How to calibrate colors on a Roland SG2-300?

[darioni]

Hi everyone,

The company I work for prints signs in coated poster paper on a Roland SG2-300. But I've been having some big trouble with this particular print file (attached below).

Every time I print it using VersaWorks with default color settings my colors appear super dark and intense. I've tried changing color profiles and even messing with the color settings but I'm finding it impossible to match. Should I be doing some kind of color calibration? What can I do to make sure colors are coming out as expected?

Thanks in advance!

 

[weyandsign]

The easiest way to do that, is print out a color chart. Then use those colors in your design program. In VW you can go-to Media-> Color chart type 1. This will print a Roland color chart. Then you use that color library in your design program. Or you can even print out a basic CMYK chart. Then just look at the chart and match the color in the design. There's a CMYK chart on this forum I think you can search for one.

 

[darioni]

The easiest way to do that, is print out a color chart. Then use those colors in your design program. In VW you can go-to Media-> Color chart type 1. This will print a Roland color chart. Then you use that color library in your design program. Or you can even print out a basic CMYK chart. Then just look at the chart and match the color in the design. There's a CMYK chart on this forum I think you can search for one.

Right, but how do I match the color? Are you suggesting I use the color sliders in VersaWorks color settings? or are there other methods to fine-tune my colors?

 

[weyandsign]

Pick the colors from the chart, and put them in the design. That way you know how it's going to look when you print it.

 

[P Wagner]

Hi everyone,

The company I work for prints signs in coated poster paper on a Roland SG2-300. But I've been having some big trouble with this particular print file (attached below).

Every time I print it using VersaWorks with default color settings my colors appear super dark and intense. I've tried changing color profiles and even messing with the color settings but I'm finding it impossible to match. Should I be doing some kind of color calibration? What can I do to make sure colors are coming out as expected?

Thanks in advance!

The best answer is to calibrate your display, and to create a custom print mode for the media that you are using. The latter is performed in Versaworks along with a 3rd-party ICC profile creation tool. Both require a color measurement instrument (colorimeter/ spectrophotometer).

The next best option is to test different media products and canned media profiles and see if one meets your needs.

 

[darioni]

The best answer is to calibrate your display, and to create a custom print mode for the media that you are using. The latter is performed in Versaworks along with a 3rd-party ICC profile creation tool. Both require a color measurement instrument (colorimeter/ spectrophotometer).

The next best option is to test different media products and canned media profiles and see if one meets your needs.

Can you share a tool you'd recommend to build ICC profiles?

 

[P Wagner]

The best answer is to calibrate your display, and to create a custom print mode for the media that you are using. The latter is performed in Versaworks along with a 3rd-party ICC profile creation tool. Both require a color measurement instrument (colorimeter/ spectrophotometer).

The next best option is to test different media products and canned media profiles and see if one meets your needs.

The X-Rite i-1Pro Series (there are several generations of these) are the most widely-used spectrophotometers in this market. Make sure that your RIP directly supports the device model being used.

 

[darioni]

The X-Rite i-1Pro Series (there are several generations of these) are the most widely-used spectrophotometers in this market. Make sure that your RIP directly supports the device model being used.

Great! Thanks! I'll try all of that and see if it helps

 

[netsol]

The best answer is to calibrate your display, and to create a custom print mode for the media that you are using. The latter is performed in Versaworks along with a 3rd-party ICC profile creation tool. Both require a color measurement instrument (colorimeter/ spectrophotometer).

The next best option is to test different media products and canned media profiles and see if one meets your needs.

or simply do it right and create your own profiiles with a xrite I1 pro

 

[MrDav3C]

Totally agree that the right way to do this is to create custom colour profiles.

Obviously this takes time, a bit of knowledge / skill and a colour measurement tool.

I presume you have calibrated the media you are using on the printer? On my SG3 on the display we create a media profile for each type of material we print on & then let the printer do batch auto correction so it prints and scans a range of CMYK and selects what's best. This has definitely helped us have decent quality print results.

What you can also do is create a variation job in versaworks from the specific file you are printing.

The idea is that you print several scaled down versions of the file using different colour profiles or settings so you can compare them and pick then the one that looks correct.

 

[darioni]

Totally agree that the right way to do this is to create custom colour profiles.

Obviously this takes time, a bit of knowledge / skill and a colour measurement tool.

I presume you have calibrated the media you are using on the printer? On my SG3 on the display we create a media profile for each type of material we print on & then let the printer do batch auto correction so it prints and scans a range of CMYK and selects what's best. This has definitely helped us have decent quality print results.

What you can also do is create a variation job in versaworks from the specific file you are printing.

The idea is that you print several scaled down versions of the file using different colour profiles or settings so you can compare them and pick then the one that looks correct.

Is there an option on the printer display to print that range of CMYK? Or do you use a CMYK chart on a PDF and print it?