Paper Surface Affects Color

I recently made a profile for Howard Linen by Neenah. I profiled it through a Creo Spire workflow to a Xerox 6060. Even though the paper is meant for double sided printing the fibers of the paper are different on both sides. This causes the toner to lay down differently on each side. This affects color. A couple of notes in case you are not acostomed to profiling through Creo. You have to build a new calibration for your media. then when you send a CMYK profiling testchart through the RIP make sure you send it through a “Direct” pathway. This will bypass any color management – even though there is a choice for ICC profile. Once the profile is built you have to import it back into the RIP. This is not an issue if you have a .icc extension. I taught a course for X-Rite and Creo about a year and half ago all about this and wonder how manyare actually building profiles. John Gilbert would know.

Color Control Freak 08

Color Control Freaks
Originally uploaded by colorcritical

It was freezing cold in Grand Rapids this last week. I have never been so cold. But then again, I am used to San Diego weather where if it rains for more than a few centimeters it makes major news.

I meet with fellow color freaks Mark Gundlach and Phil Nelson. We went over the new 08 seminar materials and I must say I am excited to present this years content. It’s a little different than years past with some added material from PANTONE®.

The one day seminar is sponsored by X-Rite®, HP, PANTONE®, and Eizo. With updated content and easy going approach to color, Color Control Freak 08 will surely be interesting. I will be speaking in Minneapolis, Kansas City, Portland, Denver, Dallas, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Houston.

X-Rite Corporate Consultants Summit

X-rite Corporate
Originally uploaded by colorcritical

This winter I had the opportunity to visit with the New X-Rite Color Services team in Grand Rapids Michigan. The weather was a bit cold but that didn’t stop a few us us from playing a game of disc golf (thanks to Mike LaRocca).

The summit was started by a great speech by CEO Tom Vacchiano. He was energized and passionate about where this industry is going. With the recent PANTONE merger this big ship is headed toward interesting times and I am just glad to be part of it.

The technical representation from the consultants was also a breath of fresh air. From color management in textile and apparel to G7 certification we all learned from each other.

X-Rite Color Services

Color Management
Originally uploaded by colorcritical

The New X-Rite sounds exciting does it not. At first I was shocked to hear the news, but really now – I welcome the change. X-Rite believes in it’s consultants – and I am lucky and grateful to have such a good relationship with them.

This winter we launch Color Control Freak 2008 and Picture Perfect Color 2008. The program is going to be fun and informative like years past. The content will be updated so keep in touch for more details as they will be posted here.

Best Buy Corporate

Best Buy Corporate
Originally uploaded by colorcritical

I trained photo specialists in Minneapolis, MN on the use of a proper color managed workflow from capture to print. Best Buy aims to have imaging labs in their locations all over the country where photographers can get their best work printed to Z3100 and B9180 printers.

Best Buy is serious about photography and want to make sure their associates are trained and well equipped to handle the requests of photographers.

Circa Publsihing / Lapis Press – Culver City, CA

Circa Publsihing / Lapis Press – Culver City, CA
Originally uploaded by colorcritical

Reproducing original art digitally is no small task. Circa Publishing is one of the best at satisfing even the most critical artist. With state of the art equipment and an experienced staff these guys reproduce colors no other shop comes close to reproducing.

I visited Circa for two days of intense training and collaboration regarding thier workflow. Circa has the tools to build RGB and CMYK profiles as well as a print with two different RIPS, Onyx Postershop and Imageprint.

They print to Epson 9600 and 9800′s and are located in the heart of Culver City. Thanks Aaron and Christi for making my visit pleasant, the long Brazilian Food dinner was a treat.

SCR Designs – Colorado

Spectrolino Spectroscan XY Scanning Spectrophotometer
Originally uploaded by colorcritical.

In todays digital printing, weather the inks are water based or solvent based, the importance of color management is one of the most important aspects of your workflow. Shane Reynolds of SCR Design does not cut corners on anything. He is a steadfast perfectionist. He invested in all the right tools, including the new Gretag Macbeth iO automated table for the i1 Spectrophotometer. Running the ever so incredible Onyx Production House 6.5 RIP and printing to a Mutoh Tucan LT Ultra and Ultima Cutter, Shane is totally equipped to attack the market with the digital output. My involvement with Shane includedteaching him everything I could in two days since his brain was a pure spongeand wanted to know the little details in getting the best color possible off his solvent printer. I taught the basics, which Shane if you need a reminder:

Media Optimization -
Head Height
Distance Adjust
Heater Settings
Dot Gain Banding Check

Calibrations-
Dark Ink Restrictions
Linearization
Advanced Greyscale
Total Ink Limit

Characterizations
ICC Profile via i1 XT and IO

Shane, it was great to visit your “shop” and I hope you are a big success. Send me an email anytime you have a question!

