# This is probably a really dumb question, but please help.



## Suka (Nov 5, 2013)

I'm new to digital art, well actually art in general, what's the best way to adjust your monitors color. My avatar is the first thing I've drawn and the color is totally different than how it looked on the monitor.  It still looks ok but I'd like colors to turn out how I want them to. I've googled it but didn't find anything terribly useful. I feel really dumb asking since I work IT but I know very little related to art.


----------



## Arshes Nei (Nov 5, 2013)

Color Management. It can be a somewhat daunting subject since different monitors display colors differently. Going to Print is also going to change it.

By default you want to make sure the program is using the same color profile. ie sRGB it depends on the program you're using. Some like Sai will default to your sRGB profile. 

http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Learn/color_management.htm

This varies since I have no idea what you're using in terms of program or operating system. It's kinda of telling me "your car won't start" so understandably it's a bit vague.


----------



## Suka (Nov 5, 2013)

I am using GIMP and a Seki 4k display. I'm also not very familiars with gimp.


----------



## Arshes Nei (Nov 5, 2013)

Suka said:


> I am using GIMP and a Seki 4k display. I'm also not very familiars with gimp.



I'm assuming Windows...? ???


----------



## Suka (Nov 5, 2013)

Oh ya, sorry. Windows 7. Intel I5, Nvidia GTX 680, 16Gb memory. Need any more data? Oh, the printed one looks the same as it looks on my iPhone.


----------



## Arshes Nei (Nov 5, 2013)

Iphone uses an IPS monitor so they generally have more accurate colors. Newer iphones/pads have a higher gamut but the color tends to be more consistent than a TN. 

But in Control Panel, Display (Appearance and Settings) where you adjust your screen resolution, you should see "Advanced" in the corner and go to Color management. You should be able to do some rudimentary tweaks to get better color. I highly advise getting an actual calibrator like a Spyder because no matter what software solution people post here the calibrators do a much better job.


----------



## Lobar (Nov 6, 2013)

Get a calibrator.  If you've shelled out that much on your monitor, a calibrator ought to be within your means.


----------



## Suka (Nov 6, 2013)

Ok thanks. That sounds like a good idea. Btw monitor wasn't too bad caut it on sale for $600


----------



## Arshes Nei (Nov 6, 2013)

Suka said:


> Ok thanks. That sounds like a good idea. Btw monitor wasn't too bad caut it on sale for $600



Yeah I know it was the first budget 4k monitor out there, but it's marketed as a TV. http://www.amazon.com/Seiki-Digital-SE39UY04-39-Inch-Ultra/dp/B00DOPGO2G/

http://www.amazon.com/Datacolor-Spyder4Pro-S4P100-Colorimeter-Calibration/dp/B006TF37H8/


----------



## Suka (Nov 6, 2013)

Is spyder the brand you would recommend calibrator you would recommend?


----------



## Arshes Nei (Nov 6, 2013)

Suka said:


> Is spyder the brand you would recommend calibrator you would recommend?



Spyders are pretty good but a Pro version is better than Xpress, Xrite/Colormunki is another recommendation.


----------



## Sixx (Nov 10, 2013)

Also watch the lighting in your room. I've recently figured out that the incandescent lighting in my room has been messing with my eyes when I work at home. Every time i took my work to a florescent or day-lit room I would see that all my colors had more purple in them and were much more saturated.  Easy fix for this is a daylight balanced light bulb.

Hope that helps.


----------



## Suka (Nov 11, 2013)

Sixx said:


> Also watch the lighting in your room. I've recently figured out that the incandescent lighting in my room has been messing with my eyes when I work at home. Every time i took my work to a florescent or day-lit room I would see that all my colors had more purple in them and were much more saturated.  Easy fix for this is a daylight balanced light bulb.
> 
> Hope that helps.


Thank you that is a good idea.


----------



## NerielMi (Nov 19, 2013)

The problem with digital art is that everyone has different settings of monitor or the device they use to browse through the art, that means that they'll never see the exact same colors that you want to show them. I have one IPS monitor that has good colors and notebook monitor which turns everything into blue and I usually adjust the final pictures to see good on both of them to prevent everyone from seeing some terrible colors in my pictures, but the result of any monitor is never the same anyway..
So if you want to have the best colors on your monitor and if it's a monitor good enough that it can be efficient to use the calibration probe (it's usually useless for cheap monitors) then use it and you'll get the best colors you can get. If you'r monitor isn't good enough you can calibrate your monitor yourself using various programs (including the window's default, something like 'Calibrate colors' - I have different language version of windows so I don't know but if you type something like that into the start search menu it should pop up). But you have to know that the others will see the picture in different colors anyway.


----------

