Print ad too dark. Advice?

[BadIdea_Jorge]

I'm not sure if I'm in the correct forum.
A few months I did a a full page print ad for my parents' business.
They thought it was lovely but I thought it came out too dark.
It looks fine on my monitor.

It wasn't an issue with the printer because every other page looked fine.
I sent them a .PSD
300dpi
8-bit dpeth
RGB color
sRGB IEC6 1966-2.1

Do are these settings appropriate for print?

[MadMonkFish]

You need to convert to CMYK to get a better idea of the way it'll look when printed.

When you view in RGB colourspace, even with an SRGB profile, you're looking at colours made up of 'RGB'... most printers use CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black) and these are overlaid at varying densities (as dots) in order to make colour. that's what dot screen etc are all about. If you're working on pre-press or pro level, it'll be CMYK.

For example - try and make a vivid red in CMYK - you can't come near the 'R' vibrancy of the RGB system, as the base you're working from is entirely different.

I'd suggest just converting your stuff to CMK and then see what it looks like... you'll get a much better idea of what the final print will be. if you don't think it's vibrant enough (or to your liking) experiment with adding a slight curve in one of then CMYK channels - or in overall combined CMYK channel.

When I do work for print, I always work in CMYK - it's much better to work in a colourspace that gives a better idea of what you get at the end...

Hope that helps

[BadIdea_Jorge]

MadMonk,

Thanks for your advice. I'll be sure to take this into account in the future.

[Bruce Watson]

I'm not sure if I'm in the correct forum.
A few months I did a a full page print ad for my parents' business.
They thought it was lovely but I thought it came out too dark.
It looks fine on my monitor.

This typically happens because you're using too much light in your viewing area. Therefore you have the light level on your monitor turned up too high. Turn your monitor down until it matches the proof prints.

[BadIdea_Jorge]

This typically happens because you're using too much light in your viewing area. Therefore you have the light level on your monitor turned up too high. Turn your monitor down until it matches the proof prints.

Actually this is one things I've taken some care in avoiding.

I have no direct light in my editing room. All of it is bounced off somewhere and avoiding the monitors.
Neutral paint on surrounding walls and grey curtain behind my monitors.

[MadMonkFish]

Did you try converting to CMYK and doing a test print?

In the old days (LOL) CMYK print files used to be sent as EPS (encapsulated post script) but now, pretty much everyone seems happy with CMYK PDF's (print res, obviously).

I'd suggest a call with your printers to see what they did with your RGB/PSD file - that might clarify for you

[nwstudios]

sI would ask the printer what ICC profile they use and soft proof it in Photoshop using their equipments profile. A generic CMYK profile may not work.
This all assuming you have a calibrated monitor of course. If your monitor is not properly calibrated its all a crap shoot.

[tom_wise]

sI would ask the printer what ICC profile they use and soft proof it in Photoshop using their equipments profile. A generic CMYK profile may not work.
This all assuming you have a calibrated monitor of course. If your monitor is not properly calibrated its all a crap shoot.

x2!

[Michael Carter]

Man - I've done print ad production well before we had Macs.

Yes, either work in CMYK or convert before you send files. Yes, use some sort of monitor calibration.

But if you're doing work that's color intensive, have the printer run a calibrated proof - even just an 8x10 of a few images. Look at it next to the same images on screen. Adjust your monitor to match the proof.

When i do fashion catalog work, I make a set of adjustment layers to match the proof. I find they get closer than just calibration can. Correct your images and then delete the screen-matching layers.

I've shot and then produced fashion pages for really picky clients (JCPenney, Joan Vass, Virani, etc) and was able to get final printing that was very close to the actual product - but you need a look at how the printer's going to output it. Most issues I see like the OP's are from monitors that are way off. Prepress color space is different than photo lab is different than broadcast video... it's a pain.

If you're doing a simple one-off ad, ask the pub if they'll take a color pass at it. Some will at least adjust brightness and contrast for you.

[Bruce Watson]

Actually this is one things I've taken some care in avoiding.

I have no direct light in my editing room. All of it is bounced off somewhere and avoiding the monitors.
Neutral paint on surrounding walls and grey curtain behind my monitors.

But how bright is your monitor? That's my question. The Norman Koren website covers gamma and brightness (aka black level) fairly well. There are of course other sources too. I'm just saying that it's not only about the light level in the room, it's also about the light level coming from the monitor.