Colour Services

Introduction

Services:
Custom ICC Printer Profiles
Black & White Profiles
Stock ICC Profiles

Instructions:
RGB Profile Instructions
CMYK Profile Instructions
Black White Instructions

Using Output Profiles

Products:
For colour calibration devices, please click here.

Printer Profiling - Step by Step Instructions

At any stage, if you have trouble using or understanding these instructions, feel free to call us.

You should print these instructions out so you can refer to them while printing the targets.

The following instructions assume you are using Photoshop CS or CS2. If you are using another application to print the target, you must follow the spirit of these instructions precisely or the process won't work. You can ring us to discuss this if necessary. If at all possible, use Photoshop to print the target - you can still use the resultant profile with any ICC compliant application.

1. The first thing to do is to run a head cleaning cycle, followed by a nozzle check. Once ALL the nozzles are completely fault free, proceed to step 2. (Blockages in a nozzle will result in an innacurate profile once the blockage works its way loose).
   
   Please do not skip the nozzle check even if you're confident your printer is running well. You'd be surprised how often your printer has a clog without it being really obvious.
   
   
2. Next, you must determine the correct paper type to use with a particular paper. If your printer driver has an exact or very close setting for a particular paper type, then you can go ahead and use that, and proceed to step 3. However, if there is no setting that is an exact match, you need to determine which is the best paper type setting to use. Sometimes, manufacturers supply instructions sheets with their paper which recommend a particular paper type. We would suggest not necessarily following their instructions but determining the actual best paper type yourself as often their advice is not the best mode for colour accurate results.
   
   To do this, you need to download the ink density test chart here. (Instructions for using it are on that page as well).
   
   Once you have determined the correct paper type, proceed to step 3.
   
   
3. Download the profiling target file for your printer from here. This is one A4 size TIF file. It does not have an associated colour profile - this is correct, so you should use the 'Don't colour manage - leave as is' option when Photoshop asks you when you open the file (it is deliberately an Untagged RGB file).
   
   [If you do not get asked this question when opening the file in Photoshop, you should check your colour settings under 'Edit -> Colour Settings'. The key thing to check is that you're not assigning your default input profile to this file (under Profile Mismatches you should have 'ask when opening' or 'use embedded profile' selected, NEVER 'convert to working RGB'). We recommend you set your colour settings up as per the screenshot below - this way, you will be making explicit decisions about colour spaces whenever the issue arises:
   
   
   
   
   
4. Please do not change the target file in any way whatsoever- it is completely ready for printing. Do NOT change the PPI or the size of the file (i.e. do NOT resample and make sure 'Fit To Page' is turned OFF).
   
   
5. In Photoshop, choose 'Print with Preview' to print the file. (and do NOT choose 'Scale to Fit Media' in this dialog box - the height and width of the target must not be changed).
   
   For Photoshop 5.5, 6, 7 and CS (For CS2 or 3 see below)
   
   The settings should be as per this image below, with the key settings being that the Document Space should be Untagged RGB, and the Print Space should be "Same As Source".
   
   
   
   
   Photoshop CS2: Document Space should be 'Untagged RGB'. You should also choose 'No Color Management'
   
   
   
   And CS3:
   
   
   
   
   
6. Now click the 'Print' button, which takes you through to the actual Printer Driver. The next few screens may vary slightly depending on the exact model of printer you have, but they should give you a good idea of how to set up the driver. The key thing is to put the printer driver into 'dumb' mode where it does not change the colours of incoming files in any way (known as a 'No Colour Adjustment' workflow).
   
   
7. On the first page of the Epson printer driver, you must set the paper type - this has a big effect on the amount of ink laid down on the paper. This should be the exact paper type if the paper you use is in the list, or the paper type you determined is best in step two.
   
