Colors: printing vs. on screen

Colors: printing vs. on screen

[Erik Margraf]

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Dear List,

I defined the following color for one of my
documents: \definecolor[P][r=0.64,g=0.22,b=0.27]
When I printed this document on a probably typical office laser printer (a
Canon iRCXXXX), the
colors didn't match. (not even close and I didn't like the printed
color) This is probably no real
surprise, but can anybody provide some insight or hints to information on
these matters to me:

 -- Are "spot colors" the thing to use to get a grip on these matters?
 -- Is this generally only a matter of "color spaces" and transformations
between them?  or ...
 -- Is this also dependent on specific printer models (eg. different office
laser printers)?
    -- If yes, is there any source on information on the pecularities of
these printers?

kind regard and thanks

Erik

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Re: Colors: printing vs. on screen

[Hans Hagen]

On 19-6-2011 1:53, Erik Margraf wrote:
> Dear List,
>
> I defined the following color for one of my
> documents: \definecolor[P][r=0.64,g=0.22,b=0.27]
> When I printed this document on a probably typical office laser printer (a
> Canon iRCXXXX), the
> colors didn't match. (not even close and I didn't like the printed
> color) This is probably no real
> surprise, but can anybody provide some insight or hints to information on
> these matters to me:
>
>   -- Are "spot colors" the thing to use to get a grip on these matters?

no, as your printer uses process colors (cmyk)

>   -- Is this generally only a matter of "color spaces" and transformations
> between them?  or ...

indeed, often printer drivers apply some paper properties as well

>   -- Is this also dependent on specific printer models (eg. different office
> laser printers)?

yes, toner vs ink, kinds of paper, quality of renderer etc

>      -- If yes, is there any source on information on the pecularities of
> these printers?

specifying in cmyk might help

Hans

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Re: Colors: printing vs. on screen

[Christoph Redecker]

>   -- Are "spot colors" the thing to use to get a grip on these matters?

No, because spot colors are used to extend the printable range by colors 
not available in cmyk. You might be able to show such a color on your 
monitor, but not print it.

>   -- Is this generally only a matter of "color spaces" and
> transformations between them?

Yes, because your monitor uses RGB and your printer uses CMYK. The 
conversion between thetwo is not too complicated, but actually getting 
the same output from the two is hard. RGB is an additive model, CMYK is 
subtractive (read about the different models, wikipedia will do). The 
color impression you get by looking at the output is generated in 
completely different ways.

   or ...
>   -- Is this also dependent on specific printer models (eg. different
> office laser printers)?
>      -- If yes, is there any source on information on the pecularities
> of these printers?

Each printer will print slightly different, that's the nature of things. 
Your best bet is to calibrate your monitor (also, search a bit on the 
web for ways to do this). Turn a few of your monitors knobs and see how 
the colors change - now imagine what variables come into play between 
your impression of the color shown by your monitor, the actual data, and 
the impression you get from your printer's output!

You can also try specifying a color in CMYK and see if the output changes.

Regards

Christoph
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Re: Colors: printing vs. on screen

[Henning Hraban Ramm]

> Yes, because your monitor uses RGB and your printer uses CMYK. The  
> conversion between thetwo is not too complicated, but actually  
> getting the same output from the two is hard. RGB is an additive  
> model, CMYK is subtractive (read about the different models,  
> wikipedia will do). The color impression you get by looking at the  
> output is generated in completely different ways.

Most office printers cope well with RGB (sRGB) colors, a lot of inkjet  
printers even better than with CMYK colors, because they're optimized  
for home dummy use.

But (as Christoph pointed out) your printer can be as great as it  
goes, you'll never get a similar color impression if your monitor's  
set to some extreme setting - and most monitors that I saw outside of  
the graphical branch are set to "nonsense" settings, e.g. max contrast.

Greetlings from Lake Constance!
Hraban
---
http://www.fiee.net/texnique/
http://wiki.contextgarden.net
https://www.cacert.org (I'm an assurer)

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Re: Colors: printing vs. on screen

[Erik Margraf]

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Thanks! I'll go for the calibration and some trials in CMYK colors for
printing.

kind regards
Erik

2011/6/19 Henning Hraban Ramm <hraban@fiee.net>

> Yes, because your monitor uses RGB and your printer uses CMYK. The
>> conversion between thetwo is not too complicated, but actually getting the
>> same output from the two is hard. RGB is an additive model, CMYK is
>> subtractive (read about the different models, wikipedia will do). The color
>> impression you get by looking at the output is generated in completely
>> different ways.
>>
>
> Most office printers cope well with RGB (sRGB) colors, a lot of inkjet
> printers even better than with CMYK colors, because they're optimized for
> home dummy use.
>
> But (as Christoph pointed out) your printer can be as great as it goes,
> you'll never get a similar color impression if your monitor's set to some
> extreme setting - and most monitors that I saw outside of the graphical
> branch are set to "nonsense" settings, e.g. max contrast.
>
> Greetlings from Lake Constance!
> Hraban
> ---
> http://www.fiee.net/texnique/
> http://wiki.contextgarden.net
> https://www.cacert.org (I'm an assurer)
>
>
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