Does anyone know the ideal color settings for exporting .jpg and .eps files for CMYK printing? The default X6 settings result in rather washed out looking exports (both on the screen and on the prints). Black looks very dark grey etc.
Never had this issue with X3 but I understand that X6 uses a totally different color engine so I figure I just need to know the correct settings.
Thanks for any help!
howiegoo said:Does anyone know the ideal color settings for exporting .jpg and .eps files for CMYK printing?
The first ideal settings is: NEVER use EPS nor JPG for CMYK printing. The best settings are native CDR or PDF X/3
howiegoo said: The default X6 settings result in rather washed out looking exports (both on the screen and on the prints). Black looks very dark grey etc. Never had this issue with X3 but I understand that X6 uses a totally different color engine so I figure I just need to know the correct settings.
Really, not, both versions can have very similar, X6 is far superior since include all the X3 features and a lot more.
The key for CMYK offset printing is the paper. You must use some color profiles, each one according the kind of paper. ie for Coated paper, you can use Fogra39 or ISO Coated v.2, for cardboard, ISO Coated v2 300%, for common paper Fogra27 or ISO Uncoated Yellowish... Unfortunately, is not possible to have only one universal color profile, it was also impossible on other programs or older versions.
Interesting. Thanks for the input.
Lets forget about printing for the moment. Lets try this instead. Do you know the correct X6 color settings for producing crisp, vibrant, "black is really black" CMYK .jpg exports on the computer screen?
My problem is that everything I'm exporting from X6 using the default color settings looks dull and washed out whether it's on the screen or on the printer. What I see on my screen is virtually identical to what comes out of the printer (Roland VP-540) except for out-of-gamut colors of course. We've had a tech look at our color settings in VersaWorks (the RIP software from Roland) and he says everything is correct so I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with VersaWorks. I've also tried exporting on a couple of different computers at work (one is Windows XP and one is Vista) and even used the trial version of X6 on my laptop (Windows 7) as a test with the same results.
X3 exports on those same computers (except my laptop, no X3 there) are crisp and beautiful with no out-of-gamut colors. X6 exports are dull and faded all around.
Any ideas about what I need to change with my X6 color settings? Does anyone have a screenshot of their color settings they might share that gives them good results?
Here is an example of what is happening. Look at the black border. In CorelDRAW it is blacker than the inside of a cow. After the export it is no longer black. I used Photo-Paint to get the numbers you see in the image by hovering the eyedropper tool over the black border.
http://www.neoncranium.com/X6_Export.jpg
howiegoo said: My problem is that everything I'm exporting from X6 using the default color settings looks dull and washed out whether it's on the screen or on the printer. What I see on my screen is virtually identical to what comes out of the printer (Roland VP-540) except for out-of-gamut colors of course. We've had a tech look at our color settings in VersaWorks (the RIP software from Roland) and he says everything is correct so I'm pretty sure it isn't a problem with VersaWorks. I've also tried exporting on a couple of different computers at work (one is Windows XP and one is Vista) and even used the trial version of X6 on my laptop (Windows 7) as a test with the same results.
Then, you're talking to print using a plotter, instead a CMYK offset printing. That's very different., no only because Roland plotters use 6 colors instead 4, the ink is liquid and the entire environment is different. The CMYK Black is transparent, so if oyu use only CMYK the correct result is not a "dark black". For this reason, on commercial offset printers, usually never use only pure black for a background, usually it adds at least 40% of cyan for have a darker black.
If you want to send a file to the plotter, perhaps you will have better results using RGB instead CMYK, because your printer is not CMYK, and you can take advantadge of a wide gamut (the Roland plotters allows more colors than the CMYK). But, if you send a CMYK file, don't use a color profile for offset.
howiegoo said:X3 exports on those same computers (except my laptop, no X3 there) are crisp and beautiful with no out-of-gamut colors. X6 exports are dull and faded all around.
The next question is to ask what color profile do you sue on X3 and what color profile do you use on X6. Obviously, your'e using different settings on both. Don't say "I use default settings" because there're several default settings on both versions. ie if you're using Perceptual intent on X3 you must use the same on X6. On X6 you will have some other options that are not available on X3, such as "preserve pure black", useful for offset but if you send to a plotter you must disable it. Same about to use only black for the gray, with your plotter perhaps is better to disable this option
The next step is to ask about how to export for Versaworks (EPS, JPG, etc) and if you're embeddding the Color Profile on the Export dialog. If you embedd the right color profile when export you will have the exact colors you want.
Ariel said:Roland plotters use 6 colors instead 4
Ariel said:because your printer is not CMYK
I assure you the VP-540 only uses 4 colors. Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black. Unless I'm misunderstanding something (I'm sorry but your posts are very hard to read) you seem to think I have a 6 color printer? That is not the case.
I get the colors I want from the screen to the printer. My problem is that even before I import anything into VersaWorks the image already has the wrong colors on the screen immediately after I export it from X6. In other words, forget about the printer. Pretend I only asked how to get accurate colors on the screen while still using CMYK colors in a .jpg export.
When I say "default" I mean I installed X6 and did not change anything with the color settings. I do not know how to set up the colors (I know where to do it I just don't understand the huge pile of options I'm looking at) which is why I am here asking in the first place. You seem to want me to answer my own question but I wouldn't be here asking if I already knew the answer