153 Shimokashiwano, Hakusan, Ishikawa Japan Phone Fax:

Transcription

1 A lesson on color management with 153 Shimokashiwano, Hakusan, Ishikawa Japan Phone Fax: Eizo Nanao Corporation All product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. ColorEdge and EIZO are registered trademarks of Eizo Nanao Corporation.

2 Is that really the correct color? Is this color good to go? A hesitation we often have before making prints in the digital workflow. Concerns over color in the digital workflow In the print production digital workflow, where data and paper output are intertwined at each step, issues concerning color are a constant concern. This all originates from the lack of a dependable color reference that can be trusted as the correct color. Typical concerns in the digital workflow: Is the photograph edited the way the photographer intended? What is a work space? What is a profile? Is it alright for each member, including our in-house designers and illustrators, to be working in different color environments? Will the final print match the color of the design comp produced on an inkjet printer? Image of the final product is always different between the production company, the client, and the printing company. The difference in color between the design comp and the color proof is shocking. We are always nervous. Color of the photograph is different from the real thing. Is it alright to print with this color? What is color management? Color management is the practice of processing data along a common color reference at each step of the digital workflow, including material production, design, plate making, and printing. If the color of the final deliverable can be expressed at each step of the process by adjusting the color of each device, the image of the completed product can be unified throughout the workflow. This enables more accurate and efficient data handling while also improving the quality of the final deliverable. Color reference Profile Color image of the final deliverable A designer s worries and headaches Photographer Retoucher Supplied materials Illustrator What are the color settings of the application? What environment should I check the color under? Are the monitor s colors accurate? Is it properly calibrated? Is it printed with the right color? Digital workflow Design company Plate making company Printing company OK Comp Color proof Client 02 WARNING Poor color management in the digital workflow can lead to big problems at the back end of the process. Deliverable Printed material Magazines, catalogs, packages, etc. 03

3 No more color worries. The Basics of color management. Four key points. Keep these in mind to significantly improve your color management. Color management in practice There are four key points in practicing color management. (See page 05.) By setting up the work environment along these four points and following a set of rules to correctly handle the data, not only will it improve the end quality but also bring other big benefits to each work step. The four key points in color management 01 Prepare a profile and print in the correct color. P.06 Prepare a profile that provides the color characteristics unique to each device. Display with applications that support color management For correct display, use monitors specifically made for color management Print in the correct color! Check under the correct kind of fluorescent lighting 02 Maintain 03 Maintain Check the color under the correct light source. a light source specifically for color evaluation to ensure more accurate color checks. Use a display monitor specifically for color management. a monitor that can accurately simulate printed colors and color data. P.08 P Correctly Display using applications that support color management. utilize profiles with applications that support color management. P.16 Examples of benefits at each step of the process when using color management Benefit 1 Communication between front-end and back-end of process is smooth Benefit 2 Reduce cost and time associated with reprints and re-proofs Benefit 3 Conduct color related tasks with peace of mind 04 Photographer / Retoucher Illustrator Design company Plate making company Printing company 1st proof 2nd proof Good on 1st proof or 3rd proof monitor-based proof Unified image Apply color management Peace of mind Accurate display Proof Deliverable 05

4 Key point 01 Prepare a profile and print in the correct color. Establishing profiles Printing companies have image profiles that are used as internal references, and by establishing rules on how such references are applied, they are able to maintain consistent print quality. This may include rules such as fixing the printer to a setting that is known to produce best results, or always using the same proofing paper. In-house rule 2 Create image in accordance with in-house procedures Conversion Inkjet In-house rule 3 Always specify same device and paper for color proof When a workflow is designed around such rules, the keys that determine print quality are the performance of the printing machine, the image profile, and the accuracy of the profile for each printing machine. An accurate image profile Image data Convert and transmit Conversion Color copy In-house rule 1 Performance and accurate profile of each printing machine Apply an in-house reference profile to an image Conversion In-house rule 4 On-demand Always use optimal RIP/printer driver settings Correct application of accurate profiles leads to high quality In-house reference profile embedded in image How printing companies How printing companies use profiles 1 use profiles 2 In-house reference profile embedded in image When embedding an in-house profile in an image Profiles of each company referencing actual print color. For example, companies will create their own profiles using prints made with specific printing machines, paper, and settings as the color reference. Develop unique profile Unique profile Print simulation When embedding a JAPAN COLOR profile in an image The most commonly used color reference in Japan that an increasing number of printing companies are conforming to. Also has the benefit of being able to use general purpose profiles. Prints that meet conditions JAPAN COLOR Print simulation Visually close Visually close Print Monitor, Printer Print Monitor, Printer 06 07

