Microsoft KB Archive/146433

= PUB: Blues and Aquas Print Too Dark on HP DeskJet 820c/855c =

Article ID: 146433

Article Last Modified on 8/17/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Publisher 3.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q146433



SYMPTOMS
When you print a publication to an HP DeskJet 820c, any object that is colored aqua or blue (or any other color that uses a lot of cyan ink) will be printed darker than it appears on screen. This behavior will be especially noticeable if you select the Improve Screen And Printer Color Matching check box in the Print dialog box.



CAUSE
This difference in color is caused by an inherent difference in the way that color screens and color printers work.



WORKAROUND
To get an accurate idea of how the object will appear when it's printed to the DeskJet, consult a printer's ink color reference book.



MORE INFORMATION
On your screen, the colors you see are made by mixing various proportions of red, green, and blue glowing dots. This is why color screens are sometimes called RGB screens. Creating colors by mixing different colors of lights is called "additive mixing." The three primary colors in additive mixing are red, green, and blue. If you add equal amounts of all three primary colors, you get white light. Any other color of light can also be made by mixing various percentages of red, green, and blue.

On your printer, the colors you see are made by mixing various proportions of cyan, magenta, yellow (and sometimes black) ink. When you create colors by mixing different colors of ink or paint it is called "subtractive mixing." The three primary colors in subtractive mixing are cyan, magenta and yellow. If you add equal amounts of all three primary colors you get black ink or paint. Any other color of paint can also be made by mixing various percentages of cyan, magenta, and yellow.

When you fill an object on a publication with aqua (the term Publisher uses for cyan), that color is made by mixing equal portions of green and blue light. Because the human eye is especially sensitive to blue and green light, this color appears very bright. When you print this object, the HP DeskJet prints it using pure cyan ink. When you look at this object on the printed page, you are actually seeing white light reflecting off of cyan ink. This makes the ink look less intense than the light coming from your screen.

The color mixing information sent to the printer is derived mathematically. The mathematics don't take into account the human eye's special sensitivity to some colors.

NOTE: This effect is not limited to Publisher and HP DeskJet printers. Any program printing to any color printer will also exhibit this effect.

Additional query words: 3.0 w_mspub pub95 pub3 blue purple purplish

Keywords: kbprint kbprb KB146433

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