Color Management Fundamentals Wide Format Series
Kerry Moloney John Nate Field & Channel Marketing Manager – Fiery Wide Format WW Technical Product Training Manager – Fiery Wide Format Session overview
• Color management fundamentals, including basic color theory and management terms • Get the best out of all of color technologies, regardless of the technology type • Focus today on printing, with an emphasis on some wide format printing considerations • Take a quick poll
2 Topics to be covered
• Color management defined • Color space • Color accuracy and Delta-E (ΔΕ or dE) • Device dependent and device independent color • Gamut • Rendering intents & black point compensation • Color transforms • Calibration & profiling • Spot colors
3 What is color management?
And why do we need it?
4 Color management is…
• A process, not a task • Ensures color fidelity between devices • Limited by each device
5 Color management is…
• A process, not a task • Ensures color fidelity between devices • Limited by each device
6 Color management is…
• A process, not a task • Ensures color fidelity between devices • Limited by each device
7 Color management is…
…like making toast…
by Steve Upton
8 Color management is…
…like making toast…
by Steve Upton
9 Color management is…
…like making toast…
10 Color management is…
…like making toast… 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 Color management fundamentals
Basic terms
12 Color space (L*a*b*)
100
50 L*
0 13 Color space (L*a*b*)
-127 0 +127 a*
14 Color space (L*a*b*)
-128 0 +127 b*
15 Color space (L*a*b*)
L*
b*
a*
16 Color space (L*a*b*)
L* = 100 White
b* Yellow
-b* Blue
L* = 0 17 Black Color space (L*a*b*)
L* = 100 White
b* Yellow
-a* a* Gray Green Red
-b* Blue
L* = 0 18 Black Color inaccuracy
• Hue - color • Chroma - saturation • Luminance - brightness
19 Hue
Cooler Actual Warmer Color
20 Where is your color?
L* = 100 White
b* Yellow
-a* a* Gray Green Red
-b* Blue
L* = 0 21 Black Hue
L* = 100 White
b* Yellow
-a* a* Gray Green Red
-b* Blue
L* = 0 22 Black Hue
L* = 100 White
b* Yellow
-a* a* Gray Green Red
-b* Blue
L* = 0 23 Black Chroma - Saturation
Less Actual More Saturation Color Saturation
24 Chroma or Saturation
L* = 100 White
b* Yellow
-a* a* Gray Green Red
-b* Blue
L* = 0 25 Black Chroma or Saturation
L* = 100 White
b* Yellow
-a* a* Gray Green Red
-b* Blue
L* = 0 26 Black Chroma or Saturation
L* = 100 White
b* Yellow
-a* a* Gray Green Red
-b* Blue
L* = 0 27 Black Luminance
Darker Actual Lighter Color
28 Where is your color?
L* = 100 White
b* Yellow
-a* a* Gray Green Red
-b* Blue
L* = 0 29 Black Where is your color?
L* = 100 White
b* Yellow
-a* a* Gray Green Red
-b* Blue
L* = 0 30 Black Delta-E or ΔΕ or De
Original Color
Delta-E 3 Delta-E 7
31 Device dependent color
32 Device dependent color
R = 201 R = 206 G = 5 G = 3 B = 2 B = 7
33 Device dependent color
CMYK = 1/84/95/2 5/93/88/0 0/97/90/8
34 Device dependent color
CMYK = 1/84/95/2 5/93/88/0 0/97/90/8
L*a*b* = 56/95/54 35 Gamut
36 Gamut
37 Gamut
38 Gamut
39 Gamut
40 Gamut
41 Gamut
42 Gamut
43 Color space
SWOP
44 Color space
SWOP vs. GRACoL
45 Color space
SWOP vs. GRACoL vs. Inkjet
46 Color space
SWOP vs. GRACoL vs. Inkjet vs. Adobe RGB
47 Color space
SWOP vs. Toner vs. Inkjet
48 Gamut
Larger Smaller
49 Gamut
?
