printed map turns out very dark

[fifty]

So I took one of my maps down to the local printers to get it run off as an A3 colour laser print.

The quality is great and all the detail is there, but its very dark.

Now I hadn't thought about it before but obviously when I'm looking at the map on my computer screen its illuminated by back light so nice and bright.

So my question is, does anyone have any advice on the right sort of settings (brightness, contrast, etc) I can apply to the end map to make it print at the same sort of brightness i see on my screen without making it look all washed out?

oh and does anyone know, would the darkening effect be lessened if I printed at a larger size?

[- Max -]

Print are always darker than what you see on your screen. The screen is "throwing back" some brightness from its own inner light so when you're making a file, always think that it will be darker by around 15-20%, especially if you use dark colors (though numeric print seems to have slightly less darkening effect than offset print). Though you can't really do anything with it, here's some tips:
- First, work with the same colorimetry parameters as your local printer (ask him which one he uses and set it in PS)
- Second, when you make a file, save a copy, flatten the .psd file, save it as .tiff (best format for print), turn it into RVB, then turn it back to CMJN : this will help to keep closer result to what you have.

For your already made map, you'll have to play with brightness, luminosity and such to find something that fit better, which won't be the best since you already worked on colors :/

[fifty]

Thanks Max, that does help actually and I'll certainly bear it in mind next time

[zavidos]

@- Max -
Do you think that with a calibrated monitor I will have the same problem, I'm going to print some maps, do I have to give them some brightness?

[Viking]

Nice info Max!

[- Max -]

@- Max -
Do you think that with a calibrated monitor I will have the same problem, I'm going to print some maps, do I have to give them some brightness?

Sorry Zavidos, I didn't see this post before :/ A calibrated monitor helps a lot to avoid colors difference between screen and print but you will still have slight differences concerning darker colors on print.

[Tracker]

Hello:
The Gamma setting between the monitor and the printer are not aligned. Staples, Office Depot and even the UPS stores have the ability to change it. The problem is they usually do not know how. I have taken the following steps when going to one of these stores. One take a sample map and have them print it. Compare it to what It should be and then adjust the map for their machines. I have been in tech support for over 20 years from first lvl to 3rd lvl support to running a data center and a NOC. I do not get paid enough to fix Staples, Office Depot or the UPS stores equipment.

Tracker