Printing issue Photoshop prints Light gray instead of white

BV
Posted By
brian_v_mclaughlin
Jun 12, 2007
Views
1620
Replies
25
Status
Closed
(Photoshop CS3, HP Photosmart Pro B9180, Windows XP, NVIDIA GFX)

Ok I’m new to this whole printing and color management thing, but last i checked if you have a white background the printer shouldn’t be printing gray it should just let it be. Just this morning my lovley new printer arrives an HP Photosmart Pro B9180, and just last week I got to install my lovely Photoshop CS3. Now I chose this printer because of the special collaboration between adobe and HP. Now I’ve read in a lot of places to not allow the printer to determine the colors and rely on Photoshop. as of right now I have it set to

Print:
Document (Profile: U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2)

color handling:
Photoshop Manages Colors

Printer Profile:
HP PSPro B9100-Advanced Photo Glossy (I am using this type of paper)

Rendering Intent:
Absolute Colormetric

under page setup which took me to the Printers document settings I changed the color management to "Application Managed Colors"

My goal is to get as close as possible to matching certain Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore Paints. We started doing exterior renderings and we need to be as accurate as possible to sell the clients on the colors I’m sure you guys know how scared some can be about those things.

So to recap I would like it to stop printing light gray, and if you have any tips on how to achieve my goal all advice is welcomed and appreciated.

Thank you for your time, and have a great day.

Also if there are any tips and tricks with this printer and photoshop combo please, I’m all ears…erm eyes?

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DR
Danny_Raphael
Jun 12, 2007
Brian:

Although I don’t own this printer and don’t have the knowledge/experience to make tech. suggestions in this area, perhaps the following info will come in handy in the short and long term.

If you haven’t yet, check out these venues:
* <http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/hp9100Series/> * <http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1003>

The first one is dedicated to this line of HP printers; the HP9180 comes up for discussion often on the latter one. Both are great resources for all types if printer-specific issues, questions, paper recommendations, profiles, etc.

Good luck on getting this one sorted out. From everything I have read the HP9180 is top notch.
BV
brian_v_mclaughlin
Jun 12, 2007
Hey thanks a lot, I think i found out anohter issue lol, I don’t think it installed the "Special" Driver for photoshop. Darn it now i have to contact IT to get the install disc back… erm.

in the help it says to go to
file>
automate>
HP Photosmart Pro print plugin

But that option doesn’t exist. sigh

But I’ll definately try those discussions as well thanks for the links!
BG
barry_gray
Jun 12, 2007
Absolute Colormetric – use relative or perceptual instead
PF
Peter_Figen
Jun 13, 2007
Barry is right. Using Absolute Colorimetric is asking PS to try and simulate the paper white of SWOP v2 on your HP. If the paper your were printing on had exactly the same brightness as the SWOP paper, you wouldn’t see gray with AbsCol.

It’s not entirely clear whether you are showing the HP prints as your final output or using them as a proof for an offset printer. If the inkjets are the final, then you might also get better color matching, at least on the saturated colors by starting out in RGB and not using SWOP.
FN
Fred_Nirque
Jun 13, 2007
Thanks, Barry & Peter, I was going to chime in but thought I’d leave it to people with more experience. I’m pleased however that my unposted reply made both those points. Looks like I’m finally getting a handle on this.
BG
barry_gray
Jun 13, 2007
BTW, absolute can cause whites to be blue or yellow as well, depending on the cmyk profile used.
BV
brian_v_mclaughlin
Jun 13, 2007
Hey thanks guys testing it now. I get this warning about printing to a non-post script printer, is there anything to be concerned about or can i just ignore that.

Great it worked on perceptual- thanks a lot !

Is there a big difference between Document and Proof?
The inkjet is the final destination as far as printing goes.
KP
Ken_Pratt
Jun 13, 2007
Brian,

I suggest you download the printer manual from the HP site or the installation disk as it has very detailed settings for colour management.

You should also set your edit space in Photoshop to Adobe RGB and not work in CYMK as your prints are not going to press.

Regards,
Ken
BG
barry_gray
Jun 13, 2007
The warning is probably due to sending CMYK to the HP. The printer is wanting RGB info and will do the conversion. If you send CMYK it will convert to RGB then back to CMYK-you ain’t got a prayer in hell of getting anything close to matching the monitor.You’ll need RIP software to send CMYK to the printer.
You’ll also need to calibrate your monitor if you expect a reasonable color match to the paint chips.
BV
brian_v_mclaughlin
Jun 13, 2007
Is it critical to get the monitor to match? I figure as long as HC-20 prints out and looks like the sample I’m fine no matter what it looks like on my screen. But I’ll switch back to RGB
SM
shannon_marnell
Jun 14, 2007
shannon marnell,, i am using adobe 7.0 and i am having the same problems as brian v mcglaughlin, i cant seem to get that gray hazey box off of my prints. i am printing with a samsung clp300 brand new color lazer printer i have changed setting after setting still to no avail. please HELP…HELP
SM
shannon_marnell
Jun 14, 2007
HELP
SM
shannon_marnell
Jun 14, 2007
I NEED A PRODUCT SERIEL # FOR PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 2.0
DM
dave_milbut
Jun 15, 2007
I NEED A PRODUCT SERIEL # FOR PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 2.0

YOU NEED TO BUY IT TO GET ONE!
BV
brian_v_mclaughlin
Jun 18, 2007
Swiching from absolute chromatic to perceptual fixed the grey from printing on mine. If you need a serial you’ll have to purchase the program as dave had suggested
DM
dave_milbut
Jun 19, 2007
of course, elements 2 is like 10 years out of date… 🙂
HO
Holger_Obenaus
Jul 23, 2007
Hi everybody! I downloaded the Photoshop plug-ins from Benjamin Moore yesterday All color palettes work fine with the exception of the HISTORICAL COLORS. If I press the link it only gives me a PDF how to use it. Does anybody have the .aco of the Historical Colors and can mail it to me?
BV
brian_v_mclaughlin
Jul 24, 2007
I’m not sure what you mean by its not working, like the file you downloaded or while you’re in Photoshop?

