colours in Designer change on export

[AndyQ]

Hi folks. I'm finding that when I export my Designer graphics to JPEG,  the colour values are different from those reported in the application. I've made up some test rectangles and assigning a mix of Pantone, CMYK and RGB colours and have exported to both CMYK and RGB JPEG images, with and without embedded colours profiles. The resultant images thus far have always resulted in slight changes to those colour values. The translations from one colour model to another (e.g. Pantone->CMYK, Pantone->RGB etc.) also differ from the translations Designer suggests in the interface (i.e. the values listed when you choose "slider view" and switch to alternative colour models - which are the value translations I would presume the application would use upon export).  I've loaded the exported images into both Photoshop and Affinity Photo to measure the resultant values and they both concur with the results.  In some cases the value changes are minor (e.g. RGB 0, 200, 100 becomes 0, 200, 101) but in other cases they're more dramatic (especially when Designer translates Pantones to RGB or CMYK)

off topic: Also why-why-why hide the colour mode export under the "More" button on the export dialog? This is not some arcane option, it's something you need to see every time you export, even if you're not going to change it. Just add a drop-down box PLEASE Mr Serif!

[vincent_berlin]

I have the same problem. Even making a double definition - by choosing a Pantone Colour from the color pattern + clicking on "Schmuckfarbe" (spot color)–  in the end the eps has never heart about a spot colour. The same procedure with CMYK (defined as a spot colour) results in a PDF that is correct, but not in a EPS.

[Lee D]

@AndyQ Can you take a look at the attached screenshots. I created a basic sRGB based document with a few shapes with fills and exported to JPEG using the document profile, opened this in PS and used the colour picker to compare the colour values. I repeated the same but with a CMYK base document and exported to JPEG, again using the document profile and opened in PS and compared the values.

Apart from referencing Pantone is this workflow any different to yours in terms of document setup, applying fills, exporting?

[awakenedbyowls]

I noticed this too. You can see the difference between Affinity and the exported jpg here. Tried different resample settings and it's always the same. I know my monitor isn't calibrated but I would expect the colour to be the same even if it's not 100% accurate.

[lepr]

56 minutes ago, awakenedbyowls said:

You can see the difference between Affinity and the exported jpg here

Please provide an Affinity document file (.afdesign since you are using Designer) and a screenshot of the controls revealed by the More button of the export window.

[awakenedbyowls]

35 minutes ago, anon2 said:

Please provide an Affinity document file (.afdesign since you are using Designer) and a screenshot of the controls revealed by the More button of the export window.

Didn't realise there was a More button. Here you go anyway.

robin_.afdesign

[lepr]

Thanks. Your earlier screenshot of an export alongside Affinity Designer shows the export is correct and it seems that colours are being displayed wrongly in Designer on your computer.

Here is your sRGB document on my Mac, and an export matches it.

[awakenedbyowls]

16 minutes ago, anon2 said:

Thanks. Your earlier screenshot of an export alongside Affinity Designer shows the export is correct and it seems that colours are being displayed wrongly in Designer on your computer.

Here is your sRGB document on my Mac, and an export matches it.

Why is my copy of Designer showing the colours wrong, and how do I fix that?

[Joachim_L]

2 minutes ago, awakenedbyowls said:

Why is my copy of Designer showing the colours wrong, and how do I fix that?

No problem also for mie on Windows. How did you get the image back into AD? Placed it? Copied it? Opened it? So could you upload the image and the AD document with the image showing the wrong colour?

[awakenedbyowls]

2 minutes ago, Joachim_L said:

No problem also for mie on Windows. How did you get the image back into AD? Placed it? Copied it? Opened it? So could you upload the image and the AD document with the image showing the wrong colour?

I don't know what you mean. I posted a screenshot of the file in AD alongside the exported jpg in the Windows Photo app.

So in that respect I think I've already done what you are requesting? 

[lepr]

5 minutes ago, awakenedbyowls said:

Why is my copy of Designer showing the colours wrong, and how do I fix that?

I guess you are using Windows. I only have a Mac at my present location and I don't feel confident about making suggestions that I cannot test first, sorry.

[Joachim_L]

Just now, awakenedbyowls said:

Windows Photo app

? Your second image you posted 2 hours ago looks like you loaded the image back into Affinity Designer again, so this is why I am asking. Or do you see a colour deviation in a different - non colour-managed - app?

[awakenedbyowls]

2 minutes ago, anon2 said:

I guess you are using Windows. I only have a Mac at my present location and I don't feel confident about making suggestions that I cannot test first, sorry.

