You’re likely to be familiar with the problem of incorrect color matching between your printed design and the one you see on the screen. While your designs may look great on your computer screen, it is possible to see inaccuracies in your printed copies.
This can sometimes be minor and not cause any significant problems. However, if you are working with a high-profile client, you must ensure that you get everything right. They will expect everything to be perfect.
We are one of the UK’s most respected printing companies, specializing in banners, stickers, and labels. Our clients often ask us about color matching, and we are always happy to offer advice. We realized that most of our clients were repeating the same thing to us. We are also well aware of how confusing the process can be regarding color-matching.
We created a simple guide for color-matching print projects. The guide covers everything you need, so let’s get started.
#1 – Check Your Vision
Before we can get into the technical stuff, many people get caught up in making technical modifications (many of them, which we’ll be discussing further). Still, it is essential to realize that technical adjustments will only help if your vision is good enough.
Most people will have one eye that is more sensitive than the other to specific colors. It’s worth visiting your opticians regularly to check for any issues. You will usually be given a prescription to correct any differences in your vision and to ensure you can judge color accurately.
When you receive a prescription for contact lenses or glasses, ensure that you wear them. You will lose your ability to judge color, brightness, and contrast if you don’t wear the prescribed glasses. It will likely be more comfortable to wear glasses for designing.
#2 – Buy A High-Quality Computer Monitoring
It might be tempting to buy a PS49 monitor at a local computer store on sale, but it is usually wise to invest in a better-quality monitor.
Monitors at the lower end often cannot reproduce colors with high accuracy. Many of them have their color profiles, which, although they may look great to the untrained eye, could be more effective when matching colors to printed projects. Some models may have color-banding issues.
A cheap monitor can make it difficult to gauge how your printed project will turn out, as it won’t be possible to match colors correctly.
We recommend you invest in a high-quality LED display (not an LCD) and ensure that any built-in color profiles are turned off. You want things to be as natural as possible and true to life.
Apple displays are among the most potent exhibits available if you’re a designer. They’re high quality, high-resolution, and can accurately judge color.
#3: Improve Your Workspace
Your workspace may need help to see clearly, even with the best computer monitor. You can have a wide range of workspace-related issues that directly affect how you see color on your monitor.
Glare is one of the most common problems. Glare is the biggest problem. We are sure you have all experienced it at some point. You can move your desk from direct sunlight or change your viewing angle if you do. You should consider purchasing an anti-glare monitor.
Lighting around your workspace is another factor affecting your ability to judge color accurately. Your eyes will adjust to brighter or darker lighting, which can also cause problems when it comes to color-matching.
Even if you avoid these things, ensuring that your monitor is viewed straight-on is essential. Monitors won’t reproduce as accurately if viewed off-center. Make sure you have a well-designed workspace to avoid this.
#4 – Properly Calibrate Your Display
Once you have all the basics in place, it is time to get technical. Next, calibrate your monitor correctly to ensure that the displayed color is accurate to life (or the printed project).
There are two ways you can do this. You can judge the monitor using your eyes, but this won’t give you accurate results. A color calibration device is the best and easiest way to get precise results.
Although many color calibration devices are available, the Spyder 4 (pictured below) is the most popular. This device measures the light emitted from your monitor and the ambient light surrounding it. It then adjusts your monitor’s color range to compensate.
These tools are easy to use and come with detailed instructions. Most color calibrator tools are now plug-and-play and will do all the work for you.
These devices can be purchased for as low as PS50-PS70, but considering the color calibration options built into your home printer is worth considering. These options are only available on some printers, but it is worth looking to see if they exist.
#5: Use the Right Colour Profiles
A standard error in designing for print is using a different color profile. Even though most computers and monitors display colors using the default RGB or sRGB color profile, there are better profiles for designing for print.
Professional printers may prefer a CMYK color profile to RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) if you plan to send your project. If you have created your design with the RGB profile, this will likely cause issues. You’ll notice a difference in the printed product’s appearance from the screen.
You can use any version of Adobe software, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, etc., to choose from various color profiles. You can also select the CMYK profile. This applies to many other image and design software.
Choosing the right color profile for the output device, you plan to use is essential. You can always consult your printer to determine the best shape for you. They will usually be happy and able to give advice.
#6 Use The Pantone Colour Library
Pantone’s color library is an excellent option if you need perfect reproduction of color across multiple mediums.
Pantone is a collection of color swatches that can be used during the design process as reference colors. The Pantone system is often the best option for branding projects that require precise color reproduction across multiple mediums.
Almost every professional design application (e.g., Photoshop supports the Pantone color profile. This makes it simple to use. Pantone offers sample chips that can accurately show clients the exact color of their designs when printed. They can be expensive and must be replaced regularly because colors fade quickly from light.
Pantone is one of many color libraries out there. You are welcome to explore other color libraries.
#7: Make Use of Soft-Proofing
Hard proof is one of the best ways to gauge the outcome of a printing job. Hard evidence is a unique print you or your client use to verify the outcome of a printing run. It is printed before the mass printing run.
This can be costly and time-consuming. However, soft-proofing allows you to simulate the proofing process on-screen.
Photoshop is just one of many professional design programs that offer this feature. Navigate to the Proof Setup menu located under the Photoshop menu bar. Various presets are available, including Apple RGB and Working CMYK. You can also create your custom soft-proofing profile. This is useful if you have a specific printer in mind or want to check the results before printing.
You can also simulate the colours of paper and black ink. You might also find other design programs that offer more or fewer options than Photoshop. Make sure you take a look.
If you change your output device, it is important to update the proofing profile. You might change your profile to CMYK to create a project for a professional printer, but keeping the original profile in place when using your home inkjet printer is important.
#8: Discuss the Project with Your Printing Company
We’ve covered everything you can do to ensure your projects match perfectly. But that’s only the beginning. It is a good idea to talk to professionals about your project and allow them to work out the details.
This is crucial if you are trying to replicate the color profile of an existing printed product. The printing company will need some color-matching. You can improve the accuracy of the printing company’s color reproduction for your printed project by providing reference material.
This is because the exact mixture of base colors used by the printer can affect the color reproduction (e.g., Together with the paper stock, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow are important.
While most printing companies are happy to work with customers on this matter, it is important to remember that you must still reproduce the colour accurately yourself. This will make it easier for printing companies.
Conclusion
It might seem like a lot to match just a few colors, but the result will be worth it. Your designs will look great, no matter what printing company you use.
You can also rest assured that most of these points will only be needed once.
