# Need urgent help with dull color output on mugs!!



## firedancer4 (Jan 8, 2017)

Hey guys!

Trying to do an order for some mugs for this weekend and I have gone through about 5 test mugs and the color comes out the same: DULL!!

The mug print is supposed to be vibrant/hot pink and blue watercolor. This is what it looks like after sublimation:
https://ibb.co/47sGrjK

I'm creating designs in Photoshop. Here are my color settings and print settings. I'm using an ICC profile that came with the ink.
https://ibb.co/4Kd4xym
https://ibb.co/dpMv7b0

I'm using a convection oven that has been tested previously for best temp and time settings. I'm currently using 375 degrees for 13 minutes. 400 was too hot even at lower time and it scorched the paper. Nonetheless, I tested tonight at 400 degrees again but it makes no difference. The print comes out dull like this every time.

Can you see anything I'm missing? My customer really liked the hot pink and I'd love to get this right.

Thanks so much!!!


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## webtrekker (Jan 28, 2018)

Firstly, you need to be realistic about what colours you can produce with sublimation. Just because they appear 'hot' and 'vibrant' on a monitor doesn't mean they'll appear that way on an item.

Secondly, a lot depends on the brand of inks you are using and the quality of the mug coating. 

Why not print out some colour charts so that you know exactly what to expect from your setup and what you can offer customers.


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## firedancer4 (Jan 8, 2017)

Hi webtrekker! I've had this design printed out by a fulfillment company before, so I know it prints out not quite as vibrant as shown in the print settings image, but it's still a beautiful, vibrant pink that's just a little darker. But the output picture I attached is lacking in any vibrancy. I know it can be better than that.

The inks I'm using have served me well in other designs, but it's been several months since I've printed a mug so I had to re-familiarize myself with all the proper settings. This is also why I attached my settings to the original post, to ensure I set them right.

The design that prints out of my Ricoh is beautiful. I'm not looking for the "hot" as much as the vibrant. Normally, the design on paper is a little less vibrant than the actual sublimated outcome. But in this case it's the opposite. The design on the paper is beautiful, but the sublimated mug is faded.

(And I'm sure I'm printing on the correct side of the paper, too.)


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## WalkingZombie (Mar 15, 2014)

Hot Pink will be a hard color to hit. I have a few images from clients that use hot pink and have gotten close by just using the printer driver.

Try using ONLY the printer driver, go into advanced color settings or something like that, where you can boost the colors and put the Magenta all the way up. It'll boost that pink.

I had the same issue a long time ago. I sent an image to a few guru's here on the forum to see if they could hit that color and when they shipped the mugs to me, they looked like yours, dull. So I just used what I was doing and still use to this day.

If you still can't hit the colors, send me the native image file and I'll see if I can hit the colors on a mug.


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## webtrekker (Jan 28, 2018)

firedancer4 said:


> The inks I'm using have served me well in other designs, but it's been several months since I've printed a mug...


What date is on your inks? Maybe they have degraded.


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## firedancer4 (Jan 8, 2017)

WalkingZombie said:


> Hot Pink will be a hard color to hit. I have a few images from clients that use hot pink and have gotten close by just using the printer driver.
> 
> Try using ONLY the printer driver, go into advanced color settings or something like that, where you can boost the colors and put the Magenta all the way up. It'll boost that pink.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much for that offer! Funny you should mention printer driver... I contacted the seller of the ink I purchased, and he said there actually isn't an ICC profile for his ink, and to just use the printer driver. So I did that, and what printed out on the page was much more vibrant! I was super hopeful when I put the mug in for sublimation, but it came out exactly the same. What the!!!

Here is a picture of a mug I've done previously with the same watercolor design - just different text. Look at how it pops compared to the Do Brave mug! I'm seriously wondering if it's this batch of ink....


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## firedancer4 (Jan 8, 2017)

Webtrekker, I'm wondering if you're right... 

I purchased that ink end of 2017. The seller said they don't degrade, but... I just don't see any other reason at this point for the lack of color.


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## webtrekker (Jan 28, 2018)

A seller that can't supply an ICC profile for their inks doesn't sound too good to me. I'd flush them out and replace with inks from a more reliable source, together with an ICC profile made to suit those inks and your Ricoh printer.

Also, dyesub colours should NOT look great on the paper. In my experience they always look dull and off-colour on the paper but become vibrant and the correct colours when printed. 

I use a Ricoh SG3110DN printer, sublimation inks and paper from City Ink Express (UK), and mugs from Listawood (UK). My prints are always superb from either my mug press or my halogen oven.


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## BJSPUTER (Oct 26, 2012)

The ink may be bad. I had same problem and had the ink over a year from Cobra Ink. Once I got new ink it was on and popping.


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## BJSPUTER (Oct 26, 2012)

That's too old. Get new ink.


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## firedancer4 (Jan 8, 2017)

webtrekker said:


> A seller that can't supply an ICC profile for their inks doesn't sound too good to me. I'd flush them out and replace with inks from a more reliable source, together with an ICC profile made to suit those inks and your Ricoh printer.
> 
> Also, dyesub colours should NOT look great on the paper. In my experience they always look dull and off-colour on the paper but become vibrant and the correct colours when printed.
> 
> I use a Ricoh SG3110DN printer, sublimation inks and paper from City Ink Express (UK), and mugs from Listawood (UK). My prints are always superb from either my mug press or my halogen oven.


I agree with you! I'd love to find a more local ink supplier. Mugs have also been hard to find other than one single supplier on Amazon. I thought the same was true about the designs looking dull on paper, and then colors popped upon printing! That was my experience until now.

Say - you can't just change ink cartridges, right? Isn't there still ink in some chamber? I want to say I read that at some point... I've used the same ink supplier from the beginning. Interestingly, the first batch did produce great mugs like my "Sassy" mug. So everyone must be right about it being degraded.


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## firedancer4 (Jan 8, 2017)

BJSPUTER said:


> The ink may be bad. I had same problem and had the ink over a year from Cobra Ink. Once I got new ink it was on and popping.


I think you're right... Time to get new ink. Thanks, BJSPUTER.


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## webtrekker (Jan 28, 2018)

firedancer4 said:


> BJSPUTER said:
> 
> 
> > The ink may be bad. I had same problem and had the ink over a year from Cobra Ink. Once I got new ink it was on and popping.
> ...


Yes, but buy a reputable brand and make sure they supply you with an ICC profile. Flush out the old inks.


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