Trouble with colour management

Deliverance

Hi, I'm hoping somebody on here can help: Basically I'm trying to do a job for a friend who is opening a deli in NY. I have designed and laid out a shop sign and a complete menu. It's all going well except for the fact that the colours look all wrong when going to print.

I have tried creating the same files in Photoshop, Illustrator and indesign, saved both as .eps, .pdf and .jpg all print colours come out the same the same is happening in indesign as well.

The colours I am using are in CMYK format and the image sizes are 300dpi. I can't figure it out. Any help appreciated on this.

I'm using bright light and dark blue colours but they seem to be coming out more of a dullish green!

If it's any help the colours I'm using are C95% M68% Y2% K0%(this is a darkish blue), The lighter blue is C67% M27% Y0% K0%.

Thanks for any replies.

rockbeer

The simple answer is that to have any real idea of how your colors will look when printed on commercial machinery you need color charts (get them in a design shop or online). Then you can select colors knowing they will reproduce as you intend and you can pretty much ignore what you see on screen.

The complicated answer is calibration, but it's a tricky business and not for the faint of heart.

Hank_Scorpio

You also need to make sure your Proofing Colours and Colour Settings are set up correctly.

For printing you need to make sure that you're going to be using colour separations that separate properly depending on the inks, which vary across continents and countrys. If you're getting them printed in America then you should use the Colour Settings that correspond with the US printing presses. Which would be US Sheetfed Coated (or uncoated, depending if you're using coated or uncoated papers).

In Europe you'd use the General Purpose Prepress 2 or Coated Fogra 39 - whichever.

If you're unsure of what colour settings to use, then design the whole thing in whatever program - send the actual layout files to the printers and let them handle the colour management for going to print.

I certainly wouldn't use .jpg though, you're going to rasterise everything - including type. Try not to send .eps files either.

PDF files should be fine, if you get your color settings correct.

In InDesign: (providing you've done the layout here and not just placing the layout, etc.)

If you go to Edit> Colour Settings (could be under the App menu on Mac?) then make sure you're working spaces are

RGB: Adobe RGB
CMYK: Coated Fogra 39 (or if you're printing in the US use the settings metioned earlier).


Colour Management Policies:
RGB: Convert to Working space
CMYK: Preserve Numbers (ignore linked profiles)

The CMYK Preserve Numbers - this means that it will use the profile you've specified for images in the document, but any colours you've made in Indesign will not be changed to. This helps to keep black text as black and not a 4 colour black.


If you've done everything Photoshop:

Edit>Colour Settings

Working Space
RGB: adobe rgb (1998)
CMYK: Coated Fogra39 (or US Sheetfed (coated or uncoated))
Gray: Dot gain 20%
spot: Dot gain 20%


Color Management Policies:
RGB: Convert to Working RGB
CMYK Convert to Working CMYK
Gray: Preserve Embed Profiles


When you have these done in photoshop - go to View>Proof Colours and Choose Working CMYK


Now you should see fairly accurish colours of what you're doing, providing your monitor is properly calibrated (you can find calibration methods by googling).


In both InDesign and Photshop you should export or save, respectively, to PDF and make sure that you use the above mentioned details in the Output section of creating the PDF.

rockbeer

Good advice Hank.

As far as CMYK settings in individual apps go, it's probably best to consult your printer on which profile to use rather than just pick one.

Also don't forget about Gamut - using colours on screen that can't be reproduced on a CMYK press. Use Photoshop's built-in assistant to make sure your colours are safe.

Hank_Scorpio

Absolutely, being in contact with your printers is a must. It can't be stressed enough. It needs to be done. If you ask a printer for their .joboptions then you can export to a pdf using the printers .joboptions file for the pdf.

You can consult with your printer on how to do this.

Deliverance

Thank you all so much, I'll look into how to doing the options presented above. I really appreciate your replies, the advice is invaluable. Thanks Hank for taking time out to give such a comprehensive helpful reply as well.