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Producing Consistent Color
Why colors sometimes don't match
No device in a publishing system is capable of reproducing the full range of colors
viewable to the human eye. Each device operates within a specific color space which can
produce a certain range, or gamut, of colors.
The RGB (red, green, blue) and CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) color models
represent two main categories of color spaces. The gamuts of the RGB and CMYK spaces
are very different; while the RGB gamut is generally larger (that is, capable of representing
more colors) than CMYK, some CMYK colors still fall outside the RGB gamut (see
gamuts" on page 154
for an illustration). In addition, different devices produce slightly
different gamuts within the same color model. For example, a variety of RGB spaces can
exist among scanners and monitors, and a variety of CMYK spaces can exist among
printing presses.
Because of these varying color spaces, colors can shift in appearance as you transfer
documents between different devices. Color variations can result from different image
sources (scanners and software produce art using different color spaces), differences in
brands of computer monitors, differences in the way software applications define color,
differences in print media (newsprint paper reproduces a smaller gamut than magazine-
quality paper), and other natural variations, such as manufacturing differences in monitors
or monitor age.
About color management
Because color-matching problems result from various devices and software using
different color spaces, one solution is to have a system that interprets and translates color
accurately between devices. A color management system (CMS) compares the color space
in which a color was created to the color space in which the same color will be output, and
makes the necessary adjustments to represent the color as consistently as possible among
different devices.
The following components are integral to a color-managed workflow:
Device-independent color space To successfully compare different device gamuts and
make adjustments, a color management system must use a reference color space—an
objective way of defining color. Most CMSs use the internal CIE (Commission Interna-
tionale d'Eclairage) LAB color model, which exists independently of any device and is large
enough to reproduce any color visible to the human eye. For this reason, CIE LAB is
considered device-independent.
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Index
Index
Producing Consistent Color
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