Re: Mini-rant on the surreal world of "prepress"
Re: Mini-rant on the surreal world of "prepress"
- Subject: Re: Mini-rant on the surreal world of "prepress"
- From: Marco Ugolini <email@hidden>
- Date: Sat, 24 Apr 2010 19:01:39 -0700
- Thread-topic: Mini-rant on the surreal world of "prepress"
In a message dated 4/24/10 12:42 PM, Randy Zaucha wrote:
> I look at it from a simpler point of view.
> I set up toner and inkjet printers for people and deliver a printer that when
> in calibration, delivers a print with reasonably accurate color. Delta E's for
> major color and light to dark gray tones are under 4 measured as Adobe RGB
> from an Adobe RGB file.
> Of the four main characteristics of an image (tone, gray balance, color &
> sharpness/resolution), the tone/detail and gray is very good. Not all colors
> are perfect but most are very good too. This is "office color" not "fine art
> color."
> If the client gives an offset printer an Adobe RGB file that made a good print
> on his calibrated profiled "office color" printer, then should he not expect a
> reasonably good match from a color managed printing press? They should be
> aiming at a low Delta E too.
If you know that they employ a reliable ICC CM workflow, and you have had
the kind of positive prior experience with their results that justifies
trust in their capabilities, then yes.
But, based on what I have encountered, a regrettably high number of printers
will not know how to handle that situation properly.
> My thinking is that if the press is color managed too, it should be able to
> match most of the tonal detail of the digital printer without any color casts
> due to gray balance.
I'm not sure how the expression "color-managed press" is to be interpreted
within this context.
If it is a press that has been G7-certified, and can then be made to match a
number of GRACoL print conditions, that's one thing.
It it is a press that has been profiled, that's a different scenario. I
haven't yet run into printers who have handed to me a profile for their
press.
Incidentally, a press can be profiled without necessarily being
G7-certified, and also if it is run according to a a host of very unique
parameters, like those used at VANFU in Japan for the presses on which Bill
Atkinson printed "Within The Stone".
> Those are the two main things people want from an image.
Meaning tonal detail (I suppose in saturated areas, specially) and good gray
balance?
> Of course a decent paper type must be used to hold the detail. Then, most of
> the colors should be close too if the profile is properly made.
Which profile, since this thread is positing a scenario in which the
output's precise characteristics are unknown?
> Any colors that are out of gamut can be created with a spot color if they are
> that important. When clients complain about out of gamut colors you give them
> a quote on adding a spot color. It is amazing when faced with extra costs how
> that missing color is suddenly good enough.
Good point. :-)
> Marco, I think you are referring to "fine art" quality. That requires much
> more effort.
> Unfortunately, most printers do not measure their press color to find the best
> operating condition and find out where their Delta E's are good and bad. (file
> CMYK to ink on paper measured CMYK) They leave it up to the pressman to
> manipulate a very thin film of ink to color correct the result.
> This is especially true if the clients supply the CMYK. (The point of my
> thread) For example, one of the most important aspects of a great color
> separation is how the black printer is built in relation to the color of the
> image. I'd be shocked to meet a designer who would know how to make a
> separation with an optimally made black plate.
> If every printing device is aiming at good color accuracy, you should get
> consistent color with accurate tone, no color casts, and acceptably accurate
> color.
But how do you do that when no one on the printer/prepress side is able or
willing to describe the expected print specifications?
Marco Ugolini
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