Bit of advice printing color images please

[Garrett]

I have a lot of A4 color images (not photos) that I want to pint & frame.

Done a few test runs using good quality glossy photo paper & the results have been rather disappointing, color reproduction/vibrancy is not that great and the black levels in particular look washed out.

I know the printer I'm using is not exactly state of the art (Kodak ESPC310) but I have a feeling it's probably something I'm doing wrong or missing.

Any ideas..?

Thanks.

 

[Wally]

Its the printer.

 

[vcoleiro1]

Have you got the printer set to

1) print on Photo paper - There usually is a paper type setting

2) print to the highest resolution/quality rather than economy(Default)

Depending on what app your using, there also will be color tables that you can swap between to give different results.  

 

[Garrett]

Depending on what app your using, there also will be color tables that you can swap between to give different results.  

Can you recommend a few decent apps to try

 

[vcoleiro1]

Well I use PhotoiShop but Gimp 2 should be ok,  they just offer different color tables from memory.  But that would be the last thing I'd try, first make sure the setting are set correctly, ie paper type and print quality

 

[Mr_Loon]

Do a test print with a small square of pure black, if that looks washed out then it's most probably the printer or the ink that is the problem.

Also try printing squares of colour with different shades / levels of saturation to see if you can get the sort of output you require.

Can you post a 'forum sized' version of one of the pictures you want to print?