Larger Smaller
50 Spot colors
51 Spot colors – Pantone Bridge
52 Color management application
Decision time
53 Rendering intent
Larger Gamut
Smaller Gamut
In-Gamut Colors
4 5 6 1 3 2 Out-Of-Gamut Colors
54 Perceptual
1 3 4 5 6 2
55 Perceptual
1 3 4 5 6 2
56 Perceptual
1 3 4 5 6 2
57 Perceptual
1 3 4 5 6 2
58 Perceptual
1 3 4 5 6 2
59 Perceptual
1 3 4 5 6 2
60 Perceptual
1 3 4 5 6 2
61 Colorimetric
1 3 4 5 6 2
62 Saturation
1 3 4 5 6 2
63 Colorimetric – relative vs. absolute
Newsprint Absolute Colorimetric
Newsprint Relative Colorimetric
64 Banding
Original
Perceptual
Colorimetric
65 Banding
Original
Perceptual
Colorimetric
66 Banding
Original
Perceptual
Colorimetric
67 Banding
Original
Perceptual
Colorimetric
68 Black point compensation
Newsprint
69 Black point compensation
70 Black point compensation
71 Black point compensation
72 Graphic program defaults
73 Graphic program defaults
74 Assigning vs. converting
75 Assigning vs. converting
Assigning = Change the way the image looks/prints
Converting = Keep the look the same
76 Assigning vs. converting
Assign = Not the same taste
1 Tb. = 1 Tb.
77 Assigning vs. converting
Convert = The same taste
1 Tb. = 4 Tb.
78 Assigning vs. converting
Original Color in GRACoL 23/92/53/17 40/50/14
79 Assigning vs. converting
Original Color in GRACoL 23/92/53/17 40/50/14
Assign SWOP 5 23/92/53/17 41/51/10 80 Assigning vs. converting
Original Color in GRACoL 23/92/53/17 40/50/14
Assign SWOP 5 Convert SWOP 5 23/92/53/17 24/93/61/19 41/51/10 40/50/14 81 Converting
GRACoL SWOP 82 Assigning vs. converting
Assign
Assign Convert
83 Calibration and profiling
Controlling your color
84 Calibration
• Calibration is active
85 Calibration
• Calibration is active • Match a device to itself over time
86 Calibration
• Calibration is active • Match a device to itself over time • Bring to a repeatable state
87 Calibration
• Calibration is active • Match a device to itself over time • Bring to a repeatable state • Tuning the guitar
88 Calibration
• Sometimes called “linearization” • Linearization is only one part of calibration
89 Calibration – cameras
• Shutter speed • Aperture • White/gray balance
90 Calibration – monitors
• Brightness • Contrast • White point
91 Calibration – output devices
92 Calibration – output devices
• Per channel ink/toner limits • Per channel linearity • Total ink/toner limit • Ink gray balance
• Usually through the use of a RIP
93 Calibration – output devices
• Per channel ink limits
94 Calibration – output devices
• Per channel ink limits Wet
No additional saturation
No additional saturation
Wet
95 Calibration – output devices
• Per channel ink limits Wet 92% No additional saturation 89% No additional saturation 96% Wet 81% 96 Calibration – output devices
• Per channel linearity (ink or toner)
75%
97 Calibration – output devices
• Per channel linearity (ink or toner)
75%
25%
98 Calibration – output devices
• Per channel linearity (ink or toner)
Non-Linear 75%
25% Non-Linear
99 Calibration – output devices
• Per channel linearity (ink or toner)
Non-Linear 75%
25% Non-Linear
25% 50% 75% Linear
100 Calibration – output devices
• Total ink limit No darker
280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400%
101 Calibration – output devices
• Total ink limit No darker
280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400% TIL
102 Calibration – output devices
• Total ink limit No darker
280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400% TIL
Wet
280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400%
103 Calibration – output devices
• Total ink limit No darker
280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400% TIL
Wet
280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400% TIL
104 Calibration – output devices
• Ink gray balance
Poor gray balance
Questionable Gray Balance
Good Gray Balance
105 Calibration – output devices
• Ink gray balance
Poor gray balance
Questionable gray balance
Good Gray Balance
106 Calibration – output devices
• Ink gray balance
Poor gray balance
Questionable gray balance
Good gray balance
107 Profiling
• Profiling is passive
ICC Profile International Color Consortium
108 Profiling
• Profiling is passive • A snapshot of the device characteristics
109 Profiling
CMYK 0/100/66/0 0/51/24/0 66/36/24/0 92/0/81/23 0/0/0/30 L*a*b* 61/127/105 73/36/13 55/-10/-18 46/-55/16 78/0/0
110 Profiling
CMYK = 1/84/95/2 0/100/66/0 0/97/90/8 CMYK = 0/100/66/0 L*a*b* = 61/127/105
L*a*b* = 61/127/105 111 Color management is…
…like making toast… 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
112 Session summary
• What we learned – Basic color management concepts apply to getting the most out of all types of color technologies – Take charge of your color management setting and options – Color management is not a single task, rather a complete process • To learn more, we have some resources for you
113 Additional resources
• www.efi.com • ABCs of Color • Rendering Intent • Black Point Compensation articles • www.colorwiki.com • Glossary of color terms • www.xrite.com • Complete Guide to Color Management • A Guide to Understanding Color Communication • The Color Guide and Glossary
114 Additional World of Fiery sessions
• May 27 – Color Management Fundamentals • Learn the foundations of color theory and management to get the most from your design software and color technologies. • June 17 – Color Standards & Specifications • Gain knowledge of the latest industry standards and how they apply to wide and superwide format printing and proofing. • July 8 – Color Management Inside Fiery XF & Fiery proServer • Put your knowledge into practice and understand RIP-level color controls. • Production Series for wide format printing starting this September, you can register your interest for these on the World of Fiery Webinars home page
115 Color management fundamentals
Questions?
116 Color management fundamentals
Thank you!
117