Why Do My Printed Book Colours Look Different?

It's normal for printed colours to look slightly different from what you see on a screen or produce using a home printer.

Several factors can affect colour reproduction, including the colour model used, screen brightness, printer calibration, paper stock and the printing equipment itself.

Why do printed colours look different from my screen?

Screens use the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) colour model and produce colour using light.

Printing uses CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black). CMYK has a different colour range, so some bright or vibrant colours displayed on a screen can appear slightly different when printed.

Screen brightness can also make colours appear brighter than they will on paper.

Why does my Bookvault book look different from my home printer?

A home printer isn't a reliable way to predict exactly how your finished Bookvault book will look.

Several variables can affect the output from a home printer, including:

• Printer calibration
• Paper type, weight, brightness and finish
• Ink quality and ink levels
• Printer settings

Bookvault's production presses are regularly calibrated for consistent output and are designed for high-speed book production. Because the equipment and printing environment are very different, output from a home printer can't be directly compared with a Bookvault-printed book.

How can I achieve more accurate print colours?

Where possible, use a CMYK workflow when preparing artwork for print.

If your design software supports CMYK, working in CMYK from the beginning can give you a better representation of the colours available in print.

You can also convert source images to CMYK using suitable professional design software before placing them into your page layout.

Which colour profiles should I use?

We currently recommend:

Bookvault UK

• FOGRA 29 for uncoated stocks
• FOGRA 39 for coated stocks

Bookvault US

• GRACoL-2006

 Should I order a proof copy?

Yes. Before committing to a larger print run or putting your book on sale, we strongly recommend ordering a single copy.

This allows you to see how your colours reproduce in print and make any necessary adjustments.

Can colours vary between different printed copies?

Yes. Even correctly prepared files can have some variation between printed copies.

Factors can include:

• Machine calibration
• Temperature and humidity
• The condition of developer units within the printing equipment

These can cause slight colour shifts between production runs.

What if the colour difference is significant?

If the colours on your cover or interior are drastically different and the resulting book is unsellable, contact:

customers@bookvault.app

Include as much information as possible, along with clear comparison photographs. If possible, include a previously printed version for comparison.

The team can then investigate and advise whether the difference is within production tolerance.