How do I calibrate my monitor?

Monitor calibration and profiling is one of the best ways to improve your color accuracy and reproduction. It is best done through the use of a monitor calibration tool such as the Spyder2PRO by ColorVision. This hardware/software package walks you through the process and makes it really easy to maintain your profile. It does not rely on the manual process of squinting your eyes and jiggling the mouse to balance the colors (which is what Adobe Gamma asks you to do). And the best news yet is that prices have come way down. United Litho customers should give Andy Moore a call at (703) 858-1065 to schedule a visit.

Before going through your calibration, there are some things you should know: Every monitor is different. We have a bunch of monitors that were purchased at the same time, made at the same plant at the same time, and have widely varying display colors. Every color device—be it a monitor, printer or scanner—will have a different way of displaying or imaging color. The light in the room your monitor is in should be standardized. If you're by a window, the color of the light coming through it may affect your perception of color on your screen. Close the blinds and turn on the lights you plan to have on all the time. Today's halogen and incandescent lights may also affect your perception; if you're looking for a standardized light, head out to Home Depot or Wal-Mart and look for 5000 Kelvin fluorescent bulbs. Here is an example of some 5000K lights I found at my store:

Make sure your monitor has been on at least 30 minutes before beginning the calibration process. Also, be sure that your desktop pattern has been set to 50% (neutral) gray—having a big blue background graphic on your screen all the time will make everything else look much less blue than it should.

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