# Finding a 'true black' in photoshop



## jemmy (Apr 21, 2007)

Hi all,  I am struggling to find a true black in photoshop through the custom drop down menus... I HAve been adding borders to my photos and the blacks either look khaki or navy???  Could anyone tell me which black they use that really is jet black??  Much appreciated. x jem xx


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## Cuervo79 (Apr 21, 2007)

um I don't get your question, custom drop down menus? could you please explain a little bit more?
mmm maybe I understand, you mean you're printing your photos and they come out like you describe? normaly I would say depending on your paper and your printer that's how "black" it will come out, normaly the bubble jet printers add CMY to the black so its not exclusively the black ink. I would suggest maybe printing the black first (selecting in the setup to be grayscale, some printers you can actually select to use only the black ink) and then print your photo over it.

if its video related, maybe you need to calibrate your monitor?


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## jemmy (Apr 21, 2007)

sorry, i meant that all the blacks in my computers colour menu look black, but then once i look at them more they are like navy or khaki... just wondered what number code people use that is a true black???  sorry... not sure im too clear? x


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## The_Traveler (Apr 21, 2007)

r,g,b 0,0,0


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## Alex_B (Apr 21, 2007)

as traveler said r,g,b= 0,0,0

if that does not appear black on you screen then, it has to be calibrated, or at least profiled

here comes an image with a cross and the word "black" in approx. r,g,b= 0,0,0 ... the background is dark grey (r,g,b=6,6,6 or 8,8,8 if I remember right)









this is how it looks like in black on white (in case your screen cannot differentiate between black and dark grey):






here you can see a grey-scale to see if you screen is mucked up:

http://www.graukeil.de/


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## Alex_B (Apr 21, 2007)

jemmy said:


> sorry, i meant that all the blacks in my computers colour menu look black, but then once i look at them more they are like navy or khaki...




this is very strange, you have _several _different blacks on you computer ???


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## jemmy (Apr 21, 2007)

*this is very strange, you have several different blacks on you computer ???*

thats right, heaps of 'blacks'.

Thanks guys. x


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## Cuervo79 (Apr 23, 2007)

hey girl, check this link out I think it will help you allot

http://www.printernational.org/rich-black-plain-black.php


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## Alex_B (Apr 23, 2007)

so you are in CMYK?


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## jemmy (Apr 23, 2007)

thanks cuervo. x great article.  i need to read more!!!


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## MACollum (Apr 24, 2007)

If you're using CMYK, I read in one of Scott Kelby's books (don't remember which one, either Photoshop Classic Effects or Photoshop CS Killer Effects) he gives a formula for a rich black. I don't pretend to understand it all but I remember most of what I read. Maybe someone else here knows more? 

If you're using RGB, I can't be of any help at all except to concur with The Traveler. R=0 G=0 B=0 is supposed to be the deepest black.


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