How can I make my display as print-faithful as possible?

[DDar]

Well, I won't have a matte screen for a little while, so in the mean time I have to make do with our new iMac (which is FREAKIN' SWEET btw). Now, it's a great machine and all, but in that past I've experienced glossy screens making prints end up being rather... lacking compared to how it looks on-screen. Is there any simple, free way to make my colors as faithful as possible? I'm making a birthday present for a friend atm, so you'll understand if I want the print to be faithful, you know?

 

[AlexisV]

There is no simple way. You'll just have to experiment with the printer's software settings until you can get a reasonably close match.

 

[zmttoxics]

Well, I won't have a matte screen for a little while, so in the mean time I have to make do with our new iMac (which is FREAKIN' SWEET btw). Now, it's a great machine and all, but in that past I've experienced glossy screens making prints end up being rather... lacking compared to how it looks on-screen. Is there any simple, free way to make my colors as faithful as possible? I'm making a birthday present for a friend atm, so you'll understand if I want the print to be faithful, you know?

Can I have a birthday present too?

There is a way to calibrate the screen through the properties. That might be easier the recalibrating a printer. Go to the color tab of your display properties, and hit Calibrate. Good luck!

 

[Cave Man]

I've experienced glossy screens making prints end up being rather... lacking compared to how it looks on-screen. Is there any simple, free way to make my colors as faithful as possible?

No free simple ways. Buy a Spyder colorimeter for your display, then buy paper that has printer profiles for your model printer. This is really the only way to do it and get correct colors and brightness.

 

[Batt]

Well, I won't have a matte screen for a little while, so in the mean time I have to make do with our new iMac (which is FREAKIN' SWEET btw). Now, it's a great machine and all, but in that past I've experienced glossy screens making prints end up being rather... lacking compared to how it looks on-screen. Is there any simple, free way to make my colors as faithful as possible? I'm making a birthday present for a friend atm, so you'll understand if I want the print to be faithful, you know?

I've been through this and there's no magic bullet. Try printing a sample using different profiles and pick the closest. In my case, that was usually SWOP press. Finding the profiles depends on what software you're printing with. My only experience is with Quark and P'shop.
Good luck.

 

[DDar]

Well, I wouldn't really be printing it. See, I'd take it to a professional printing service and they'd print it out poster-size for me. =) (I think they use PCs though, not that it matters though, right?)
I just need the screen to be as faithful as possible. x)
Also, I tried calibrating the screen. It's a little tricky, but I think it's okay. Not sure though. Personally though, I think it looks somewhat better now than it did before.
I was somewhat nervous doing it since I wasn't sure what screen brightness would be best to do it on. =/

Anyways, if I post my color profile or whatever it was at the end of my calibration process and show it to you guys, do you think you could tell me if it's good or not?