Looking for definitve help as I am wasting a lot of expensive ink AND paper!!! But more importantly, I need to be sure that my file(s) that is going out to other comapnies (Society 6 etc) will print out pretty much how I see them on the monitor!
First of all the equipment I'm using:-
Adobe CS6 Creative Suite
Apple 27 iMac (late 2011)
Spyder 4 Elite Display Calibrator
Epson R3000 Printer
My problem - I am simply NOT getting consistent or predictable results between what I see on my calibrated monitor versus what gets printed out on my Epson R3000 using the correct ICC paper profile.
This is something Ive been plagued with for a while but ever since Ive started doing more graphic design work within Photoshop instead of my photography, color saturation, brightness and contrast need to be spot on, and they seem more shifted in brightness, contrast, and saturation. Ive watched the CreativeLIVE course with Eddie Tapp on Color Management, but it hasnt really answered the questions I need answered!
So here's my workflow, and tell me what I need to change to get more consistent results.
I ensure that my monitor calibration profile is the default profile for the computer. I start a new file in PS CS6 using sRGB as the color space. I design my image, and get ready to print. In PS's print settings, I ensure that "Photoshop Manages Colors" is selected, that the correct Printer/Paper profile is selected, and I choose Relative Colorimetric. I print the image, and it is more heavily saturated than the on screen version! So I decide to use the "Soft Proof" settings prior to printing to get a look at the simulated print BEFORE printing and wasting paper and ink. I do so, choosing the paper profile, and notice for this particularimage, only one part of the image changes (brighter with Soft Proof ON). However, when I print this image the the print look more like the original, rather than the Soft Proof!
Them this is where I really pull my hair out! I save this image for the web(using sRGB, which is the colour space its already in), and upload it for sale (its their preferred color space too). The image on their site looks more washed out than whats on my screen, in Photoshop - why is this so? This is furtration as I need to be the sure that prospective clients get a print that looks close to my artitci intent, but this workflow seems to suggest that that wont be the case! And dispite finding that monitors generally have more saturated colors than prints, why am I finding the opposite to be true??
I read ALL on Gary Ballard's site and understand it, but Im not having the success I should be having. Its affecting my confidence in design, if I cant get the simple task of color management under control even with the right tools for the job. HELP!!!