Printing Consistent Color

More and more printers are implementing the G7® specification and color management while profiling their monitors, proofing devices, and printing presses. There is no doubt that this process works, providing accurate, predictable color from proof to press. What should not be overlooked, however, is the notion of maintaining consistent color balance throughout the pressrun. Have you ever had a customer fan out a job, revealing that the colors don’t match from sheet to sheet (as close as possible) to the last sheet of a pressrun?

Maintaining consistent color throughout a pressrun is a difficult task. The press operator must maintain a multitude of print variables at any given time; things like ink density, dot gain, gray balance, and print contrast, to name just a few. More often than not, these jobs are being printed on less-than-desirable paper stock, further complicating the process.

The ability to maintain consistent color of images during the pressrun begins with the color separation process. Image conversion, that is, changing images from an RGB of LAB to a CMYK color space, is not as simple as a mode change in Photoshop. Considerations must be made for ink, paper, and the condition of the press, to name just a few.

To read the complete Tech Talk Paper, download the PDF by clicking on the following link: DPC Tech Talk/February 2012.

You can also learn more about achieving consistent color through Printing Industries of America’s Training Programs. Click on the links below to learn more.

G7 Digital Operator Training Program
April 17–18, 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA

Presented by Printing Industries of America, a training program endorsed by IDEAlliance

Optimizing Color from Your Digital Press
April 24–25, 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA
Presented by Printing Industries of America

G7 Offset Operator Training Program
June 14–15, 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA
Presented by Printing Industries of America, a training program endorsed by IDEAlliance

G7 Expert/Professional Training
June 11–13 in Pittsburgh, PA
Hosted by Printing Industries of America and Presented by IDEAlliance
Please call 800-910-4283, ext. 731 for more information and to register for this program.

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