: Printing a grayscale image with a CMYK printer I'm new to the forum and I would like to ask a question. To print a postcard I have to submit my design using a CMYK template provided by

@Jessie844

I am not really worried about how do you see it on your screen. Your screen could be turned off and your file could be right or wrong.

I am sure that does not make feel you better. Sorry for that n_n

Ok. First of all, Calibrate your monitor, at least with a gamma pattern calibrating the 3 channels separately.

Your computer should have a program to do so. On windows look for the Calibrating Color application.

As you say removing saturation does not remove your color tint your monitor simply does not have this minimum calibration.



But that is just to see things better. The printing process is a more complicated part.

Option 1


Change your image to grayscale. Select it and copy it to your clipboard.
Open the template and choose the black channel. Paste your image on this channel only.


This will give you a grayish image because the black is not black but a dark gray. You could adjust the levels to darken a bit the image.

Option 2

Just paste the grayscale image to your CMYK template directly and trust the template will truly have the correct profile and the printer makes an awesome work controlling the ink.

Option 3

Just prepare a grayscale image and ask the printer (probably not this one) to print your file in a deep black spot ink.

Option 4

Use option 2 and live with some degree of colorization on the image.

You are using 4 inks so any error can happen, but there is some level of tolerance we must accept unless you pay the Option 3 and stand on the penthouse when they print your work.

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@Lengel450

Double click each color so it brings up the attributes, remove all Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow; make sure only the Black (K) is all the way up.

To see if it looks good, save it as a PDF and open it, the reddish, greenish color should be removed.

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