Proof Images

[Devin Johnston]

I have a question for those of you who do freelance work, how do you handle the proof image process? I just recently had a pretty bad experience with a client where he was trying to view proof images that I was sending him on an un-calibrated monitor and was trying to print them on an un-calibrated printer. The images he saw and printed were pretty far away from what I was seeing and printing. I know that my monitor and printer are properly calibrated so it was up to me to deliver several sets of printed proof images to his office. There has got to be a better way to share images between two people who are using different kinds of hardware to view the same thing. There has to be some way to do this without having to calibrate each persons monitor!

[BrianKitts]

i meet people in person with hard copies to redline corrections, a set to mark up and a progress set for them to keep. I realize this doesn't work for those who do projects over the internet, but since I don't it sure beats what you are going through.

 

Heck freelance aside we have problems with the same thing in our own office sending renderings to the interiors department and hearing the colors are wrong..... um no your monitor is. (also works as a good excuse when's its not the monitors fault)

 

It's a huge problem, my old firm used to never distribute electronic files, only hardcopies and then he'd charge the client rediculous prices for prints. Which I guess you could do if you're an over controlling money sucking intolerable.... (oh sorry....) anyways.....

 

the only really good solution I can think of is taking to the client and giving them a grasp on the process and necesssity for a well calibrated monitor.

[Devin Johnston]

You are correct about this being a big problem, in my office we have had to purchase special hardware and software to calibrate our monitors and printers. It's not 100% but it's much better than it used to be, but when I have to deal with clients outside of the office everything falls apart. The images they get are either to dark or look like a nuclear explosion has gone off. Printing is an entirely different matter, colors are to saturated or just completely wrong and the people I deal with have to see what they are getting. I don't have time to drive around the city and deliver hard copies to everyone, if I did that I'd never get any work done.

 

This just seem surreal that we have all this technology but no way of controlling it.

[Brian Cassil]

Hi Devin, nice seeing you at the DVC.

 

I'm curious what you use for calibration? Right now I'm looking very seriously at the colorvision printFX pro package.

[Devin Johnston]

We purchased Monaco View as well as the package to do our printers which has helped out a lot. I think this whole color calibration thing is a big scam though, it seems down right stupid that monitor, video card, and printer makers can't settle on one industry standard. In my opinion they like it that way so they can sell their color calibration packages, it's all BS.

[Brian Cassil]

it's all BS

 

Agreed, which is why it's so difficult to explain to clients why our renderings don't look so good on their monitors and printers.

[SunGlare]

I have a bad memories with colorvision,

But I've succed with Eye one from pantone.

 

Yeah, I dont understan wht for ICC developed the standard, when all the products have to be callibrated before use.

 

Maybe only Apple stand out, as only real rgb,

but then still You have to calibrate printer.

 

I send them proof over night.

or print with inet print/photo labs - they always have updatd ICM's on a daily basis.

Costco photolab for eg.