Calibrating Your Monitor

You must have the Kessler Color calibration image (densitometer.tif) supplied with the Services CD and the sample 7x10 output from our printer to proceed.

 With most monitors, it is best to set the white point at 6500K. This will enable you to have enough brightness and contrast for the calibration process.

 Start Photoshop and open the “densitometer.tif” image located in the Calibration Image folder. Make sure the lighting around your monitor is good and doesn’t glare. If you use multiple computers, make sure the lighting is the same for each. 

Use the color controls on your monitor to manually set the contrast of your monitor to generally match the file with the print. 

Under Start-Settings-Control Panel, open the Adobe Gamma control panel with the “View Single Gamma” checked. Move the box as necessary to view the calibration image. On this dialog box make sure that Phosphors=Trinitron; White Point=Custom; and Adjusted=6500K (Daylight), and select Macintosh default gamma of 1.80 (this is a good starting point, even on a PC). Use the slider to “tweak” your monitor’s brightness to exactly match the calibration print. 

Deselect the “View Single Gamma” check box. You will now see RGB boxes with slider bars which allow you to change each individual color to better match the calibration print. 

Exit the Abobe Gamma control panel and save the settings with the name of your choice. 

In Photoshop, under “Edit”, choose “Color Settings” and set as follows: Settings=Custom; Working Space=sRGB; Gray Gamma=2.2. All Color Management Policies should read: 

Send in two or three files you have corrected that look good on your monitor for test printing. Mark your order “Calibration Test” and you will not be charged.

Recheck your calibration at least once each week.