Color Matching

**blackcat4866** · 03-02-2016

This is kind of round-about, but it works for me:

When a customer complains about color matching, the first thing I do is a simple cleaning and color calibration. This test pattern is very handy to identify flaws in CMYK. See below:

Then if it's still not close enough, I'll connect my laptop to the MFP and get a copy of the enduser's document. If it's not in a format that I can open, I'll use a PDF conversion of that document.
1) I'll open the document and confirm with the enduser that I've identified the color that they are concerned with matching. Using ColorPic I can identify the CMYK description of that color in the electronic document, i.e. CMYK:50/40/30/20
2) Next I print the document with PCL6 and PS3 drivers. Using my Pantone Color Bridge I find the closest match and compare the CMYK description.
3) If it matches (or close), then it's time for the business cards. Ask each person in the office for a business card and set them all on the table side by side. Typically you'll see four or five shades of similar and some totally dissimilar colors. "So which is the official color? There are 5 choices here." Your keyop will choose a sample and say "This is it." or they might say "It's none of these. I'll get you one." Compare the sample to your Pantone Color Bridge, and determine the closest CMYK description, i.e. CMYK:55/45/35/25.
4) Open a Paint document, and create a color patch that matches the endusers official sample (55/45/35/25). Along side of that create a patch of the color in step #1 (50/40/30/20). Print it, and confirm that both colors appear as they should using Pantone Color Bridge.
5) So you say "OK, so the color in this electronic document as you can see here is CMYK:50/40/30/20. and the machine prints CMYK:50/40/30/20. And your official color is 55/45/35/25 per the Pantone Color Bridge. If that color was in the electronic document it would print it, like this sample I created in Paint. All we need now is your official color to appear in this document."

You can also throw out there that just because a document is printed in ink, or came from a professional printer, that does not necessarily make it a good example of their official color. The business cards demonstrate this.

Notice how I've completely side-stepped the topic of Additive (RGB) versus Subtractive (CMYK) color. When pressed about the monitor versus print issue, the line I like to use is: "When they invent electronic light producing paper, then copies might look like your monitor. For now, copy paper is reflective, not refractive." Naturally there are ways of calibrating your monitor to more closely match refractive colors, but almost noone goes to that trouble. =^..^=

**vishop** · 03-02-2016

Thank you much guys for the input. Recently i have convinced the client that there is no way both are going to match. Now the goal is just to get the prints and screen to be as close as possible. Maybe 75 to 85% match.

@Setright

This just occurred to me - they are not using a graphic software of any kind. From the 3D render, they just open the JPG file on Windows default dll application "Windows Photo Viewer", ctrl+P then print. Imagine that, and expect it to match what's show on screen. I'll take this into consideration. And your last line is very very true and also happening to this same client.

@blackcat
ill go thru your instructions, see how it works...

Right now i'm gathering all info that could help me before i go back on the client.

**zoraldinho** · 03-02-2016

Another truth is that IRA 50xx series can't print colours even close like CLC 5151 and similar series. I'm talking about monitor matching and colours quality.

**qbert69** · 03-03-2016

What's nice is when you have a customer (...hypothetically speaking, of course!) that is running an Apple computer with an NEC 4K Ultra High Definition Monitor which displays 1.07 Billion out of 4.3 Trillion Colors:

NEC Display Solutions PA322UHD-BK Black 31.5" 10ms 4K HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor IPS 350 cd/m2 1,000:1 - Newegg.com

...and they expect for the printer to *reproduce* THAT color gamut!

...dumbasses!

Every device has its own reproducible color space. Transmissive (monitor) color space is going to be wider that a reflective (print on paper) color space!...They just need to focus on the most "true to life and accurate" reproduction based on that devices limitations!

TriStimulus: TriStimulus

**teckat** · 03-04-2016

First step= Fire the Salesperson.

Second step= ask the designer, do u know the difference between RGB n CMYK.

Third step= if they say "I don't know", I say where did u get your degree.

Fourth step= I give them options, instructions, choices, & results.

Fifth step= if all fails, I point them to Xerox, love giving up those headache contracts.

**viczulis** · 03-04-2016

get a patone color chart then print test page if colors match then it has to do with the calibration of their screen not printer

**teckat** · 03-04-2016

Originally Posted by viczulis

get a patone color chart then print test page if colors match then it has to do with the calibration of their screen not printer

low end customers never go for spending 150.00 on a Patone Color Chart / and these ADVANCE PRINTERS are the worst for matching color

RGB screen calibrations "Never" satisfies a LOOP USER Customer/ loop.jpg
they usually have cheap monitors/

only a big design or advertising company buys the correct monitors/ and they are the worst to deal with

/ have dealt with many Fortune Five Hundred companies in the Big Apple

**copier tech** · 03-07-2016

Originally Posted by blackcat4866

This is kind of round-about, but it works for me:

When a customer complains about color matching, the first thing I do is a simple cleaning and color calibration. This test pattern is very handy to identify flaws in CMYK. See below:

Then if it's still not close enough, I'll connect my laptop to the MFP and get a copy of the enduser's document. If it's not in a format that I can open, I'll use a PDF conversion of that document.
1) I'll open the document and confirm with the enduser that I've identified the color that they are concerned with matching. Using ColorPic I can identify the CMYK description of that color in the electronic document, i.e. CMYK:50/40/30/20
2) Next I print the document with PCL6 and PS3 drivers. Using my Pantone Color Bridge I find the closest match and compare the CMYK description.
3) If it matches (or close), then it's time for the business cards. Ask each person in the office for a business card and set them all on the table side by side. Typically you'll see four or five shades of similar and some totally dissimilar colors. "So which is the official color? There are 5 choices here." Your keyop will choose a sample and say "This is it." or they might say "It's none of these. I'll get you one." Compare the sample to your Pantone Color Bridge, and determine the closest CMYK description, i.e. CMYK:55/45/35/25.
4) Open a Paint document, and create a color patch that matches the endusers official sample (55/45/35/25). Along side of that create a patch of the color in step #1 (50/40/30/20). Print it, and confirm that both colors appear as they should using Pantone Color Bridge.
5) So you say "OK, so the color in this electronic document as you can see here is CMYK:50/40/30/20. and the machine prints CMYK:50/40/30/20. And your official color is 55/45/35/25 per the Pantone Color Bridge. If that color was in the electronic document it would print it, like this sample I created in Paint. All we need now is your official color to appear in this document."

You can also throw out there that just because a document is printed in ink, or came from a professional printer, that does not necessarily make it a good example of their official color. The business cards demonstrate this.

Notice how I've completely side-stepped the topic of Additive (RGB) versus Subtractive (CMYK) color. When pressed about the monitor versus print issue, the line I like to use is: "When they invent electronic light producing paper, then copies might look like your monitor. For now, copy paper is reflective, not refractive." Naturally there are ways of calibrating your monitor to more closely match refractive colors, but almost noone goes to that trouble. =^..^=

Nice test page, very useful, is there a way I can edit it to A4 size?