Color Control Freak Tour 2006

Color Control Freak Tour 2006
Originally uploaded by colorcritical.

So the tour has come to and end. Phil Nelson and I have completed the first tour of the year for GMB and GIA. We have the numbers to prove it was a huge success with 1,136 people attending in over 27 cites, several of which sold out completely. The tour which was sponsored by hp, Adobe, Eizo, HOW, Pantone, Quark, nik, and Gretag Macbeth made a beleiver out of the skeptical and reinforced the essentials for seasoned veterans. Face it, if your not measuring color then how can you expect to control it. Face it, your a color control freak. So keep your eye out for the next upcomming seminar tour, like Picture Perfect and Digital Sign Making. Special thanks goes out the Juniper Sage for making the tour run so smoothly.

Thanks Everyone for a Wonderful 2005!

Christmas 2005
Originally uploaded by colorcritical.

I want to personally thank a few people and organizations that have helped COLORCRITICAL have the best year ever. First I want to thank my lovely wife Justine and son of 3 years Lucas for putting up with my crazy travel schedual and for letting me know that being a father and husband is the greatest job anyone can have and that the true secret to life is balance. So here is to you Ag Clan!

I want to thank the GIA and GMB for their incedible belief in my services and for the wonderful opportunities COLORCRITICAL has been offered. The GIA and GMB are wonderful companies who have nothing but integritiy in everyting they do. In particular I want to thank a few individuals at the GIA. Eric Harsh, thanks for believing in my abilities as a consultant and trainer. Will Holland, thanks for your unbeleivable presence in being an educated speaker, your ability to woo a crowd is inspiring. Thanks Rick Scrimger for the new business and the new music… and Ben Wolf, thanks for endless business and the tour of suburban London, you drive like a real man! Morgan Cox, thanks for your contribution to my knowledge base, you are a Rock Star! Andy Scrimger, you will be missed…I appreciate all the help you have given me. I only wish for my sake you didn’t get a better job. Juniper Sage, thanks for being a great Seminar Cordinator…you have yet to let me down on the road. John Bryson, I can always count on you to bounce ideas off of and enjoy our conversations immensly. Mike LaRocca, thanks for being organized when sending me to an on-site, it makes the job that much more successful. And thanks to Terri Bell for your pateince and for being on the ball when it comes to money. You are a gift to any organization. And seriously thanks to the whole GIA East staff for being so helpful to myself as a contractor. Your professionalism is amazing. I also want to Thank Bill Merritt and Paul Hultgren of GMB for their advice and direction. I appreciate our relationship immensly.

I also want to thank my team here at encompus : a creative collaborative. We have done so much this year to build the new studio and it’s looking great. So here is to US! Marc Hedges, thanks for just being you, I am sure you are my unoffical brother. I love the energy you bring to the group. It’s so friendly and open. Terry Parish thanks for being the “Spark” in the group, you really get us all thinking in the right direction and that has made all the difference. Fabrizio Scippa, thanks for your relentless perfection and amazing design sense. I will done anything for you! I love the direction you went with the studio, it’s is really top notch with every detail considered. Jorge Naranjo, you are the superstar designer of the group and please never change a thing. Steve Stadwiser, you are a rock. I respect your work ethic of “Nose to the grindstone” – “Get it done” they should be everyone’s daily motto. Finally thanks to Manuel Martinez, our brilliant Architect and Designer, without you, the place would look so unfinished. You have a great eye for deisgn and form.

I also want to thank a few particular clients who have made our year fantastic. Phel Steinmetz of UCSD Visual Arts, thanks for the support you have given to me and for believing I can make a “perfectly” neutral profile for greyscale printing. Thanks Marshall Williams and Tim Mantoani for being a great client who actually listens to the advice I give you. You both do amazing photography. Thanks Jackie Siragusa and Chris Hardy at the San Diego Padres for the opportunity to work with such a great place and team. Go Padres 2006! Thanks to the individuals at APA, ASMP, AIGA, PIDE, GATF, PMA, PhotoPlus East, and HOW conferences for making a talk about color go so smoothly.

I can go on all day but wont. Just know that if you have are a current client of COLORCRITICAL then you are appreciated, seriously. I could not have been in business without you. I know we will continue to build a great relationship in the years to come.

Here is to 2006! Have a safe and wonderful holiday!