Profile Verification:

In the light of our experience in monitor profiling - where we have discovered that, because of possible errors, screen deterioration or instrument damage, even hardware calibration and profiling cannot be considered to be infallible. We wanted to come up with a way for our clients to be confident about monitor and printer performance. And to have a way to assess their own workflow generally. In conjunction with Thomas Holm at Pixl Aps, we offer a Verification kit - this includes a verified print of our downloadable Testimage. The kit includes a GATF or UGRA metamerism checker to ascertain correct daylight viewing conditions, a CD of the Testimage with a PDF manual and Photoshop proof setup file. You can use thus check your monitor screen and printouts made in your studio, or elsewhere, against the print - to verify the quality or performance. It's even possible to assess the performance of a flatbed scanner using the print. The kit costs 80 pounds plus VAT (inc. postage in UK).

download the Pixl NBC verification kit pdf manual (936K)

Please remember that Pixl and Neil Barstow Consulting retain full copyright on this image. It must not be used commercially in full, or in part, without prior permission.

if you are interested in the verification kit - please click here to send a mail and we'll contact you with ordering details.

Our Verification testimage, free download:

Pixl NBC Verification CMYK Testimage (.zip) copyright Pixl and NBC 2002 (3.9MB)

Profiling your printer:

Making even RGB printer profiles can be pretty technical and doing it well involves some costly equipment and extensive research. RGB printers can be profiled successfully by the postal service offered by the excellent Pixl, or by us for printers with Lyson materials - you print patches as instructed and send them in to be measured

Click here for info on our remote RGB printer profiling service [in a new window]

With many CMYK printers (usually those attached to a RIP) a site visit can be very useful. From my experience users rarely get to grips with all the options available inside the rip software, and in many cases the software seems to have been designed with user confusion as a primary aim. Plus, final optimisation of the profile's separation settings whilst making a number of test prints seems almost inescapable when a really great profile is the goal.
Some users understandably want profile making equipment in house, and for some it is very worthwhile. To get the gear that really works at a pro level, though, it's quite a big investment. Scanner based printer profiling (ie no reading device) turns out to be a hiding to nothing. For those on a budget who want to check out lots of different papers, a simple profile the new eyeOne Photo kit, see above - it's a great way to get started out. We have a very special offer for owners of eyeOne Design, Photo and Publish who buy from us, basically, we will make high end profiles from your readings talk to us about it.

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