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 -a* a* Gray Green Red -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.