11-04-2012, 03:54 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-04-2012, 05:16 PM by Radio Fixer.)
Go to: http://www.inkjetart.com/custom/ and then scroll down to TSS Printer Test Tiff. This is a free download.
Once you have it you can open it in PhotoShop or Corel Paint, or what ever, and see what it looks like on screen. This is what I did next. Blow up areas and really look under daylight. First and most importantly look at the black steps... nice even gradual steps with a deep black at the end. Do the same for colours which is harder to make an opinion. But then look at foliage and skin tones... do these look right. With experience you can tell a lot. If they dont look natural then work on the monitor settings.
Having got this good, and a lot will depend on the quality of the monitor, then print the page as a full 10 x 8", photo print on good gloss paper ("Best Print" setting) and see how it compares. It will probably look way off to the screen and even 'wrong' standalone (check out the blacks and particularly the flesh tones) and then starts the tedious job of setting up the PC printer profile. Most printer makes have utilities that aid this. Scalling down to 6 x 4" saves ink whilst tweaking. But finally print a full 10 x 8" of the best setting. This is Ref Print 1. Make sure to anotate all prints with a "Sharpie" as its easy to get confused if you print a few.
Note: I have assumed a 6 colour photo printer... what you get with a 4 colour job wont be photo quality and I have long ago lost experience as to how good it can be. There's a recommendation here, always buy the best photo printer... cost is not much more as the monies in the ink as has been discussed in another thread.
Now scan Ref Print 1 at say 600 dpi and look at in a photo package as before... compare it on screen to the download. If its out, and it will most likely be, then start adjusting the PC scanner profile. Eventually when it looks good, and this is the final profile, then save and print it. Same good photo paper and best setting as before.
Now the acid test, compare this print to Ref Print 1. If they compare well then you have a good and matched set up.
Mine with effort came out very well, a little softer but thats to be expected. Grey and colour scales are to me identical but the young couple have just a tiny bit more tan ...its almost unnoticeable.
With Epson inks then the setup seems to hold for a long time and with change of cartridges. This may not be the case with 'cheapo' cartridges and will depend upon how much effort the makers put into quality control. I have no experience of them.
If you have newer components then me, then the makers may have instructions and utilities that are better. My screen, printer and scanner were all top spec items at the time but are many years old now. I had to search around for drivers and utilities when I upgraded to W7 and so the original setting instructions are useless. So "I do it my way" as the song goes.
In the attached pic my original print, Ref Print 1 is below and the print out of the final scan of it is on top. It will look different on your monitor to mine but the two prints should look very close... thats what I added it to show.
Calibrating takes time but its worth it to me Gary
Once you have it you can open it in PhotoShop or Corel Paint, or what ever, and see what it looks like on screen. This is what I did next. Blow up areas and really look under daylight. First and most importantly look at the black steps... nice even gradual steps with a deep black at the end. Do the same for colours which is harder to make an opinion. But then look at foliage and skin tones... do these look right. With experience you can tell a lot. If they dont look natural then work on the monitor settings.
Having got this good, and a lot will depend on the quality of the monitor, then print the page as a full 10 x 8", photo print on good gloss paper ("Best Print" setting) and see how it compares. It will probably look way off to the screen and even 'wrong' standalone (check out the blacks and particularly the flesh tones) and then starts the tedious job of setting up the PC printer profile. Most printer makes have utilities that aid this. Scalling down to 6 x 4" saves ink whilst tweaking. But finally print a full 10 x 8" of the best setting. This is Ref Print 1. Make sure to anotate all prints with a "Sharpie" as its easy to get confused if you print a few.
Note: I have assumed a 6 colour photo printer... what you get with a 4 colour job wont be photo quality and I have long ago lost experience as to how good it can be. There's a recommendation here, always buy the best photo printer... cost is not much more as the monies in the ink as has been discussed in another thread.
Now scan Ref Print 1 at say 600 dpi and look at in a photo package as before... compare it on screen to the download. If its out, and it will most likely be, then start adjusting the PC scanner profile. Eventually when it looks good, and this is the final profile, then save and print it. Same good photo paper and best setting as before.
Now the acid test, compare this print to Ref Print 1. If they compare well then you have a good and matched set up.
Mine with effort came out very well, a little softer but thats to be expected. Grey and colour scales are to me identical but the young couple have just a tiny bit more tan ...its almost unnoticeable.
With Epson inks then the setup seems to hold for a long time and with change of cartridges. This may not be the case with 'cheapo' cartridges and will depend upon how much effort the makers put into quality control. I have no experience of them.
If you have newer components then me, then the makers may have instructions and utilities that are better. My screen, printer and scanner were all top spec items at the time but are many years old now. I had to search around for drivers and utilities when I upgraded to W7 and so the original setting instructions are useless. So "I do it my way" as the song goes.
In the attached pic my original print, Ref Print 1 is below and the print out of the final scan of it is on top. It will look different on your monitor to mine but the two prints should look very close... thats what I added it to show.
Calibrating takes time but its worth it to me Gary