5 Key point 02 Check the color under the correct light source. Why the light source must be controlled Even with a clear image of the desired color, a change in environment can result in the following: The color of printed material looks different (impression) to the human eye depending on the lighting environment (surrounding light). In the photo studio Perfect lighting! Photo comes out as envisioned Natural light (sunny) Natural light (cloudy) Under uncontrolled lighting color evaluation also is uncontrolled. At the printing company Color calibration At the design company Incandescent light Cool fluorescent light When printed, different from what was envisioned. To correctly control color in the digital workflow, it is necessary to evaluate printed material according to set standards with appropriate lighting conditions. Reference color in the publishing/printing industry Color tone of regular LCD monitors Color tone of regular televisions 6500 K 9300 K 08 09

6 Solution! Controlling environmental light (1) Fluorescent light with high color rendering index and appropriate color temperature. (2) View solely under fluorescent lighting by shutting out outside light. High Color Rendering Fluorescent Lights* High quality comes from sharing the same image! The image profile and evaluation environment of the printed output are the rules that provide a common output image across different steps in the digital workflow. Light source approximately. Photograph taken with printing in mind. Monitor is displayed at Printed output is checked under light source Final check under light source. Start printing. Toshiba Lighting & Technology Type Size Name Color Temp. Ra Panasonic Type Size Name Color Temp. Ra Correct color under light source High Color Rendering Fluorescent Lamp 20" 40" 40" 40" FL20SN-EDL FL40SN-EDL FLR40SN-EDL/M FLR40SN-EDL/M.NU 99 High Color Rendering Fluorescent Lights 20" 40" 40" FL20SN-EDL FL40SN-EDL FLR40SN-EDL/M 99 *Availability outside of Japan may vary. In the printing digital workflow confirm your prints using fluorescent light with the following specs: Printed material Photographer Designer Plate making company Client Printing company Use of color evaluation systems can be very effective! Under proper lighting, color evaluation can be performed with confidence Installing a dedicated color evaluation system will make it possible to perform color checks of printed material in an optimal environment. Hanging fluorescent light module for color proofing designed to reduce unevenness in color and illumination Colors match Desktop color viewing light box Color viewing system 10 11

7 TOSHIBA Color illuminator FL20SN-EDL Key point 03 Use a display monitor specifically for color management. What is monitor color? 1 Easily setup using dedicated software The display color that can be adjusted from the buttons at the front of the LCD monitor. Of the many adjustable settings, brightness and color temperature are especially important. Brightness Brightness of the monitor display. Expressed in a unit called cd/m 2 (candela). Color temperature Color tone when white is displayed on the monitor. Expressed in a unit called K (kelvin). Dark Yellowish white 40 cd/m 2 80 cd/m cd/m K 6500 K Bright Blueish white When print output is being evaluated in a environment, adjusting the monitor to enables good color matching and correct use of color. ColorNavigator, dedicated calibration software for ColorEdge, supports easy, accurate, and quick adjustments Easy operation requiring just a simple selection of a number Adjustment to target value is completed in a few short minutes Very accurate adjustment Simply specify the target value on the slide bar / Ra99 Adjustment under a light source Evaluation under a light source Just like the color of paper can look different depending on the lighting conditions, different monitors will display different colors. Adjust to preference Color creep over time Correct use of color is possible by adjusting the monitor to the reference. Evaluate under the correct light source / Ra.99 Provide a color reference also for monitors Color expression as the user intended Paper color Adjust darker Monitor color Initial settings In-house color reference Print according to reference Adjust according to reference 2 Automatically generate accurate profiles Automatically generate and store monitor profiles case 1 Color matching between prints and monitor Setting an accurate monitor profile is essential for accurate color matching. With its dedicated calibration software, ColorEdge is able to automatically generate and store an accurate profile. Profile White on the monitor White of the paper When the objective is to match the color of the printed material and the monitor (evaluate side-by-side) it is necessary to: Adjust the monitor so the white matches on the paper and the monitor. Calibrate the monitor, then create and set the monitor profile. Even easier for models with a built-in calibration sensor! A swing-out mechanism that automatically appears only during calibration With ColorEdge, it is possible to: Easily setup using dedicated software... See page 13. Automatically generate accurate profiles... See page 13. Fine tune to accurate settings... See page 14. With a built-in sensor, cumbersome operation is virtually eliminated! 12 13

