Printing using customers own files.

[Simon Worrall]

Rich
Unless a colour has been specified ie using pantone or similar codes, you cant be expected to exactly match the colour on a customer’s computer screen – within reason. Your solution depends on how valuable this guy’s business is to you I spose.

[David Hammond]

Who’s complaining about the colours not matching, the designer, or the client?

Either way, without any references to try and match colours to, it’s a shot in the dark. Even supplying CMYK mixes will vary between machines and print processes, Pantone references are difficult to reproduce accurately out of CMYK, and the proof they’ve seen on screen will look different from one monitor to another.

IMHO without being told to match colours to a reference, you’ve done what they asked and produced their sign from their artwork supplied, and is not your responsibility.

[Rich Cooper]

Thanks for the replies.

That’s basically what I thought but wanted a second opinion.

It’s the customer that is complaining about the colour difference, and I received the designs direct from the freelance designer.

I just don’t like having unhappy customers, but obviously I can’t go around offering free replacements if I haven’t done anything wrong.

[Kevin Busby]

I’ve only ever had the very odd problem with colours matching and I print a lot of customers supplied works.

I always tell customers if they supply artwork and we print from their file then any colours are down to their choice as we dont make any adjustments during printing. If colour is critical I always recommend printing a A5 / A4 Sample first and posting out, I dont charge for samples and unless they take the option then Its not my responsibility.

I also always keep a second sample on file and do a comparison with the goods before shipping to ensure everything is correct and nothing changed between sample and final print, a quick photo of both also go on customers file.

Having said all that, its amazing how many designers send artwork in RGB colour scheme and wonder why there might be any difference.

Kev

[David Mitchell]

had the issue last week, designed in RGB and they couldnt send me the file to change it, then complained that what was meant to be royal blue was a touch ion the purple side, i knew straight away the problem but its not my fault.

[Jean Oakley]

Even if i get CMYK or other references, i alway print off a sample slice of the job on the media needed and show the customer how it will look. Bit late for you now i know but you could point out to the customer that as you had nothing to match to you couldn’t be blamed for the printing result. The designer should have made more of an effort to ensure the colours where matched if its that precious.

[Patrick Donaghey]

Yes I had this problem a few times due a custom colour they used , I then seen it printed in a local paper and the colour was really out so I explained this to them and since then I’ve been doing more work with them and have been able to match it with a few Teeks .

[Simon Worrall]

At a guess I would say it was the designer in this scenario who is causing the problem Rich…
Whenever there is a third party in a sign job things start to go wrong. 🙄

[Derek Heron]

quote Simon Worrall:

At a guess I would say it was the designer in this scenario who is causing the problem Rich…
Whenever there is a third party in a sign job things start to go wrong. 🙄

just wait unti a committee gets involved
😕

[Rich Cooper]

Thanks again for the replies everyone.

im hoping to hear back from the guy today, ive just deleted the whole job and started from scratch again and the file still imports the same as the print, there has definitley been some changes made from the design process to me receiving the files.

i think i will be printing samples this time too.

Would you charge the guy again for re-doing the work?

[Phill Fenton]

Have you tried printing from the original file sent rather than printing form what you had opened and saved in Corel? Different software interprets vector drawn files differently and the colours can be altered exporting between applications – the only way to guarantee you are seeing the correct colours as intended is to print from a rendered image. I would re-do the job FOC for goodwill and treat it as a learning exercise. You won’t make the same mistake again.

[Steff Davison]

quote Rich Cooper:

Thanks again for the replies everyone.

im hoping to hear back from the guy today, ive just deleted the whole job and started from scratch again and the file still imports the same as the print, there has definitley been some changes made from the design process to me receiving the files.

i think i will be printing samples this time too.

Would you charge the guy again for re-doing the work?

That would depend on how valuable the client was to you, but you have done nothing wrong, you did the job asked of you.
If I was not bothered about any further work from them I would ask them to pay me and get someone else to do the work.

[Jon Marshall]

If the customer wants it printed ‘the same colour as on his screen’ then you’ve pretty much got no chance.