Re: Color Bars on Inkjet Proofs
Re: Color Bars on Inkjet Proofs
- Subject: Re: Color Bars on Inkjet Proofs
- From: Richard Booth <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 14:01:21 -0400
- Thread-topic: Color Bars on Inkjet Proofs
First thanks for your responses.
Let me clarify a few things. We use GRACoL2006_Coated1 & SWOP2006_Coated3
standards within the proofing workflow. Prior to that it was TR001. And I¹m
also not talking about process control within our own closed loop of inkjet
devices, whether it be for printer drift or making printers match each
other. For that I both understand and utilize color bars when rip
applications take advantage of them. The question has more to do with what a
printer uses the bars for. If a printer is getting colorimetric or density
readings from our proofs, how do those reading correlate to reasonably
matching our proofs on their presses. Are there GRACoL2006_Coated1 &
SWOP2006_Coated3 readings of solid inkjet patches on my proof that fall
within an acceptable range? Let's also assume that, unlike me in my own
closed loop, they have no idea what my baselines for any of those patches
would be and therefore wouldn't necessarily know what range of drift is
happening.
And yes, putting color bars on is no big deal. We do it, whether they're
needed or not.
>Todd Shirley wrote:
Much like Martin, we print control patches on our inkjet proofs (such as the
FOGRA media wedge) so that we can verify and "certify" that the proof is
within the tolerances for a given specification. We use a product called
ORIS Certified Proof, but it works the same way: wait for the ink to dry,
read in the patches with a spectrophotometer, and the program generates a
sticker that lists the relevant dE of the proof and compares to the spec.
Very handy!
Martin is right in that the US print industry has difficulty coming to a
unified "agreement" about an accepted standard, while I gather in Europe
most everyone is on board with ECI/FOGRA. However, I think the majority of
US printers will agree that a proof generated to the GRACoL & SWOP standards
are acceptable contract proofs that they can reasonably be expected to match
on press. Profiles and characterization data sets can be downloaded from
http://www.gracol.org
We produce inkjet proofs to FOGRA39, GRACoL2006_Coated1 & SWOP2006_Coated3
and we put color bars on each one so that we can certify them. Because the
software stores all past results, its also an easy process control to see
how the inkjet printer is drifting which allows us to re-calibrate before it
ever generates a "bad" proof. Although we are not printers (we just do
color, retouching & prepress), I could easily see a printer requiring color
bars so they could apply the same sort of verification to a proof to make
sure it was within spec. Of course if you do it yourself like Martin and us,
the printer doesn't have to.
I guess an obvious question would be - why NOT put color bars? They don't
take up much material, and even if neither you nor the printer actually use
them, they make your proof look more "professional", so what's the harm?
-Todd Shirley
Urban Studio
New York, NY<
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