Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

I have a profiled monitor using Xrite i1 Display.  My print looks good on my monitor.  The print is a little darker when printed.  My printer is an Epson Artisan 730.  I noticed that in the driver there is a check box for "fix photo" which, when unchecked, improves the print a little bit  The color of the print compared to the screen is way, way off mostly because of brightness.  Where do I start?

Terry is best on monitor profiling. I will alert him to read your post.
I looked at the printer and driver package and it appears to be an ALL IN ONE which usually do not carry a profile package.
That is not to say you cannot get profiles made or make some.
Nevertheless, I would set Qimage to Let Printer driver manage color. See snaps
Set the driver as shown with Color Management set to ICM.

Fred

PS you might want to try reducing the brightness of the monitor to match a print, and then profile.

Hi,
Following on from Fred's post ...
First let me say, the monitor should look like the print, not the other way round.
If a print is dark compared to the monitor then the monitor is too bright. Your i1 Display software has an "advanced" mode that allows you set set a brightness value in CD/Msq. A value of 120 is a good starting point. The software then gets you to set the brightness before going on to calibrate and produce a monitor profile.
You may need to make several test prints before you get the brightness right.
Terry

Here's "uncle Conrad's" method. First, forget the monitor and get the printer correct. Download a reference image. I like the ones here http://www.gballard.net/dl/PDI_Target_Folder.zip Start with the sRGB one. Print it with Qimage and don't alter it at all. It should be spectacular, with red strawberries you want to eat, perfect flesh tones etc. Pay attention to the steps of the grey scale- all or all but one should be visible. If that's not the case, you need a different profile or have some setup problem. It's essential that a reference image (there are many out there) print correctly without alteration. BTW, you have to view your print under correct illumination. In the interest of saving energy, many rooms are too dim!

Once that's done, you can address the monitor. I don't have calibration tools for my monitor, but they wouldn't do me that much good. The room illumination changes depending on the time of day, the weather and if I have the lights on. Unless you can standardize the monitor conditions, "calibration" may not give you the results you need. At best, you'll still have to tweak it slightly. Use the reference image again, and be sure what you see on the gray scale is a good match for the print.

Terry is correct, the monitor brightness should be matched to the print from a profiled printer, not the other way round. The X-Rite default setting is usually 120 CD/M, but I have found that 110 or 100 gives the best setting, depending on your ambient light conditions. As Terry also says, it may take a few tries, possibly over a few days, to get the correct result.

Brian

Brian,
Good to see you on again. Been a while.
I must say, based on your photo, you dont look a day older.
Stay well,
 Fred