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Color Profile Export Issues


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Hello,

I am having a persisting issue when trying to export a PDF using Affinity Publisher. I am trying to export a particular color profile for print. What continues to happen during export, is the blacks in the Tiff files are being rewritten. The blacks are set to a 30%/30%/30%/100% build. Every PDF export rewrites them to something like 70%/80%/60%/90% - which is giving me a print problem because the black K is not staying at 100%.

 

I have tried changing the Color Profile settings in the Global Publisher settings, the Document settings, and in the PDF export preferences. But the export continues to be wrong when I check it. I would greatly appreciate any help you can give on this!

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Hi @thoyand Welcome to the Forums,

If you could provide a sample afpub file and make sure the TIFF file is embedded, that would be great.  If you can also let us know which PDF export settings you are using, we can offer some advice.  If you'd rather not upload your files publicly to the Forums, then please use the private Dropbox link here.

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Hi @stokerg thanks for getting back to me. I just uploaded the latest version via the Dropbox link. I have tried essentially every single export option to try and achieve the correct color. I have tried going into Publisher settings and changing the global CMYK profile. I have tried going into the Document settings and changing the profile there. And I have tried changing the profile in export options.

 

This is a print project and I'm working with a designer who did previous color correction in the TIFF files. He has also tried many export options on his end.

 

We are trying to achieve this color profile: 280% 30% GCR Medium / SWOP (Coated) 30%, GCR, Medium. From my designer: "The easiest thing to point out is that the blacks in the Tiff files are being rewritten. The blacks are set to a 30%/30%/30%/100% build in the Tiff files. Every pdf export I've tried with Affinity rewrites the blacks to something like 70%/80%/60%/90%.....the biggest printing problem being that K doesn't stay at 100%."

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Hi @thoy,

You've had some great advice from @lacerto.

Could you also upload the colour profile you've used?  I've tried to do a colour check on the PDF but as I don't have the colour profile, I don't get the correct results, which is to be expected without the profile installed.

From the checks I've been able to do, I can see the image in the PDF has had the 'SWAP (coated), 30%, GCR Medium' applied, so this could very well just be an issue with how the PDF being is checked for errors.

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Hello @lacerto thanks for all this info! Very helpful. I'm using Publisher 2.3.1 - to give more background on the issue, the PDF is for a CD printing project and I already received print proofs that had incorrect colors while printed. The CMYK values are resulting from a conversion from RGB, where there very rich dark browns. My designer is using Acrobat (I believe) to verify color values.

 

Would you say that a good course of action moving forward would be to try using TIFF files that have no color profile embedded? The main reason I have ended up in this situation is because I'm trying to fix a print color issue that already occurred (though this issue was with the colors, not the ink levels). The reason the TIFFs have embedded profiles is to fix the washed out colors that I received with my first print proof.

 

@stokerg I just sent the color profile for you to take a look at. Is it possible that using Adobe programs to check the PDF for errors is actually producing the errors? And if so, what program do you suggest I do color checks with? Is it possible to do this with Affinity Publisher?

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Hi @thoy,

Thanks for the profile.  With that installed, if i check your PDF in Acrobat and also remember to set the Simulation Profile, i get 100K for black in the TIFF file.

I get the same values you mentioned in your first post if I don't set the Simulation Profile to match that of the PDF.

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1 minute ago, thoy said:

So if I'm understanding correctly, the colors are actually correct, it's just crucial to make sure that the Simulation Profile is set to be the right one. Is this correct?

You need to set the simulation profile, otherwise you will get the wrong values.  I'd encourage you to get this confirmed that the colours are correct and as always with anything to do with print, getting a proof copy first so you double check things, is always a good idea!

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