iPad, Dropbox and color differences

[Rowena]

Hi,
When I upload paintings via Dropbox onto my PC I notice a considerable difference in color values :eek:

I have ArtRage on the iPad2 and at first I wondered weather this was because I have my brightness cranked down a bit (easier on the eye + battery) but I checked that and even with the screen on bright the colors on the iPad in ArtRage look right.

But then uploaded to ArtRage3 on my PC, they look all wrong - like waaay too garish which looks off especially in portrait skin tones.

I don't have any other issues with my monitor on my PC as all colors look right.
Has anyone experienced this issue and what could it be causing this considerable change in color?

Thanks,
R

[MattRage]

The colour change is due to the screen calibration on the iPad not matching that on your desktop computer. The internal colour values stored in the painting don't change, but the machine you're looking at them on interprets them in a different way. If you have Studio Pro you may be able to adjust the colour values back to the range they appeared to be on the iPad using the Color Adjustment system (other applications can also do this if you have exported a non PTG copy of the painting).

[Rowena]

Thanks Matt,

So which color would be 'correct' on which system? - meaning is there standard or is it just as arbitrary as which ever system is currently viewing?

[MattRage]

It depends entirely upon the system, there is no 'correct' colour as such. All displays translate internal digital colour values to a displayed result on screen, and how they do that depends on their calibration. Some applications on your desktop computer will offer calibration options, but in the end it's entirely arbitrary.

The same goes for printing: If you screen isn't calibrated the same way your monitor is the results when printed will look different to the screen representation.