I have been trying to figure out a way to get some better grey out of our Latex 335 using Flexi. At first I was using the self adhesive media and it was coming out with a greenish tint. Then I was told to switch to the PET film to get better colors which definitely helped the blues and red. The grey is better but I seem to be getting a blueish tint now anytime I make the slightest adjustments to try and mess with the grey. I'm not too sure what to do since all the other colors are basically perfect and its just the grey at this point that needs adjusting.
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Printing Greys with Flexi Rip
- Thread starter yamaha581
- Start date
balstestrat
Problem Solver
Well what material and profile are you using?
If you haven't yet, search for the correct profile from the online Library first and then do a color calibration. You should be getting pretty decent result after that.
If you haven't yet, search for the correct profile from the online Library first and then do a color calibration. You should be getting pretty decent result after that.
We are using a material called substance for motocross graphics and I have the correct profile for it as well. I have not done a color calibration though so I will try that out.
We print in CMYK out of Flexi so I would say CMYK greys? I would take pictures but they always look completely different on the picture than in person for the grey. I am doing the calibration right now to see if it gets any better.
For this picture attached I went ahead and calibrated the color with the material on the self adhesive vinyl mode and it just comes out really grainy when we print under self adhesive vinyl as you can see. When we print with the PET film instead it is a really vibrant color for everything its just the grey is always getting the blueish tint.
Attachments
balstestrat
Problem Solver
Well there is a difference clearly then. How many passes does the profile have? What amount of colour?
Pet is different so it looks different.
Pet is different so it looks different.
jimboeejit
New Member
im using an HP with flexi and use the same profile no matter what im printing...
hp air release 10 pass
only colour i changed was the red
from an orangey red to coke red
all other colours are as expected
hp air release 10 pass
only colour i changed was the red
from an orangey red to coke red
all other colours are as expected
Patrice Brunelle
New Member
Have you checked your prints under different lighting? Our grays here come out pinkish but only under the yellow fluorescent above the printer. But out in the sun or under a white fluo or LED, the grays are perfect. For the color type I've tested with PMS, CMYK, RGB, and RGB's usually have the truest grays and black. But I'm printing solvent, not latex, so that might not be relevant to you.
This picture was with 10 pass and I have done 12 pass and even higher but it still does not come out as good as with the PET. I understand that is different and that's why it looks different with PET. I was just originally saying that all of the colors come out better on the PET and that's why I was trying to figure out how to adjust for the greys on the PET setting.
At first I did think it was lighting but for the grey it definitely looks the same outside as under the lights in here.This is probably a dumb question since I've been using illustrator for 10 years and been printing myself for at least 6 but if I have a grey in illustrator like my swatches and say they are cmyk how do I change them to RGB? I always design under the RGB workspace so is that all you mean for that or am I just completely missing another way to adjust those. Thanks!
balstestrat
Problem Solver
Why would you design in RGB in illustrator for printing.....?
bob
It's better to have two hands than one glove.
Realize that grays are printed with CMYK, not just with K. That being the case it doesn't take much to nudge a magenta or green or whatever tint into an otherwise good gray. I sure that the coloristas drifting in these waters have all manner of lengthy and technical solutions. If that's what gets you off, have at it. But it's far easier merely to convert your grays to bitmaps, if they're not already, and add a little noise to them which, works just as well.
ColorCrest
All around shop helper.
If you're working in RGB, then set your Illustrator color palette to RGB mode. Neutral grays should show as equal values among the three. 128, 128, 128 is middle gray as an example. Be sure to save your designs with your choice of typical ICC working profiles of RGB and be sure your RIP honors those profiles.
SightLine
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Why would you not design in RGB for printing...... ?
Your printers CMYK inks have no correlation to CMYK color in design software. Your CMYK inks are capable of a much greater range of color than CMYK color in design programs can define....
There is a LOT more to it than that though and having proper color profiles for your machines, configuring profiles in software, etc all can come into play.
Just really not something I'm able to explain well though. Some of the color experts around here are far better at that.
ColorCrest
All around shop helper.
Because it's the smart thing to do and has been for decades.
What CMYK values do you tell your customers to use for a neutral gray on each of your machines?
ColorCrest
All around shop helper.
Know there are CMYK wide gamut ICC profiles offered by Epson, Mimaki, and others to help those choosing to work in CMYK mode.
balstestrat
Problem Solver
I see my customers usually designing in cmyk so that's why I'm baffled about this.
Is it really the popular thing to do here or am I missing something? Can it be different for US than Europe?
ColorCrest
All around shop helper.
Well, many things are popular but are possibly less than ideal, right?
I suggest we stick to the OP's issue of gray. Grays are designated in the common RGB spaces as three equal values. Easy. Not so easy using CMYK color spaces because they are device dependent where as RGB spaces are not.
Thank you! I ddi get the color palette set to RGB in illustrator and did one test print with the equal values for the greys I had as samples. Im going to check it all out in the morning and see if it is any better than what I am currently getting. Just a pain since every other color is perfect and these are just off slightly enough they don't match the correct color plastic they go on.