ArcMap and/or ArcPress prints too dark on the HP DesignJet 1055/1050

Description

The colors in maps printed from ArcMap are much darker than how they look on the screen. This can happen even when printing with ArcPress and the HP Universal driver at version 9.2 and above, the HP RTL RGB driver at versions 9.0 and 9.1, and the HP RTL Device Dithered RGB driver at versions 8.x.

Cause

While one course of action is to calibrate the monitor to the printer using color profiles, Esri software does not support the use of ICC color profiles.

Furthermore, HP DesignJet 1000 series printers generally print darker than other four-color printers.

Note:
The HP DesignJet 1000 series printers include the DesignJet 1050C, DesignJet 1050C Plus, DesignJet 1055CM and DesignJet 1055CM Plus.

Solution or Workaround

• If HP's 1000 series native or HPGL2 printer driver is installed:
  
  1. Navigate to Start > Control Panel > Printers. Right-click on the HP DesignJet 1000 series printer and select 'Printing Preferences'.
  2. Select the 'Options' tab.
  3. Under 'Color', select 'Manual color' and then click the 'Color control' button.
  4. Test the various Printed color control settings to find a better setting for printing color and/or use this driver's Color Correction Wizard.
  
• If HP's 1000 series PostScript printer driver is installed:
  
  1. Navigate to Start > Control Panel > Printers. Right-click on the HP DesignJet 1000 series printer and select 'Printing Preferences'.
  2. Click the 'Advanced' button.
  3. Try changing some of the 'Image Color Management' settings to find a better setting for improving the lightness.
  
  

  Note:
  If the PostScript printer driver is currently installed, download and install HP's native driver as it has a few more options for color control. See the associated link in the Related Information section for HP's DesignJet Driver Downloads Web site.

• Contact HP DesignJet Technical Support as they will have much more experience helping customers adjust the printed color by way of their drivers. See the associated link in the Related Information section below.