# Dye Sub Black turns Green Epson Stylus Photo 1400 with ArTainium Inks



## BAjdeppe (Dec 4, 2009)

Hey!

I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on a problem I've been having for awhile. Using a Epson Stylus Photo 1400 with ArTainium Inks on water based sublimation paper. I print from Illustrator or Photoshop. The printer is printing fine, but when I heat press it (45 seconds at 400 degrees) *the black is coming out as a dark green.* Am heat pressing it onto a 100% polyester garment. Some of the other colors are slightly off but I think if I can figure out/fix what is wrong with the black, then that will help the other colors. I've reinstalled the print driver, tried a few different ICC profiles, checked the settings serveral times and tried a few different things and nothing seems to be helping at all. 

If anyone as ANY ideas of something I could try, that would be greatly apprieciated.

*Thanks!!*


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

*Re: Black turns Green!*

It's probably your icc profile but may be related to the temp & time that you are pressing for? try varying the conditions and see if it makes a difference.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: Black turns Green!*

trying different ICC profiles will only make things worse. You need a profile specific for the artainium inks and printer. And you should be using the correct color palate as well. To get the correct information contact sawgrass and you can get the right information and be on your way. I had the same issue when I was using artainium inks and they got me going. I don't recall what that was now..that was over a 2 years ago and I have since switched to the Ricoh GX7000 and gel sublimation ink...


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

*Re: Black turns Green!*



charles95405 said:


> And you should be using the correct color palate as well.


Remember not to eat it!
Vary the temp & time of pressing!


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## jpkevin (Oct 22, 2007)

*Re: Black turns Green!*

Make sure you are using RGB colors. CMYK black can shift to a green when printed. Blue will shift to a purple.


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## mn shutterbug (Mar 19, 2009)

*Re: Black turns Green!*

I've been told that black is the toughest color to sublimate. I found out that when printing on mugs, blacks can be more brown if sublimating for too long. I've also been told that 390 degrees will give better results on apparel.


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

*Re: Black turns Green!*

Here are some things to check:
1. verfiy nozzle is complete and the colors are in the correct order
2. verify you are using the artainium profile with intent on relative colormetric
3. verify driver settings: photo paper glossy, photo quality, Off no color adjustment
4. choose black in rgb mode (0,0,0) I can supply nice color charts (email me)
5. verfiy time and temp (what are you transferring to?


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

If you can mix inks to make black on your substrate then the problem lies with your icc profile. Any generic profile provided by the manufacturer is just that, generic. It doesn't take into account your printer, inks, press or substrate. If you want true colour - standardise your conditions, calibraste your system and produce a profile. that profile is specific to that printer/ink set/conditions and substrate. If you change anything, it isn't valid. Even the light that you view it under can change the colour, whether it is matt or gloss substrate, even the clothes you wear - a gloss finish reflects your shirt?
When I make a profile I specify my 'black point' - the formula for black in that profile. I can choose what shade my black is going to be.
AND...it is equally important that you have the correct WORKING profile, sRGB is poor, use AdobeRGB1998 as a standard. sRGB reduces your colour gamut to an unacceptable degree.


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## BAjdeppe (Dec 4, 2009)

*First, thanks to everyone for you response!*

We are transferring to 100% polyester. Question for Conde David - I am using a ArTainium profile but what does "with intent on relative colormetric" mean? I am very new to sublimation and am not familiar with the lingo! Our nozzle check is always fine. I am using RGB. 

PositiveDave - I can make my own profile? How exactly do I go about that?


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## Conde_David (May 29, 2008)

Rendering intent is how Photoshop maps what are called out of gamut colors. Best choice for photoshop is Perceptual.

The Art profile is good. I like Monoco software for building color profiles.


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## BAjdeppe (Dec 4, 2009)

So we figured out that the ink was expired! So mad, but oh well. Everything seems to be working fine now! Thanks for all your help!


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## fuzzface2 (May 14, 2009)

Hi, was reading your post about the black subli ink turning black. You had said that the ink was expired .. changing your ink solve the problem? I'm having the same problem so your reply would certainly help me out also, any other pointers you've picked up from your experience! 

thanks!
Phil


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## SubGraphX (Dec 29, 2009)

BAjdeppe said:


> So we figured out that the ink was expired! So mad, but oh well. Everything seems to be working fine now! Thanks for all your help!


I have just gone through the same problem...black printing as green, reds printing as brown, etc. Found out that sublimation ink settles out after a while and goes bad.

Lesson: Don't buy in bulk quantities unless you print enough to use them up in a reasonable amount of time...6 months.


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

*Re: Black turns Green!*



mn shutterbug said:


> I've been told that black is the toughest color to sublimate. I found out that when printing on mugs, blacks can be more brown if sublimating for too long. I've also been told that 390 degrees will give better results on apparel.


I agree time and temp will and does change colors.


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## pisquee (Jan 8, 2012)

The bulk quantities I sell usually have a best before date of between 12-18 months.


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## tatakanFEST (Nov 4, 2014)

I have the same problem also..how can you tell if the ink you will by is expired..


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## skdave (Apr 11, 2008)

What is the make up of the fabric you are printing?


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## tatakanFEST (Nov 4, 2014)

skdave said:


> What is the make up of the fabric you are printing?


dri fit. i already downloaded icc profile on my printer, no problem on the black, small adjustment in color gray as it turns a little reddish..,


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

tatakanFEST said:


> I have the same problem also..how can you tell if the ink you will by is expired..


 Take a few drops of the K ink and manually blot on your transfer paper, transfer on a raw poly fabric test sheet. 60 seconds 400 degs.

If your K ink is expired it may look an ugly green, especially Artainium.

Having said that, depending on you design an application software your blacks may actually be made from C,M,Y,LM,LC and constitute a "composite" black.

In that case most likely a color management issue, but still possible could be old inks too.

Use these color "purge files" to see your output on individual colors.

There is a 6 color file in the zip package. Just pure color bars.

http://www.inksupply.com/zip/purge.zip


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## zzPrint (Nov 19, 2014)

color profiles must have gotten messed up. You can get the Artainium ink color profiles from the Sawgrass website.


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## 081podgorica (Aug 24, 2015)

*black ink not printing good*

i have problem with black ink, i am allready new and i dont know to much. i have dtg hm1 epson 1400. 
i try to clean a damper and i think its ok... i will send a picture , i dont know what to do.. please help.

http://imageshack.com/a/img910/9089/uTXdiW.jpg


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

*Re: black ink not printing good*



081podgorica said:


> i have problem with black ink, i am allready new and i dont know to much. i have dtg hm1 epson 1400.
> i try to clean a damper and i think its ok... i will send a picture , i dont know what to do.. please help.
> 
> [media]http://imageshack.com/a/img910/9089/uTXdiW.jpg[/media]


You mention DTG but this is the sublimation forum, different animal.


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