Using Help | Contents | Index Back - Adobe ILLUSTRATOR 10 Using Manual

Adobe Illustrator Help
Using Help | Contents
Color management engine Different companies have developed various ways to
manage color. To provide you with a choice, a color management system lets you choose a
color management engine that represents the approach you want to use. Sometimes called
the color management module (CMM), the color management engine is the part of the
CMS that does the work of reading and translating colors between different color spaces.
Color profiles The CMS translates colors with the help of color profiles. A profile is a
mathematical description of a device's color space, that is, how the reference CIE values of
each color in the color space map to the visual appearance produced by the device. For
example, a scanner profile tells a CMS how your scanner "sees" colors so that an image
from your scanner can be translated into the CIE color space accurately. From the CIE
space, the colors can then be translated accurately again, via another profile, to the color
space of an output device. Illustrator uses ICC profiles, a format defined by the Interna-
tional Color Consortium (ICC) as a cross-platform standard.
Rendering intents No single color translation method can manage color correctly for all
types of graphics. For example, a color translation method that preserves correct relation-
ships among colors in a wildlife photograph may alter the colors in a logo containing flat
tints of color. Color management engines provide a choice of rendering intents, or trans-
lation methods, so that you can apply a method appropriate to a particular graphical
element. For descriptions of the rendering intents available to Illustrator, see
rendering intent" on page
Note: Don't confuse color management with color correction. A CMS won't correct an
image that was saved with tonal or color balance problems. It provides an environment
where you can evaluate images reliably in the context of your final output.
Do you need color management?
Use the following guidelines to determine whether or not you need to use color
management:
You might not need color management if your production process is tightly controlled
•
for one medium only. For example, you or your prepress service provider may prefer to
tailor CMYK images and specify color values for a known, specific set of printing condi-
tions.
You can benefit from color management when you have more variables in your
•
production process. Color management is recommended if you anticipate reusing
color graphics for print and online media, using various kinds of devices within a single
medium (such as different printing presses), if you manage multiple workstations, or if
you plan to print to different domestic and international presses. If you decide to use
color management, consult with your production partners—such as graphic artists and
prepress service providers—to ensure that all aspects of your color management
workflow integrate seamlessly with theirs.
Using Help | Contents
| Index
184.
| Index
Producing Consistent Color
Back 175
"Specifying a
Back 175