Need help with color management

[wbunker]

Here's my problem: I have a photo edited in Photoshop 7.0 in the Adobe RGB 1998 workspace. This looks fine on my monitor (calibrated only visually), and a gray rock in the garden scene samples as R=G=B. When I send this to my Epson 2200 printer, the resulting image is quite purple.

Under the advanced settings for the printer, I have selected Color Management>ICM and ICC Profiles>applied by printer software>Epson Standard/Perceptual/Premium Luster paper.

Since I am a complete novice, I am certain I've just overlooking something simple...but what?
I'vd tried about every combination and permutation of settings I can think of (all except the right one). Meanwhile, I'm burning up a lot of ink and paper getting nowhere.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Bill

[Trevor Ash]

You're not over looking anything simple. Unfortunately, unless you're lucky in some way there is no easy fix to this problem.

This isn't a simple subject so I'll just point you to a few threads to get you started. But to make a long story short, in order to have prints that are close to what you see on the monitor (without being super lucky) is to calibrate your monitor and printer. There are tools you can purchase to do this. Sometimes just calibrating your monitor will giet you good enough results for most prints.

Here's some links:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tu...rofiling.shtml
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tu...int-mgmt.shtml

There are tons of products and options in the market so don't think that anything I link you to is your only option.

[wbunker]

I thought the whole idea of ICC profiles was so various devices could handle the same image file without a major problem. Yes, my monitor isn't calibrated, but what about that gray point in my image where the readout in Photoshop is R=G=B? Shouldn't the printer at least be in the ballpark?

I've been using this printer for a while now, not worrying about colors being translated exactly, and I've been satisfied. Now that I start paying attention to color profiles, the printed image is ugly. I feel I must have messed up somewhere, maybe with double profiling.

Is it best to turn off color management in the printer, and select all settings in Photoshop? Or the other way around? I've also been using Q-Image to manage printing, but the color management there is not active, so I don't think my problem is there.

Thanks for the links. I have looked there and elsewhere, but guess I was hoping for a quick fix!

Bill

[wbunker]

Trevor-

I'm beginning to concur that this is more complicated than I had hoped. I revisited your link, where I had been many months ago, and followed exactly the advice about turning off the color management in the printer, and selecting CM in Photoshop. One thing I have noticed, is that the printer drivers keep resetting to their defaults when I return to view the settings...very annoying.

Result thus far: formerly purple image is now lavender. This doesn't feel much like progress.

I'll keep on seeking nirvana.

Bill

[wbunker]

I'm back to confess...my yellow cartridge was out of ink. Yes, the warning was present, but I had found previously that a few more prints could usually be printed before having to replace a cartridge...not this time! Why is the house cold? The front door is open.

I have learned something from all this. Now the color management is turned off in the printer drivers, and the proper ICC profiles are selected in both PhotoShop, and QImage.

But I'm chagrined.

Bill

[Trevor Ash]

Ha! You were right from the beginning! Thanks for making me smile today and I'm glad you figured it out.