

http://www.computer-darkroom.com/
http://www.computer-darkroom.com/ps7_colour/ps7_1.htm
Regards, Murray