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Datameister
02-17-2007, 05:12 AM
Hey, all. I just wanted to encourage any of you who haven't done so already to calibrate your monitors!

I was under the mistaken impression that I'd correctly calibrated my monitor around the time I first started painting digitally, over a year ago. Now I've realized that the calibration was off. After re-calibrating, I'm finding every one of my paintings looking too dark--easily corrected using Levels, but that takes time. Furthermore, I'm used to using colors that looked right on my uncalibrated monitor. Now that I've got this monitor set correctly, those colors don't look right. I have to re-learn which colors I like to use.

Now, I'm not saying this to complain. I'm saying this to remind anyone and everyone not to make my mistake! Calibrate your monitor(s) and do it right. I found this page (http://epaperpress.com/monitorcal/) and this page (http://www.normankoren.com/makingfineprints1A.html) helpful.





Seriously. Stop reading and calibrate. Right now!
Pinoy McGee
02-20-2007, 02:35 AM
Well, you can calibrate your studio system (photoshop > monitor > printer) and between you and an external printing bureau, but....

Your image will still unnecessarily look the same in other monitors beyond your reach.

How I adapt to this is by using the web graphics defaults preset (under color settings) as a way to see what my artwork looks like in monitors that aren't specifically used for graphics (like institutional monitors in schools or in non-cg companies, for example). I switch between that and my custom settings (w/c uses adobe rgb 1998) and tweek my image as necessary. Usually it's just either raising or lowering the saturation a little bit and making sure cyans and magentas aren't oversaturated.

This way, at least for me, I have better control over my flesh tone colors (because before I used to get a lot of "your painting looks muddy" comments).
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02-20-2007, 02:35 AM
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