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Posted on by Adam Hannig Posted in Tips & Tricks
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No Inkjet Media Profile? No Problem

Depending on the combination of the printer and media that you use, a custom profile may not be available. Do not fear; all is not lost. If, for instance, you are printing to Sunset Velvet Rag 315g and a profile is not available, you will want to follow the steps below. First, understand what settings will make what changes in the printer driver or plug-in and Photoshop.

The Media Type selected in the printer software will control ink levels (saturation), media feed, vacuum (or suction) level and head height. The screen captures below show where you can find the Media Type in the Epson driver, Canon driver and in the Canon Print Plug-In for Photoshop…

Creating profiles for an inkjet printer
Media Type in the Epson driver. Click on the image for a larger version.
Creating profiles for an inkjet printer
Media Type in the Canon driver. Click on the image for a larger version.
Finding the media type and profile in Photoshop
Media Type and Profile in the Canon Print Plug-In for Photoshop. Click on the image for a larger version.

The ICC profile selected in Photoshop will control color accuracy. The images below show where to select profiles for the Epson and Canon drivers…

Profiling inkjet media
Here's the Profile in the Photoshop print dialog for the Espon driver. Click on the image for a larger version.

Here's the Profile in the Photoshop print dialog for the Canon driver. Click on the image for a larger version.

Next, decide on at least a couple of options to perform a test print. Think about the type of material to which you are printing. Is it polypropylene, polyester, polycarbonate, paper, canvas, etc.? Is the finish of the material gloss, satin, or matte? Once you have made these determinations, find a media type/profile combination that most closely resembles the media that you are printing to.

For example, if you want to print to Sunset Velvet Rag but don’t have a custom profile, you know two things: it’s a fine-art paper with a matte finish. If you are printing to an Epson printer, the papers that most closely resemble Sunset Velvet Rag are likely Epson Velvet Fine Art Paper, Water Color Radiant White and Textured Fine Art Paper. You would want to select those profiles in Photoshop and the same Epson media types in the Epson driver when making test prints.

You may need to test several media type/profile combinations before you find the one that works best. Be sure to use a known image when making your test prints. Finally, compare the results and choose the best option.

Printing Through a RIP (Onyx)
If you are printing through Onyx, a great option for determining the best settings to use with a particular media is the clone tool. This allows you to select multiple profiles that most closely resemble your media and perform a test print. Like above, be sure to print a known file for comparison purposes.

In case you want to learn how to use the clone tool, we have created a short two-minute video for you that is embedded below…

Posted on by Regan Dickinson Posted in Tips & Tricks
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Matte Black Ink: The Right Profile and Media Type

Printing with Matte Black and Photo Black InksIf you’re considering upgrading to the latest aqueous ink printers from Canon, Epson or HP, consider no more. Reports from the field have shown that these next-generation models print up to twice as fast and use less ink than their predecessors.

They also use additional ink channels in the printing process, which increases the color gamut. As part of these expanded ink sets, all the latest printers now include Matte Black and Photo Black channels. While HP and Canon printers can switch from Matte Black to Photo Black on the fly, Epson printers require you to purge the line to switch inks, so keep that in mind as you switch between the two if you have an Epson printer.

Because of this expanded ink set, it’s necessary to pay close attention to the profile or media type being used, and to use a matte material profile/media type with matte materials, and a satin/luster or gloss material profile/media type with gloss materials. Note: If you’re using a RIP like Onyx, you’ll choose a media profile, which will determine which black ink is used. If you’re printing through the driver, you choose a profile as well, but it’s the media type that will choose the black ink channel that will be used.

Matte Black provides an image quality advantage as it yields much better density, which works extremely well on backlits. However, Matte Black ink is not compatible with all media. If you choose the wrong profile/media type, the Matte Black ink will wipe right off, even after the print is completely dry. This is especially true with media that has a microporous inkjet coating, such as LexJet 8 Mil ImagePro Gloss.

On the other hand, using Photo Black ink on a matte material will result in lower density in the dark areas and a more washed-out look, though Photo Black ink will have better dry times and durability, regardless of the material. Photo Black is more water-resistant and is best for unlaminated outdoor applications.

On large production runs, a lot of print shops use a standard generic profile/media type like Heavy Weight Coated, which is a bond paper profile that lays down less ink. If this profile/media type is used on gloss materials, it will activate the Matte Black channel, which is largely incompatible with gloss materials and will not absorb into these types of coatings.

A good generic profile/media type for matte materials is Heavy Weight Coated. A good one for gloss materials is Glossy Photo, which, like Heavy Weight Coated, uses less ink. If you have any questions about the right profile or media type to use for the material, contact a LexJet account specialist at 800-453-9538.