Anyone who has carefully profiled a printer and media, then coated the output, may have noticed that the coated print no longer quite matches the proof. That is normal. A coating adds a clear layer on top of the ink, and it changes how light reflects from and passes through the surface. For many jobs the difference is small. For colour-critical work, such as brand colours, fine art reproduction and photographic editions, it is worth managing.
What typically changes
- Black density and contrast. Gloss coatings tend to deepen blacks and boost apparent saturation, particularly on matte media. Matte or semi-gloss coatings can soften them.
- Shadow detail. Deeper blacks can close up subtle shadow tones.
- Paper white. The coating can alter the media’s white point slightly.
- Hue in some colours. Small shifts can occur, especially in very saturated or delicate tones.
Options for keeping colour on target
Profile the coated media
The most thorough approach is to print your profiling target, let it dry fully, coat it exactly as you will coat production work, let the coating dry fully, and then measure it. The resulting ICC profile describes the coated print rather than the bare one. Treat it as a separate media setting in your RIP, for example “Canvas satin, coated”, so it is never confused with the uncoated version.
Adjust and verify
If building a new profile is not practical, print a test chart or a set of critical colours, coat it, and compare against your reference. Many RIPs allow colour replacement or adjustment curves that can correct consistent shifts in specific colours.
Soft-proof with the coated profile
Once you have a coated profile, use it to soft-proof in your editing software so you can see the likely result before printing.
Keep the process consistent
A coated profile is only as good as the consistency of the coating. A thicker or thinner coat, a different finish, or switching between hand and machine application can all change the result. A liquid lamination machine helps by applying a more repeatable layer. Make sure prints are always measured after both ink and coating have fully dried; measuring too early is a common cause of profiles that drift.
Landor has spent more than twenty years supplying and installing large format printing systems and RIPs, so colour workflow questions are familiar ground. See our printers and RIPs and coating equipment.
If your coated prints are drifting from proof and you cannot pin down why, call us on 01252 624 411 or get in touch. A printed and coated test chart is often the quickest way to diagnose it.