Filter
Top Products
printing parameters, so making a good choice here is fundamental to achieving good results later on. If you
find that you cannot obtain satisfactory results with the profile and paper type that you picked, try selecting
different types, and use the one that works best.
If the paper that you are using is not listed, or if you cannot find a paper type that resembles yours closely
enough, you can define a new type. See
Use non-HP paper on page 45. The printer then calibrates itself for
use with that paper, after which you can return to installing the ICC profile.
After you have selected the paper type, browse to the file that contains the ICC profile to use with your
printer and paper. Normally, ICC profile file names end in the extension “.icc” (for International Color
Consortium) or “.icm” (for Image Color Matching). The profile is stored in the correct system folder on your
computer, and in the printer.
Profile your monitor
Also calibrate and profile your monitor (display device), so that the colors you see on the screen relate more
closely to those that you see on your prints. In the HP Color Center, select How To Calibrate Your Display for
further information.
Color and your Z6600 Printer
As a creative professional, predictable and dependable results from your printer are essential to getting your
job done. Predictability is a key element of an efficient color workflow. You need prints that match your
expectations and that generate neutral grays and correct colors on your selected paper, print-to-print and
printer-to-printer. Dependability ensures that every print is free of print-quality defects and ready to use or
send to your customer. You save time and effort and avoid wasting ink and paper, and you can meet
demanding production schedules with confidence.
The Z6600 printer have been engineered with advanced hardware and driver features to ensure predictable
and dependable results, and offer dramatic improvements in efficiency and control for your color workflow.
A summary of the color-management process
To get the accurate and consistent colors that you want, follow these steps for each paper type that you use.
1. If the printer does not recognize your paper type, add the type to the printer's list of known papers. See
Use non-HP paper on page 45. Typical users might add a few custom paper types every year.
2. Color-calibrate the paper type to ensure consistent colors. Perform this calibration when a printer alert
recommends this calibration (typically, every few weeks for each paper type you use). In addition,
calibrate immediately before a particularly important print job in which color consistency is vital.
3. Color-profile the paper type to ensure accurate colors. Profiling does not normally need to be repeated;
after you have a profile for a particular paper type, you can continue to use it. However, re-profiling
does no harm, and some users repeat the profiling process every month to ensure that the profile is up-
to-date. This step needs to be done with an external spectrophotometer.
4. When printing, select the correct color profile for the paper type that you are using.
Paper types that are defined in the printer also have color profiles stored in the printer. However, HP
recommends that you calibrate the paper before using it.
If you define a new paper type, the printer automatically leads you through calibration and profiling.
The following diagram shows the operations that the HP Color Center performs, in order.
104 Chapter 7 Color management ENWW