Color Profile Key Concepts
Spend a moment to remember these short points.
Key Concept #1
Color management consists of two primary systems –
Your editing software
Your printer driver
Key Concept #2
Only one of the above systems can control color output at a time
Key Concept #3
When using a printer color profile, your editing software will be in control of color management.
You choose the paper's color profile in the editing software's print dialog.
Key Concept #4
The printer driver's color management system must be disabled.
Key Concept #5
The printer driver's media (paper) setting must match the paper profile's instructions, which are provided by RRP.
Sound like a lot to remember? Not really! Use the concepts as a check list and your print quality will improve.
All of the above and more are provided in our detailed printer profile use videos
Color Profile and Management FAQ
What are color profiles?
Profiles are pieces of software code that command the color management of your inkjet printer for a very specific combination of paper, ink, printer and settings. Color profiles do the work of describing the way your printer should represent color for the specific combination mentioned above.
Will your profiles work with my software?
ICC profiles are universal files. They work for any software that is "ICC Aware" such as Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Lightroom, Aperture, Qimage, and a few others.
Where can I get detailed information and knowledge about color management?
Our profile provider, Chromix, runs the ColorWiki knowledge-base. It includes many articles, links, and download files.
Who makes your profiles?
Our profile provider, Chromix, runs the ColorWiki knowledge-base. It includes many articles, links, and download files.
Are your profiles free?
Yes. Red River offers these profiles to you at no charge. You may distribute them freely.
Do you offer technical support for these profiles?
Red River Paper does not offer technical support for our color profiles beyond the documents and links on our website. Color management and profile usage can be complex if you are unfamiliar with Photoshop or cannot take time to read available documentation. Red River expertise is in paper and we offer profiles as a courtesy to our clients.
Do these profiles work on both Mac and Windows?
Yes. How to install them on both systems is here
What printer settings do I use with your profiles?
Each profile ZIP file comes with a PDF file that describe how to set your printer when using our profiles. You must follow the included instructions completely to see optimal print results.
I don't see the Red River Paper profile in my printer's driver / paper listing. Why?
The media selection (paper selection) is a fixed list that only contains the names of papers made by the printer manufacturer. Usually, you will choose media selection that is close to the inkjet paper you’re using. For example, Red River’s UltraPro Satin uses the Epson Premium Luster or Canon Photo Paper Plus Semi gloss setting. We provide the recommended media settings with each profile download in the instructions file.
Where do I install the profiles on my computer?
What are monitor profiles? Are they related to your profiles?
Monitor (display) profiles are important but are not involved in the printing process. They work to tell your monitor the correct number and luminance values to display. Monitor profiles are typically either a) default profiles that come installed in your operating system or b) custom profiles made using specialized hardware and software. The DataColor Spyder X is a good example of this type of system. Making custom profiles is recommended as a best practice or if you are dissatisfied with your print quality.
Can I use my printer's installed profiles for your paper?
Some customers find that print quality on Red River Paper with Epson printer profiles is acceptable. Canon profiles are unfortunately not as forgiving and should not be used when printing on Red River papers. Click here for more information.
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Last updated: June 24, 2021