Windows yes. I'm sure it's probably something simple. I'm using a brand new high spec gaming PC with a super slick graphics card so I'm guessing it's probably something in the settings that I don't quite understand. I've never gotten into what all the different colour standard profiles are all about and all that..

[awakenedbyowls]

3 minutes ago, Joachim_L said:

? Your second image you posted 2 hours ago looks like you loaded the image back into Affinity Designer again, so this is why I am asking. Or do you see a colour deviation in a different - non colour-managed - app?

The second image on the right is the file in AD before I export it to jpg and open in Photos (the image on the left). Hope that clears up any confusion.

[Joachim_L]

Maybe this is helpful for you, as I guess your display profile is not set up correctly for Affinity.

https://affinityspotlight.com/article/display-colour-management-in-the-affinity-apps/

 

[lepr]

4 minutes ago, awakenedbyowls said:

Windows yes. I'm sure it's probably something simple. I'm using a brand new high spec gaming PC with a super slick graphics card so I'm guessing it's probably something in the settings that I don't quite understand. I've never gotten into what all the different colour standard profiles are all about and all that..

The screenshot file that you initially posted includes no profile, so it's not possible to for me to know what is being sent to your display. Maybe I jumped to the wrong conclusion earlier because if you are using a wide gamut monitor then it is possible that you are seeing the correct colours in Affinity and oversaturated colours when viewing the exports in non-colour managed apps.

[awakenedbyowls]

4 minutes ago, BofG said:

Photos in Windows isn't colour managed - I *think* it uses the display profile "as is" so if you do have a wide gamut monitor then it will as mentioned above come out over saturated as the rgb values in your file go further in the monitor colour space than in the file's defined profile. If that makes sense. Which maybe it doesn't. Hopefully someone else will be able to explain it better

If you open your image in a browser does it match your Affinity display?

Funnily enough I just opened up the jpg file in Edge and it matches the colour in Affinity, whereas in Photos or Paint it oversaturates.

I sort of understand what you are saying there, but perhaps this require further research on my part via link posted by Joachim_L. I feel more confident now that there isn't anything wrong with my computer.

[awakenedbyowls]

4 hours ago, BofG said:

The browser is colour managed, that's why it looks correct there.

Have a read about profile connection space, basically it's a defined "real world" set of colours that are mapped to/from so all devices show the same thing. Photos doesn't use it, so your colour values in your file aren't mapped to their "real life" colours before being sent to the monitor.

 

5 hours ago, Joachim_L said:

Maybe this is helpful for you, as I guess your display profile is not set up correctly for Affinity.

https://affinityspotlight.com/article/display-colour-management-in-the-affinity-apps/

 

 

So I had a read of this page ^ Interesting about the colourimeter - didn't know such a contraption existed. 

I'm not sure what AD or my browser are doing with regards to colour management, or how that relates to my monitor settings though.

I did google "what's the difference between RGB and sRGB" though (because I've never bothered to ask that before) and the internet said: 

Quote

sRGB is a specific kind of RGB color space developed by the combined efforts of HP and Microsoft

..which is potentially useful since both my PC and monitor are HP, and of course I'm using Windows.

So does this mean I'm probably already working with as near to dammit as I could hope for calibrated equipment and I should just keep calm and carry on, or is there something I need to do to tweak the settings for optimum design visualisation?

[awakenedbyowls]

2 minutes ago, BofG said:

It depends a lot on what the end use of your artwork is. For web, stick with sRGB and enjoy not having to deal with colour profiles. If it's print work then it can get complicated.

I'm ultimately aiming for print work, and I know all about how complicated that can get. I often will send test templates with orders to my print company with a view to ordering the right ones next time, or I'll order 3 variations at low cost. 

I'm currently making a start on a project I've been trying to motivate myself to do since I got this machine 6 months ago. Right now it's mostly greyscale so I'm working in CMYK/8 however ultimately I intend to add plenty of colour to it, as well as producing a variety of end results. I want to reimage an elaborate design I made in Gimp 10 years ago from landscape and wildlife photography into vector art and/or digital painting. After a few hours working on that today I have to say I'm really happy with the vector tool in Affinity (as opposed to Illustrator). No annoying bugs and resultantly a far more productive work pace 👍

Is it better to stay in CMYK mode until later when the bones are in place, then convert to sRGB later? Or should I just stay in CMYK if the ultimate aim is for printing. Of course I want to share them online and on my website so technically I'm aiming for both.