# Color problem....not printing correct shade



## FatboyGraphics (Sep 20, 2009)

Mutoh rj900
Wastach rip
inktec inks

So i'm pritning this image....the solid Red looks fine, but the gradient...Red to White....isnt' red...its darker, more burgandy. 

Anyone tell me why this is happening?

im printing in RGB by the way

The one pic is the screen shot showing the T and the red in the bandanna the same color.
then the 2nd pic is the actual pressing showing different shades.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

How are you printing RGB? That's additive color for monitors. Inkjet printers will interpret RGB images as CMYK and print them that way. I'm not sure if this is the problem, but you might try sending the image in CMYK and see if that changes things.

Also, I don't print my own transfers, I order them and I always think they look too light on the transfer but then they look fine on the print. Apparently a little ink goes a very long way. You might try overall lightening up the image.


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

You need to look at your colour settings in Wasatch, in particular the input profiles, make sure that they match your image's ICC profile.


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## FatboyGraphics (Sep 20, 2009)

Thanks....I'm no wizard at Wasatch.
I use to always print in cmyk
..got new inks and a new printer and decided to see how rgb colors printed.....so much brighter then cmyk...so that's why I am using rgb.


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## inkjetparts (Apr 2, 2016)

Fatboy your correct in using RGB files in Wasatch. RGB artwork with a good color profile will give you better output than CMYK files. You can always try a new profile or change your rendering intent. Most of the color settings in Wasatch are under the "Color Transforms" page. If your looking for more saturation or brighter color try using the relative intent.


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

RGB has a wider colour gamut than CMYK - i.e. it has more vibrant colours available.
At some point you must convert to CMYK, because that's what the printer runs.
I use Adobe1998 as a profile, it has a good gamut.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

PositiveDave said:


> RGB has a wider colour gamut than CMYK - i.e. it has more vibrant colours available.
> At some point you must convert to CMYK, because that's what the printer runs.


I've noticed that too. Even though an inkjet printer uses CMYK ink, they seem to work better with RGB images. I don't understand how they work but I would guess they interpret the additive (RGB) color and automatically convert it to print subtractive (CMYK.)

LOL, I had a customer once that asked if I could get RGB inks because he liked the way the photos looked better than CMYK. I was like "Good Lord, where do I even begin...?"


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## JYA (Jun 2, 2008)

PositiveDave said:


> At some point you must convert to CMYK, because that's what the printer runs.


Wasatch RIP automatically does the conversion for him...


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

JYA said:


> Wasatch RIP automatically does the conversion for him...


Lol
Of course, but you can restrict your colour gamut by converting to an unsuitable CMYK colour space before printing. Wasatch knows what the printer colour space is, and can therefore get a better translation.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

PositiveDave said:


> RGB has a wider colour gamut than CMYK - i.e. it has more vibrant colours available.
> At some point *you* must convert to CMYK, because that's what the printer runs.
> I use Adobe1998 as a profile, it has a good gamut.




Inkjet printers without RIP software do the RGB to CMYK conversion _without any user interaction_.

RIP software will substitute for the printer driver and either do the RGB to CMYK conversion (just like the OEM printer driver) or can handle CMYK data directly.

I'm missing your concept of "you" must convert to CMYK. Do you mean manually convert the workspace colorspace in the graphic app yourself?

Also, I assume you mean that you are using Adobe RGB 1998 as your _workspace_ profile and not your_ printing_ profile. It's important to be specific since some new users reading here might be confused on this.


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Ripcord said:


> I've noticed that too. Even though an inkjet printer uses CMYK ink, they seem to work better with RGB images. I don't understand how they work but I would guess they interpret the additive (RGB) color and automatically convert it to print subtractive (CMYK.)
> 
> LOL, I had a customer once that asked if I could get RGB inks because he liked the way the photos looked better than CMYK. I was like "Good Lord, where do I even begin...?"


To your point here is what Adobe, Corel, and Epson state on the matter of RGB and CMYK color.

*COREL*

http://www.corel.com/content/pdf/cdgsx5/Color_Management_Guide.pdf

P11

"As a rule, you should choose RGB as the primary color mode unless your documents are to be printed on CMYK presses in a Postscript workflow.


P21

"Not everyone one realizes that non-Postscript (GDI) Windows printers can only accept RGB data. 

When you send CMYK or Grayscale colors to the GDI printer, these colors must be converted to RGB by the application, there is no other way and CorelDraw Graphics Suite is not unique here.


P31

On the other hand, choosing the Adobe RGB (1998) color space and the RGB color mode for workflows where digital photos are printed on an inkjet printer is the right move.

GDI (non-PostScript) printer drivers used by most inkjet printers accept only RGB color data, and even low-end inkjet printers cas reproduce some colors that fall well outside of the sRGB gamut buy are within the gamut of the Adobe RGB color space.


p37

GDI (non-PostScript) printing

GDI printers expect RGB color data, so all non-RGB colors in a document, such as CMYK or Grayscale, must be converted to the printers RGB color profile.

It's a good idea to design your document entirely in RGB if all you plan to do is print to a GDI printer. "

*ADOBE *

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/printing-photoshop.html

"About desktop printing
Unless you work in a commercial printing company or service bureau, you probably print images to a desktop printer, such as an inkjet, dye sublimation, or laser printer, not to an imagesetter. Photoshop lets you control how your image is printed.

Monitors display images using light, whereas desktop printers reproduce images using inks, dyes, or pigments. For this reason, a desktop printer can’t reproduce all the colors displayed on a monitor. However, by incorporating certain procedures (such as a color management system) into your workflow, you can achieve predictable results when printing your images to a desktop printer. Keep these considerations in mind when working with an image you intend to print:

If your image is in RGB mode, do not convert the document to CMYK mode when printing to a desktop printer. Work entirely in RGB mode. As a rule, desktop printers are configured to accept RGB data and use internal software to convert to CMYK. If you send CMYK data, most desktop printers apply a conversion anyway, with unpredictable results."

*EPSON*

Manage consistent colors on your prints
Inkjet printers are RGB devices

In general inkjet printers are RGB devices; even if they use cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink for printing. Therefore send an image file that is in a RGB colour space to your Epson inkjet printer driver. The Epson inkjet printer driver will follow your driver settings to convert the image data from RGB to CMYK values and will calculate how much ink of the up to 8 inks is needed to reproduce any CMYK value. The driver takes also into account the media type you use. Generally RC based photo paper can have more ink on its surface than plain paper before ink is blurring.


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