I still can’t get them to print out close enough to the actual paint samples, i have to go through extensive color correction for each color, back and forth with the designers (i’m not so good at colors… well yet, after an exercise in matching these things its become a little easier) what does it need a little more yellow, a little less gray maybe some red, It’s exhausting

Am i going about this all wrong. yes my monitors aren’t calibrated but I don’t think it ever will because both of them are slightly different as it is (dual setup), even though they are set exactly the same. But I’m not sure i could get the monitor close enough to match effectively
J
Jim
Jul 24, 2007
wrote in message
I’m not sure what you mean by its not working, like the file you downloaded or while you’re in Photoshop?

I still can’t get them to print out close enough to the actual paint samples, i have to go through extensive color correction for each color, back and forth with the designers (i’m not so good at colors… well yet, after an exercise in matching these things its become a little easier) what does it need a little more yellow, a little less gray maybe some red, It’s exhausting

Am i going about this all wrong. yes my monitors aren’t calibrated but I don’t think it ever will because both of them are slightly different as it is (dual setup), even though they are set exactly the same. But I’m not sure i could get the monitor close enough to match effectively

It really is no wonder that you cannot get the colors correct. It is hard enough to do this with a monitor whose profile generates the desired colors. Yes, no two crt monitors will ever agree regardless of who made them. Jim
HO
Holger_Obenaus
Jul 24, 2007
Brian, the problem that I have is that the link on the Benjamin Moore website does not let me download the Photoshop plugin but only a PDF instruction file. I guess there is a programming issue on the BM website… If you have the actual "Historical Colors – Photoshop.aco" Swatch file, please email it to me to

What brand of monitors do you use? In order to get a proof-quality set-up (monitors and printer have to be calibrated to show the right colors) you usually need proof-quality monitors and printers in the first place. I use an EIZO monitor. There is some pretty expensive soft- and hardware to calibrate your monitors and your printer. And you usually have to repeat that process after a while.

Thank you for your help with the .aco file.

Holger
BV
brian_v_mclaughlin
Jul 26, 2007
Took me long enough to get photoshopCS3 and an HP photosmart PRO 9180, we’ve been having major cut backs so i doubt getting expensive monitors will fly. Right now im using two 19 inch dell LCDs. How will calibration help? By matching as close as you can the actual paint chips with the benjamin Moore PS palettes on the monitor and then making an ICC profile then assigning the ICC profile to your printer? Ive been taking the BM PS Palette printing out the colors we need then color correcting each color and then saving the new colors in a palette for when i need them again.
SP
Sid_Phillips
Jul 26, 2007
Brian:

You really need to calibrate/profile your monitor with a hardware device like the Spyder, Eye-One or Optix. Assuming you have a good paper/ink profile for your printer, this should make the two match more closely. This way, any changes you make on the computer should be accurately reflected in your prints.

Now, this isn’t going to magically make your BM color swatches print accurately. But at least it should reduce the number of edits you have to make to get them to match the paint swatches.

Are the values BM gave you in a color swatch file? Or numbers in a swatchbook? Are they CMYK or RGB? (or even LAB?)

WinXP SP2, CS3
BV
brian_v_mclaughlin
Jul 26, 2007
you can download an .aco file off their website so they are palettes, and yes I’m using WinXP pro SP2, CS3.
PF
Peter_Figen
Jul 26, 2007
The problem with the Benjamin Moore color swatches is that they don’t appear to reference what color space their number are in. You get the same RGB number regardless of your working space, although the Lab numbers to change. Change your CMYK working space and it changes the CMYK build, and the Lab numbers as well. What they really need to do is make it a color library based on Lab readings and not a Ps swatch file.

If I were doing this, I would paint some larger swatches, place them under a controlled D50 viewing light and figure out which combination of number in which color space give the most accurate rendition on a reference calibrated monitor. From there it’s easy enough to have custom profile for your printer to get you very close in your print to the actual sample. If I were feeling extremely picky and ambitious and there weren’t too many swatches, I’d just measure them myself on the Spectrolino, and make my own Lab based library, remembering that when you put colors on the outside of a house, they can look VERY different than the swatch, depending on the time of day, how bright the lawn next door is, your particular mood, etc. Some designers I know even go as far as to mix slightly different colors for each exterior side of the house to compensate for color perception from different angles of light.

Good luck!
BV
brian_v_mclaughlin
Jul 27, 2007
HAHA yea thats what i try to tell the designer that I’m working with, that the colors are going to change no matter what, but she’s very insistant about getting the print out to match the color samples so they go with the presentation material and who they are presenting it to doesn’t make a comment like "why don’t the colors match" when really it’s just supposed to represent how the colors relate to each other.

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