You Can't Win
- Thread starter gordo
- Start date
keith1
Well-known member
Reminds me of when I first started out and worked at a couple small shops that didn't have a scale for measuring ink. I was young, new and didn't know any better, or anything else. Actually got pretty good at matching colour just by eyeball judgement on the amounts of ink. Probably could have bought 20 scales for the ink & time that was wasted though.
Also didn't have a spray powder unit. We used to wrap some powder into a rag to filter over the sheets as they came through delivery. Sometimes a little would filter out, sometimes a lot. Naturally wasted some jobs using this slipshod method. I'd be ashamed to go back and see some of the stuff we sold.
Obviously both above methods would be excellent examples of false economy.
Also didn't have a spray powder unit. We used to wrap some powder into a rag to filter over the sheets as they came through delivery. Sometimes a little would filter out, sometimes a lot. Naturally wasted some jobs using this slipshod method. I'd be ashamed to go back and see some of the stuff we sold.
Obviously both above methods would be excellent examples of false economy.
Reminds me of the business card the customer had previously printed in CMYK and insisted on using three spots instead to save money. No matter what we did, of course they didn't look the same and the customer just couldn't, or wouldn't, get that they won't look the same. The owner finally sent a letter to them telling them we couldn't do the job.
John Reveley
Member
I am always surprised how even the Pantone books vary in the colour they show for each swatch!
The first thing I would ask the client is how old is the swatch they are looking at and is the client viewing the colour in controlled lighting conditions!
In fact has the printer done the same!
The first thing I would ask the client is how old is the swatch they are looking at and is the client viewing the colour in controlled lighting conditions!
In fact has the printer done the same!
keith1
Well-known member
Once had a woman from an ad agency (I hate ad agency people) in. I spent at least 2 hours tweaking ink colours on press. After each tweak she'd take a proof out into the sunlight to check colour. This was a CMYK + spot job.
Finally satisfied, we ran the job.
The next week it was a reprint. She had neglected to proof read and the phone number was wrong. They got a bill for time spent proofing as well as both press runs. Never saw that person again.
Finally satisfied, we ran the job.
The next week it was a reprint. She had neglected to proof read and the phone number was wrong. They got a bill for time spent proofing as well as both press runs. Never saw that person again.
The first thing I would ask the client is how old is the swatch they are looking at and is the client viewing the colour in controlled lighting conditions!
In fact has the printer done the same!
This always gets me..."controlled lighting conditions" do not matter, the swatch and printed color will either match or not match, whether viewed together inside, outside, at the grocery store or in the john. True?
In fact has the printer done the same!
This always gets me..."controlled lighting conditions" do not matter, the swatch and printed color will either match or not match, whether viewed together inside, outside, at the grocery store or in the john. True?
kdw75
Well-known member
I painted our hallway a shade of beige and it ended up looking too yellow. Instead of repainting, I just swapped out the 2700k bulbs with 3500k bulbs and it looks great now. 
After years of learning about colors for printing and my hobby of photography, I came to the realization that accurate colors aren't as important as pleasing colors.
After years of learning about colors for printing and my hobby of photography, I came to the realization that accurate colors aren't as important as pleasing colors.
Schnitzel
Well-known member
No, sorry, that's not true. There is a phenomenon called "metamerism", where 2 samples will appear as the same color under one lighting, and different under other lighting. In fact, only because of metamerism can you match colors using just 3 primary inks in the first place!
That is why, when communicating color, the two parties need to know under what lighting the color will be viewed, and check the match under this exact lighting. If you match the colors under D50 lighting, and then check them under F11, there's a good chance they will no longer match.
SteveSuffRIT
Well-known member
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