Any recommendation for online UK print shop with ICC paper/printer profiles

DK
Posted By
Dick_Kenny
Feb 24, 2009
Views
472
Replies
8
Status
Closed
I am looking for a good online photo print shop in UK that is willing to provide customers with an ICC profile for its printers/papers used so that I can soft proof output prior to submitting. Maybe whistling in the wind – however someone here might know better.

ps: A printer offering the above for fine art quality paper such as Photo Rag would be icing on the cake. Thanks for your time.
Related Tags
icc paper print profile recommendation

How to Improve Photoshop Performance

Learn how to optimize Photoshop for maximum speed, troubleshoot common issues, and keep your projects organized so that you can work faster than ever before!

AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Feb 27, 2009
A quick Googling for "ICC profiles and printing company in UK" turned up:

<http://www.oxfordgiclee.co.uk/Print/gicleeprints.html>

I know nothing about these people but their web site implies that they know what they are talking about. Give them a try.
DK
Dick_Kenny
Feb 27, 2009
Many thanks – why didn’t I try that?

Interesting web site/company. Have queried them by email; but looks as if the ICC portion they offer is to make a profile for the customer’s printer/paper. My quest is for a print lab that will share their printer/paper profile(s) so that I can soft proof (and adjust) before submission. Nevertheless, thank you again.
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Feb 27, 2009
Talk to them because I got the impression from their web site that they offered a service to make Custom Profiles — in addition to making high quality prints for customers.

As they seem pretty Profile-savvy, I suspect that they can provide you with Profiles for their stock on their printers; as well as with instructions for using their services.

I also noticed that they are prepared to provide a Proof print before doing the full Print Run.

You might also send a print which you have made to them with a "Please match this" note attached.
DK
Dick_Kenny
Feb 27, 2009
For interest, I did as you suggested. Here is what I said:

"Sirs:

Do you supply customers with an ICC profile for your printer and paper(s?) to allow them i to soft proof – and adjust – a file prior to submission for printing? I ask, as in our experience (many) fine art papers have a very different Dmax compared to the more usually used commercial photo papers. Clearly, we would find it beneficial to soft proof prior to asking you to print. Also any indication of which fine art paper you use would be i helpful. Thanks for your time. Dick Kenny – The Chantry Studio"

And here is (part) of what they said in reply:

"I’m afraid that as we use a RIP software to print our digital prints we cannot supply a profile to be used in softproofing. A RIP limits the amount of ink used so not to over saturate the paper and also alters the tonal spread of the ink before applying the ICC profile. If I sent you a profile for one of our papers the ink limiting etc wouldn’t be applied and the softproofing would look very poor. If we used the generic printer software then we could send a profile as generic software doesn’t alter the amount of ink laid upon the paper. This means that the paper is over inked and tones and colours will block up.

I’m sorry we can’t help with the softproofing."

But never mind; it was worth a try, and I am again grateful for your interest, thanks.
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Feb 27, 2009
So I guess that you are limited to the "Match THIS … or else …" approach then?!

🙁
P
Phosphor
Feb 28, 2009
I’ve had horrible luck trying to find printers who will supply profiles.

They either react like you’re speaking Swahili—backwards—or they alibi themselves out with responses like the one you got, Dick.

Now, I’ll admit I have rare cause to really need anything that won’t be acceptably produced using the generic profiles or the aforementioned "Match This" method, but it sure would be nice to find someone local—ahead of time, and before I actually had to scramble for one—who would be willing to work with me on this sort of thing, should the need arise in the future.

Good luck in your quest, and if you find somebody good, please come back here and share the contact info. I’m sure it would be appreciated.
DK
Dick_Kenny
Mar 6, 2009
if you find somebody good, please come back here and share the contact info. I’m sure it would be appreciated.

For anyone interested, we have been test printing a couple of images with Fauxfilm Print Studio at:

<http://www.fauxfilm.co.uk/about.html>

Amongst many other things they offer as downloads two of their paper/printer ICC profiles – Hahnemuhle Fine Art, and Professional Satin; the latter being an incredibly pure white German paper.

Testing the process is somewhat taxing as there are so many potential hiccups between source computer and their printers. Eventually we settled on three versions of the same file; all individually soft proofed in Ps. Two used the Faux download profiles (as above), the third using out in-house profile for Epsom Premium Glossy to serve as a control.

The resulting prints on 16×12 papers are outstanding, both in consistency of colour on papers of widely differing Dmax, and in overall snap, crackle and pop. So very pleased with the exercise.
JD
John_Danek
Mar 6, 2009
I think OxfordGiclee’s concern was your softproofing and as seen in your tests with FauxFilm. I would approach it a little differently by doing my own printer calibration using their specific paper. This is not an inexpensive proposition, but would allow you to proof inhouse and nail your total ink limit. As I see it, you’d need more than a printer profile to softproof accurately. There is an inherent risk to approving what you see on screen.

MacBook Pro 16” Mockups 🔥

– in 4 materials (clay versions included)

– 12 scenes

– 48 MacBook Pro 16″ mockups

– 6000 x 4500 px

Related Discussion Topics

Nice and short text about related topics in discussion sections