Printing light-grey and near-white in colour images - looking for advice

[LocalHero1953]

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I'm printing colour images from Lightroom on an Epson R3000 with a continuous ink system and inks (Permajet's), on a matte paper (Canson Rag Photographique). The ink/printer/paper have been calibrated with a custom profile, and my monitor is calibrated as well. I am happy with colours other than explained here. I have checked the printer for nozzle blockages and switched off Colour Management by Printer.

Some of the images contain large areas of near white or pale grey. I had some trouble initially with these areas washing out and producing areas of paper with no ink, so I dialled back the white point or did some local white point adjustments.

When printed, the areas of pale grey look too dark. Although they are still a light grey, they are just too dark compared to the screen or what I want to see.

Also, just visible to the naked eye and clearly visible through a magnifying glass, I can see the lines of the ink on the paper, which is not satisfactory. It does look as if Light Light Grey is being used, which I assume ought to be the correct ink.

Overall I get the impression of the printer being unable to put less ink on the page without having visible areas of paper white. The paper base colour is distinctly white, however, and quite different in tone from the inked areas.

 

Has anyone else had this problem?

Have I reached the limits of what can be printed as a very pale grey using inkjet inks in a colour set-up?

Could this be the proprietary Light Light Grey inks not being as light as Epson's own inks?

Are there any ways round this problem?

 

[tobey bilek]

You seem to have done it all right.   How did the light grey print in the profile image that was then measured?  That should be the key.  

 

When you measure the white of the original profile image on the monitor,  it may need to be adjusted to 245.  Just keep printing small samples until it goes grey, then increase.     You may have to make a curve to make the grey closer to white, i.e. there is too much contrast. 

 

Who made the custom profile?  Color monkey is less accurate than the other option.   

 

If profile was purchased,  explain problem to them.

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[adan]

Make a test image of solid gray swatches with values between 255 and 240 or so. Print it. See which swatch/value results in a gray just distinguishable from paper white, to suit your taste.

 

There is definitely a limit to how small a dot an inkjet printer can produce. And there is "dot gain" - the spreading of the ink through the paper fibers, especially with matte papers. The gray inks, and dithering equal amounts of light color inks, can extend the range.

 

I find, with an Epson 3800, that a gray of value 246 gets me just the kiss of gray I want - about like the background gray one gets printing engravings, as in http://www.jimblairengraving.com/pub/photo/thumb/Print%20012_cropto_690x460.JPG

Your taste, inks, paper and profile may vary from that.

[LocalHero1953]

I didn't think to check the test profile image. I'll have a look.

 

The custom profile was made by Permajet (UK paper and ink suppliers)

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

[LocalHero1953]

Make a test image of solid gray swatches with values between 255 and 240 or so. Print it. See which swatch/value results in a gray just distinguishable from paper white, to suit your taste.

 

There is definitely a limit to how small a dot an inkjet printer can produce. And there is "dot gain" - the spreading of the ink through the paper fibers, especially with matte papers. The gray inks, and dithering equal amounts of light color inks, can extend the range.

 

I find, with an Epson 3800, that a gray of value 246 gets me just the kiss of gray I want - about like the background gray one gets printing engravings, as in http://www.jimblairengraving.com/pub/photo/thumb/Print%20012_cropto_690x460.JPG

Your taste, inks, paper and profile may vary from that.

Thank you - I shall experiment along these lines

[LocalHero1953]

To close out this thread, I have solved this problem.

 

It was caused by a poor quality custom profile. After trying other solutions, I had a new custom profile made, which now produces beautifully toned pale colours.

 

I can't tell whether the problem was with the creation of the original colour profile by the supplier, or whether my printer was playing up at the time I printed the original colour test chart.

 

So for anyone using a custom profile who is dissatisfied with colour prints, it is worth checking if a new profile works better.