Suggestions GRAY OR BROWN ??

[RICHARD SIMMONS]

Hi Group! I have a problem when I want to print gray (10%, 20%, 30%, etc.). When I do the design, the color is one of the gray range, but when printing, it looks more brown than gray. Design in AI or Photoshop and print on Roland RE-640. Any suggestions? Thanks !!

 

[White Haus]

Have you tried using the Roland Color Library? Do you have LcLmLk inks? That should help get you closer to a true grey, although they're always a challenge.

 

[unclebun]

This is something you can fix in your RIP. It varies depending on the RIP, but basically you need to tell it how you want it to make gray. You can make gray with CMY or primarily K. When you make it with CMY, it comes out brown.

 

[myront]

Use pantone colors instead

 

[Bly]

Create custom icc profile and if it prints neutrals with a hue, linearise.

 

[unclebun]

If your media profile has been made correctly, using the profile will make correct grays. However, in the output section of the quickset profiles selection, you have alternate choices for gray replacement to solve this very issue if you are not using a proper profile.

 

[RICHARD SIMMONS]

Have you tried using the Roland Color Library? Do you have LcLmLk inks? That should help get you closer to a true grey, although they're always a challenge.

Yes ! I have the Roland Color Library, but it's hard to use when the customer sends an image which has grey on it I use only CMYK inks. And yes, it's a challenge. Tell me about it !!

 

[equippaint]

Assuming they are sending a vector in CMYK, replace the color in whatever program you use to the spot if it helps. Not really the right way but all roads lead home. Read up on some basic settings in your rip and exporting your files. Simple things like changing the rendering intent or sending a pdf as rgb vs cmyk can make a big difference.

 

[Andy_warp]

Create custom icc profile and if it prints neutrals with a hue, linearise.

Is there an easy button for that?!

 

[CSOCSO]

I had similar issue with dark greys.
up to %60 grey everything looks great. But if I printed darkey grey they looked kinda brownish. And I used roland spot colors!!!
One of my issue was that the avery vinyl have yellowish overlam (1060z)

But the best wat to print grey on Rolands if you work out of illustrator and use spot colors. Doesn't matter if the file rgb or cmyk.

 

[Bly]

Is there an easy button for that?!

Nothing worthwhile is easy, unfortunately.

 

[FrankW]

One important step in checking colors is to look at them under right conditions. Color is reflected light, and if using different light sources, colors could seem different. Check your grays under daylight or a D50 light source.

On the other hand, if using generic profiles, it could lead to wrong colors too. The best colors will be achieved if creating and maintaining individual profiles for the printer, RIP and media you use.

 

[Andy_warp]

Onyx and Caldera make it super easy to create your own profiles if you have an eyeone! If you invest the time, it will pay you back ten fold!
For me, the first step after I've created a good print profile/condition is to establish our rich black, which seems exactly what you are in right now.

It's important for us, as it sets our baseline for every print with rich black, until we need to create a new print condition. (most commonly due to new hardware)
Many times this is also when I prototype material to find the largest gamut, and best runability with my new hardware and ink.

I've done it now for 4 setups.

Once you have it set, you can consistently match any of your previous "blacks"
If you've setup your print condition properly it isn't too tough to print out a couple of builds that gradate, and pick the most neutral.

We started at rgb 0,0,0 in Illustrator and save as a spot color.

Working with an expanded or light ink set makes it a little more tedious

Document your steps so you can do this again...new hardware is inevitable!