by JimRaffel on March 29, 2006
During Print ’05 in Chicago ColorMetrix shared a booth with AbsoluteProof, who also invited Pierre Ferland from The Whole Proof. The Whole Proof has developed an innovative new technology which allows virtually any printing paper to be specially coated and then utilized on an inkjet printer for proofing purposes. In last week’s Golden Nugget I discussed the importance of gloss being the same for two printed samples to appear the same. What I found interesting when I requested “bullet points” from Pierre to prepare this week’s e-mail is that he addressed gloss better than I could have while explaining the importance of his product. So, the rest of this week’s e-mail is provided by >Pierre Ferland of The Whole Proof (pierre@twproof.com)
For the cup manufacturer’s story: They were proofing on Epson matte heavyweight paper, but the characteristics of that paper were not consistent with what they were using on the press. The branded inkjet paper was much brighter and smoother than the food grade SBS that they were printing on. When they tried to emulate the SBS’s brightness using the plotter’s ink, it made the paper glossy (typical with pigment-based inks). Even if that hadn’t been the case, very smooth paper reflects light more directly than “fuzzy” paper, which diffuses light. The print buyer and pressman were getting proofs that were much more vibrant than what could actually be accomplished on the “beverage cup” SBS using a flexographic press. Proofing on the same paper they use on the press not only gives their pressman a more realistic target, but it also allows them to set the right expectations with the print buyer, and supply fully functional, full color prototypes made from the actual press stock the whole proof, and nothing but the proof! – Pierre Ferland (TWP International)
Coming next…Jim Raffel’s thoughts on GRACoL 7
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by JimRaffel on March 21, 2006
– FREE pass to Monday Night Expo and Paper Show at Print Oasis: ColorMetrix will be exhibiting at Print Oasis (April 2-5Las Vegas) a www.printbuyersonline.com show. The ticket at the link below will get you into the Monday night Expo for FREE.
http://www.colormetrix.com/docs/Paper_Show_Ticket.pdf
*** Golden Nugget #28: The difference between satin-gloss & high-gloss ***
…Everyone has an idea of what the terms “glossy” and “matte” mean. In case of terms like “satin-gloss”, “high-gloss” or “satin-matte”, however, which are often used in the printing industry, different observers may reach different conclusions… (Source: http://www.qipglossmeters.com/glossmeters )
For many years ColorMetrix has quietly developed keyboard wedge software for a line of gloss meters manufactured by Quality Imaging Products. As a result I have had the opportunity to test and work with the Gloss Meters and have also developed a pretty good understanding of why one would want to measure gloss in the printing industry (even though very few of us do).
In the last few weeks I have been assisting clients in understanding why their inkjet proofs do not match press sheets even though they have gone through the entire color management process. The problem in more than one case has been the inkjet paper selection. For sake of argument, we are printing on a semi matte sheet and proofing on a semi-matte inkjet proofing paper. Even if both the inkjet proofing device and the press have been profiled, these two papers are not the same and probably do not have exactly the same gloss. While a paper simulation is nice, it does not adjust for the difference in paper coating which is best quantified by gloss measurement.
Gloss has a great deal to do with how our eye and measuring instruments see images printed on paper. If for some reason you do not believe this, compare an identical advertisement printed in a newspaper versus weekly news magazine.
If anyone would like this quantified, please feel free to send me samples of your proofing paper and the papers you are using this sample to represent. I would be happy to measure the gloss of both and get the results to you.
Coming next…Inkjet proofing on the exact paper you print on.
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