8 TOSHIBA Color illuminator FL20SN-EDL case Fine tune to accurate settings Even with the color temperature of the monitor set to, its white may still not match that of the paper. Even with accurate adjustment of the monitor, utilization of profiles, and a strictly controlled evaluation environment, the monitor's white may still not match the white of the paper. This is caused by the base-color of the paper, reflection of surrounding objects, and other reasons. When compared with the paper, the white does not match! /Ra.99 Influencers Base-color of the paper Reflection of the wall color Multiple light sources In these cases, fine tuning the monitor's white to match the paper will improve precision of the match. Matching the monitor color for all workers Color quality in the digital workflow can be improved by matching the color of each monitor and having the workers share a common image. There are two standards by which the color of monitors may be matched. 1 2 Matching them to the printed output. Matching them to an industry reference value. By using each of these methods appropriately for a given purpose, accuracy in the use of color can be improved. 1 Matching them to the printed output is not compatible outside the company but very convenient for in-house color unification! 98 cd/m 2 By taking the adjustment value to match the white of the printer paper obtained in case 1 and applying it to all monitors in the company, theoretically, the display color of all monitors are matched. Settings may be slightly different between each monitor due to model differences or individual differences. 3-2 ColorNavigator s manual adjustment function makes fine tuning of the white color very easy! With ColorEdge, fine tuning of the display is possible even after calibration. By visually reselecting the white color, it is possible to derive a calibration target value that is better suited for the matching application. An intuitive user-friendly interface Fine tuning complete 2 Matching them to an industry reference value 98 cd/m 2 98 cd/m 2 98 cd/m 2 98 cd/m 2 With ColorEdge, ColorNavigator makes it easy to share target values using its target adjustment value import/export function. provides high level of compatibility, but may not match print output 3-3 Just move the pointer towards the desired color. The white color is adjusted accordingly! Possible to regenerate profiles to match the objective. A profile better suited for the matching purpose 80 cd/m K 80 cd/m By adjusting all in-house monitors along an industry standard can establish a basic color management environment. However, this may not meet necessary requirements in terms of matching with actual print output. 14 With ColorEdge, it is possible to regenerate a profile to better match the objective by performing recalibration based on the target values obtained from manual fine tuning. Fine tuning complete Repeats status measurement and profile generation upon completion of fine tuning. 98 cd/m 2 Profile Status is measured with the built-in sensor 80 cd/m 2 or above 2.2 (ISO 12646) [ISO12646] is a core standard for soft proofing, the practice of performing print color proofing on a monitor. The Japanese printing industry also often follows this standard. [ISO 12464:2008] Characteristics of a proofing monitor and observation conditions With ColorEdge, it is possible to store monitor adjustment settings for each application and easily switch between them depending on the job K *** cd/m srgb standard An international standard on color gamut. A standard set for CRT monitors, but many manufacturers still conform to this standard. The large installed base provides high compatibility thus making it useful in applications such as web content development. 80 cd/m 2 or above K *** cd/m In-house matching Communicating with design company A Data submission to printing company B For srgb workflow etc. 15

