HP Printers - Creating Custom ICC Profiles for Color Photos

Advanced users who want the highest degree of color control will want to generate their own ICC profiles using profiling applications available from independent software vendors such as Monaco, ColorBlind, Color Savvy, and GretagMacbeth. By creating custom profiles, users can color correct for the exact paper, print cartridges, and printer that they are using.

This process generally involves printing a large set of color patches with color management turned off. The printed color patches are then measured with a spectrophotometer, and finally, the measured reflectance data is used in conjunction with a profiling application to compute a new ICC profile. Please refer to the instructions provided with specific third-party profiling applications for more details on this process.

To print color target images, no profile should be assigned to the color target document, and no profile should be assigned to the printer. The color target file should be an untagged RGB file (not a CMYK file). In the printer driver, select Managed by application and the appropriate paper type.

1. Select File, then Print with Preview. (Photoshop 6 and prior: select File, then Print.)
2. Select the Show More Options check box, and Color Management from the drop-down menu.
3. In the Profile menu, select Same as Source.

The printer driver must also be configured to properly use custom profiles. Use the steps below to configure the printer driver.

1. Select File, Print, and then Properties, Color.
2. Select Managed by application from the Color management menu.
3. Click on the Paper/Quality tab and select the appropriate paper type from the Type is menu.
4. Click OK, and then OK again to print.

note:

The paper type must be selected in the printer software even when creating a profile. Maximum ink volume limits are determined by the paper-type selection, not through the ICC profile.

With these settings, a print without any color management intervention from either the printer driver or the application will be produced. This print is suitable for measurement and profile creation.