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!
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?
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.
At www.graphictechnology.com I have a color management combo book deal for users versions of CorelDRAW X4 and older and X6. I use a Roland solvent printer all the time and many digital devices and in my opinion while loading the Roland ICC profile may have achieved the single goal you wanted in the long run it will compromise the compatibility of your files..
To answer many questions I need regional knowledge of you location and to be honest X4 and older versions of CorelDRAW used such a unique method of color management and had many non-ICC compliant settings that a proper coordination can require quite a bit of discussion.
The X4 and older book is 90 pages if I could have explained color management for those version in fewer page I would have, the combo book is perfect because to set X5 or X6 to work for you as closely as X4 and older versions you really need to understand what the setting in the older versiobs were doing.