How to compensate for the color shift of Matte lamination?

[Gregg]

For anyone working on a press, or in Prepress, what, if anything, do you do to compensate for the color shift when applying matte lam?

I work for a publisher and for years I have always added a Curve to jacket/cover art that would take down the M by a touch (approx 2% from the midtones) and Y by a slightly heavier touch (approx 5% from the midtones). This has worked well, but I think the fact that were printing the majority of our work at the same printer helped. Now we are using a stable of printers and it seems like the color shift from the matte lam is more of a moving target.

Do you:

• provide your customer with a curve to compensate for the matte lam shift
• advise your customer on how to adjust their color
• adjust on press to match an approved unlaminated proof
• say to your customer "you get what you get so don't get upset"

 

[Stephen Marsh]

The laminated result can be profiled and used in a conversion:

What is a finishing proof? Fogra49 and Fogra50 in detail. | proof.de

 

[Gregg]

Thanks for this, Stephen! Do you know if they have made updated profiles to go along with Fogra 51? I'll poke around to see what I can find but perhaps you know.

 

[sveibl]

Had a national restaurant that had to have perfect egg color. Required we use desk top laminator to laminate press sheet for in person Press sheets looked weak till lamination applied.
Funny thing is when applied to an ink jet proof, color was not affected!
I venture to say, offset ink reacted different than inkjet in same areas.

 

[Stephen Marsh]

Thanks for this, Stephen! Do you know if they have made updated profiles to go along with Fogra 51? I'll poke around to see what I can find but perhaps you know.

Not that I am aware of.

 

[PricelineNegotiator]

"No, Mr. Customer, you're getting it all wrong. The shift with the matte laminate IS what makes your job look cool. Unshifting the color will defeat the whole purpose."

 

[Stephen Marsh]

I venture to say, offset ink reacted different than inkjet in same areas.

Inkjet ink has many variations: aqueous pigment or dye, eco-solvent, UV, latex/resin so there are many variables.