Making a CMYK printer profile

[danstart17]

Hi

Has anyone successfully created a custom CMYK colour profile for their printer?

I'm currently using Argyll and although I feel close, my colours appear lighter than whats on my screen (Calibrated Macbook Pro 2015). My default profile is much better and although I prints what I see on screen it lays down a little too much ink on some colours and starts pooling hence why I wanted to create a custom profile.

I've tried and tried and I can't get close and I'm at the verge of deciding that its not possible.

Just wondering if anyone has successfully created one and can discuss it.

Thanks

[digitaldog]

Depending on the printer and driver, you absolutely do NOT want to be making CMYK profiles and sending it CMYK data. So specifically, what printer, with what driver and what's the goal (Proofing?).

[danstart17]

Hi

It's Roland Large format VS-640i and using it's own Roland Versaworks RIP.

I have checked the default profiles and they are all CMYK so I went the same route.

I can't look more in-depth at those profiles because they are version for and I am using Argyll which only accepts version 2. The goal is to try and print the colours on screen or as close to without pooling.

[digitaldog]

I can't look more in-depth at those profiles because they are version for and I am using Argyll which only accepts version 2.

Version 2 as in ICC spec (V2 vs. V4)? There is no reason to build V4 ICC profiles. And reasons not to.

[danstart17]

What is the best way to see if a profile is good or bad.

Maybe my profile is good but my screen is bad.

[digitaldog]

What is the best way to see if a profile is good or bad.

Maybe my profile is good but my screen is bad.

You should always test output using good color reference images designed for that task. The color reference images RGB values, which you'll convert to CMYK, are such they are set for output and are editing and display agnostic. Test the output this way and examine for the same color issues so we know it's not your image specific issues causing the problems:
http://www.digitaldog.net/files/2014PrinterTestFileFlat.tif.zip

[danstart17]

Thanks

I can't actually print that file, I'm guessing it's a 16bit tiff file and my rip seems to only accept 8bit tiff files.

[digitaldog]

Convert the image to 8-bits per color.

[aaronchan]

May I ask if you have performed your own linearization and ink limitation before you make your profile?
If you use the default linearization curve and ink limitation, have you remove your "default" ICC profile before you print your own target chart?

If you did perform your own linearization process, that could be because you have picked the optimal individual color restriction?

Just my guess.
Aaron