proper use of dot gain profile

DC
Posted By
Dan_Chan
May 7, 2004
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303
Replies
11
Status
Closed
I have a black-and-white ad with photographs and text for placement on newsprint. The publisher says their dot gain is 20%. For the sake of argument, let’s say that’s accurate. How do I use the 20% dot gain color profile? Do I…

A. …Adjust the image to compensate for a 20% dot gain, and include the 20% dot gain color profile when I save the file? Or…,
B. …Does this profile perform the compensation if I save it with the file, in which case I shouldn’t manually adjust for dot gain? Or…,
C. …Is this profile and all the other color management profiles merely for screen-proofing purposes and it won’t make a lick of difference come press time whether I include the profile or not, in which case I should manually adjust the image for dot gain and perhaps include the profile only if the squirrel in my tree decides to cross my lawn this morning?

Thanks for your attention, and moreso for any clarification.
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dot profile proper use

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PF
Peter_Figen
May 7, 2004
If your monitor is calibrated and the 20% dot gain figure is accurate, then assigning that profile to your existing grayscale photo should provide a fairly good on screen representation of how the file is going to print. You’re still going to have to check and set the black and white points so they’re appropriate for the paper and press, and then maybe make an adjustment for overall contrast and tone based on what you see on screen.

All that being said, I would still tend to be a bit suspicous of a claim of 20% dot gain for newsprint. Most newsprint is in the 30-35 percent range. A lot of people for some reason think that dot gain is a bad thing and under report it. It is what it is on any given paper/press/ink combo and there’s no good or bad about it.
CS
Carl_Stawicki
May 7, 2004
– Using the Grayscale profile when you’re converting from RGB will prepare the file for the respective dot gain.

– Assigning the Grayscale profile to your Grayscale files will show you how they will look with the dot gain. After seeing them, you can make adjustments, if you need to.

– It’s good practice to include (embed) the profile with the image, but check with the printer, because many don’t like that.

Carl.
MO
Mike_Ornellas
May 7, 2004
Load your custom CMYK profile into the grayscale color setting to get the correct preview of black only objects and conversions.

PS loads only the black channel of the profile.
B
Buko
May 7, 2004
I’m printing a monthly magazine on high quality newsprint type paper its dot gain is 25%. a lesser grade of news print should be higher, at least 30%.

All I can think is is, if all your pics are to dark ask for a discount and make all your pics 30% nextime.

Or you could set it at 25% and see how it looks.

also look at the other publications they print do they look dark? or are they good? If they are good, 20% maybe the correct number for their system because of a mis-adjustment at the imagesetter.
P
progress
May 7, 2004
this is a good example of why CM at the moment is a bit lacking…without talking to him,does dan know if the photographer worked with a 20% gain in mind, or is there a way to tell if he was working calibrated in the first place?

does no-one proof anymore?
B
Buko
May 7, 2004
One of these years most everyone might be on the same page.
MO
Mike_Ornellas
May 7, 2004
don’t get me going.
P
progress
May 7, 2004
oh go on 😉

….same page buko, same language…will that be US or UK english ? 😉 dagnamit
C
CLS
May 7, 2004
Isn’t that what GRACoL has been trying to do?
Try to make it where everyone is on the same page.
TL
Tim_Lookingbill
May 7, 2004
And remember Adobe changed the meaning of 20% dot gain between PS 4 and PS 5 and up.

Check out the dot gain reading when switching from US prepress defaults to emulate PS 4 and go to custom in the CMYK dropdown and note the 12% dot gain reading for PS 4.
DC
Dan_Chan
May 17, 2004
Thanks everyone for your insights. I can proceed with greater confidence. Now to find out if that printer’s press’s dot gain really is 20%….

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