Part Seven - Color Management
by Chuck Gardner
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Calibration, the new graphic arts mantra
The use of ColorSync requires each the color gamut of each device or ink/paper combination used to measured and mapped in terms of its CIE L*a*b values.  New Apple monitors such as the 17" Studio Display have
internal sensors with provide built-in calibration via the monitors control
panel. I have one of these monitors and it even reminds me once a week to
recalibrate! Other monitors require the use of a device such as the X-Rite
(www.x-rite.com) Model DTP92 Monitor Optimizer which is colorimeter identical in
appearance and function to the one used by the Radius Pressview monitor and is
used in conjuction with an application which flashes a series of colors,
measures them, and creates a ColorSync profile for the monitor which is saved in
the ColorSync Profiles folder inside Apple System Folder.
Nowadays most ink jet printer manufacturers supply ColorSync profiles for the printer either on the installation CD or the their support web site. There are usually several different profiles for various paper stocks supplied for the printer. These ColorSync profiles are also copied to the ColorSync Profiles folder and then selected in PhotoShop before printing the file. Apple supplies SWOP ColorSync profiles for coated and uncoated papers for both sheetfed and web presses. These profiles represent average press conditions and factors such as dot gain. For a more precise calibration it is necessary to print a test target consisting of several dozen color and grayscale swatches and the read them with a device such as the X-Rite DTP41 Auto Scan Spectrophotometer which scans the printed sheet and constructs a precise ColorSync Profile for the ink / paper combination. This same method can be employed with ink jet and dye sublimation printers, and pre-press proofing systems such as Imation Matchprint. Goto Next Page > Goto < Previous Page Goto Class Outline Goto super.nova.org my home page. |