   Some popular printers, papers and the correct DPIs and paper types to use:
   
   

   Printer	Description of Paper	DPI/ Print Mode	Paper type to choose in driver
   Epson R800/R1800/ 210/230/290	All heavyweight matte papers (EAM, HMPR, all cotton rag papers etc)	Best Photo	Archival Matte (do not use the Watercolour Radiant White setting even if the paper manufacturer recommends it - too much ink goes down!)
   Epson R800/R1800/ 210/230/290	Semigloss (Pearl) papers (Canson Photosatin, Ilford Smooth Pearl, Crane Silver Rag etc)	Best Photo	Epson Premium Semi-Gloss
   Epson R800/R1800/ 210/230/290	Gloss Papers (Ilford Smooth Gloss, Canson PhotoGloss etc)	Best Photo	Epson Premium Gloss
   Any Epson Ultrachrome	Crane Silver Rag	1440 / Best Photo	Epson Premium Luster (=Semigloss )

   
   
   Once you have set the paper type, choose 'Custom' for the Mode, and click the 'Advanced' button.
   
   
   
   
   
   (For Mac screenshots see below)
   
   
   
8. In the Advanced dialog box, you should set the settings as per the screenshot below.
   
   You should set the quality to 'Best Photo'. You should set the correct paper type (use the table above as a guide, adnif in doubt just use the best match to the paper you are using).
   
   Under colour management, you should set it to 'Color Controls -> Epson Standard' (leave the gamma at 1.8 and all other controls set to zero!).
   
   (While generally profiles for Epson printers are made for the No Colour Adjustment mode, the Epson printers with model numbers below 2000 will actually profile better in Epson Standard mode).
   
   Make sure all the boxes on the bottom left ('High Speed' etc.) are unticked.
   
   On the R800 and R1800, please turn the Gloss Optimizer OFF when printing the targets, for all paper types. You can use the Gloss Optimizer for your printing with the profile later on, of course.
   
   
   
   
   We suggest you save these settings. Click the Save Settings button, and give your settings a name (e.g. 'EpsArchMatte').
   
   
   Or on a Mac:
   
   
   
   
   
   



9. Now click 'Ok' on this page, and 'Print' on the main page of the Printer Driver. The target should now print. When it is done, check it carefully for any smears (usually made by ink present on your printer rollers - clean the rollers and re-print the target as per the instructions) or streaks in the target (usually an ink blockage, go back to step one and make sure you do a nozzle check!).
   
   Please note that in colour terms the target print you get out of your printer may well look dramatically different from how it looks on your screen. This is perfectly normal so don't worry!
   
   
10. Now that you've printed the target, please check it over once more, carefully, before sending it to us. If there is ANY streaking due to a head clog, the profile will be adversely affected. It is unfortunately very common that inkjet printers will spontaneously clog halfway through a print, so the top half of the page will be fine but the bottom will be streaked. We receive at least one set a week with obvious streaking, so please do check your target print carefully, or there may be a delay in getting your profile done.
    
    Please do NOT roll, fold, bend or crease the target in any way. It must be provided to us a single, flat, A4 sized page or it won't fit in the machine and we'll have to ask you to print it again!
    
    
11. Please write, on the front of the target underneath the patches, the printer and paper type, so we can give the profile a sensible name.
    
    Now, mail us the target (or bring it here, by appointment) - include payment of $75 (plus $60 per additional profile if you want to profile more than one printer/paper/ink combination).

    Image Science
    95 Howard St
    North Melbourne
    Victoria 3051
    
    Please include your email address (or postal address if you prefer) so we can mail the completed profile to you.
    
    

12. We will send you the profile, usually within 24 hours (but occasionally we may take up to 2 days...if you need a better estimate, please call us)).
    
    NB We do not return your target prints to you (they are in fact shredded and recylced as packing material after a month or so). Follow the notes linked in the step below to evaluate your profile using better images for printer testing.
    
    
13. Once you receive your profile, please follow these notes to install and use your profile. There is also a trouble shooting guide to help solve any problems you might have.
    
    
14. If you have not received your profiles within a couple of days (4 days if you've sent the targets from NT or WA), then please contact us as most likely there is a problem with your email (please check your spam folder before getting in touch - that's where they usually end up if your spam detection is overly aggresive).