9 Key point 04 Display using applications that support color management. Displaying images using applications For accurate color management, it is necessary to check the data and simulate printing on the display using applications that support color management. To correctly view an image in accordance with color management rules, the application must load each of the profiles for the monitor and the image and perform accurate color conversion. Color conversion STEP 1 First, check the application s color settings For precise color utilization, first, color settings are adjusted to the requirements of each job. Work space It is convenient to have the profile for your normal digital workflow set up in advance. RGB: Typically, srgb or Adobe RGB. CMYK: Select according to the color standard used in the workflow. When re-embedding the image profile, make selections based on the back-end workflow and the type of end deliverable. LCD Monitor Monitor profile Applications supporting color management Image profile Image data Color management policy For both RGB: and CMYK:, select Maintain embedded profile. Select all check boxes so it is possible to make positive identification either when files that have embedded profiles that do not match the work space, or when files without an embedded profile are being opened. (Recommended) Loading the monitor profile Applications that support color management will automatically load the monitor profile STEP 2 Open the image file set in the OS. NOTE: Some applications may require manual setup. Loading the image profile Monitor profile To open an image file correctly while referencing a profile, select one of the following two methods. Use the profile embedded in the image. ColorEdge Profile is set will automatically set generated accurate monitor profiles in the OS Referenced automatically Automatically set Use the profile specified in Color settings. In normal digital work, the embedded profile should be used by selecting method. Use the profile embedded in the image When opening the file in the application, select Use embedded profile instead of work space. By maintaining the embedded profile, an image can be handled with the same color setting throughout the digital workflow. When a file s embedded profile matches the work space, checking is not necessary as the file opens automatically. Use the profile specified in Color settings The image can be viewed in the work space specified in the application s Color settings. When utilizing data that come from various external organizations or devices, or when it is necessary to switch profiles depending on the back-end process, this is a useful function.the image can be viewed in the work space specified in the application's Color settings. When utilizing data that come from various external organizations or devices, or when it is necessary to switch profiles depending on the back-end process, this is a useful function

10 TOSHIBA Color illuminator FL20SN-EDL Summary Many people are involved in the production of printed material. As such, being able to use the correct color among all parties or not having to question the color along the way can result in efficient delivery of high quality prints. To make this a reality, it is important to understand the importance of color management, and to prepare the environment, the peripheral equipment, and the applications for either a dedicated, or an adaptable setup that will enable more accurate utilization of color data and color matching cm (24.1") Color management LCD monitor Built-in calibration sensor Adobe RGB coverage 98% IPS panel cm (24.1") Color management LCD monitor 76cm (29.8") Color management LCD monitor Adobe RGB coverage 98% IPS panel Adobe RGB coverage 98% IPS panel 68cm (27.0") Color management LCD monitor Built-in calibration sensor Adobe RGB coverage 98% IPS panel Create an environment for optimal printing and set a profile for an image Prepare an appropriate lighting environment Calibrating with a color management-ready monitor Check application settings and how to use them It is necessary to calibrate devices such as digital cameras, monitors, and printers to their optimal condition, create profiles that record the color characteristic unique to each device, and share these profiles across each of the process steps. When checking the color of printed material, it is necessary to do so under appropriate lighting conditions. Color temperature and color rendering properties are important in the evaluation of commercial print material; a light source with color temperature = 5000K and color rendering index = 99 should be used. For precise color matching and color management, a monitor capable of generating an accurate monitor profile is essential. For precise and dependable utilization of profiles, we recommend the ColorEdge series easy to adjust stable displays. In the digital workflow, it is important to perform data checks and display print simulations on an application that supports color management. A unified output image can be shared across the workflow by using the correct profile. Color management LCD monitors with hardware calibration support 56cm (22.0") Color management LCD monitor Adobe RGB coverage 95% Equipped with FlexStand for highly flexible positioning 18