Color Webinar Series 3 Key Steps to Getting the Right Color

#EFIWorldofFiery

Lou Prestia Product Line Manager, Fiery Division

Veronica Carlson Sr. Product Marketing Manager

Agenda

• Why does color management matter?

• Color Basics 101

• The 3 Key Steps to Getting the Color You Want

1. Application vs. DFE (RIP) color settings

2. Calibration

3. Profiling

2

Why Is It Important to Understand and Manage Color?

• Customer retention

– Educate the customer

– Understand limitations

• Save time

• Save money

3

Color Basics 101

RGB Color– Device Dependent

5

Why Can’t I Print with RGB?

• The problem with RGB color model is that for print, the colors must be opaque

Paper Red

Blue

6

CMY(K) Color – Device Dependent

7

Printing Colors with CMYK

• CMY are transparent colorants that act as filters, selectively blocking RGB, respectively

Paper Magenta

Cyan

8

Device Dependent Issues

9

CIE L*a*b* – Device Independent

Chromaticity diagram CIE 1931

Standard observer

10

Measuring Device Independent Color

11

Spectrophotometer

Definition of Color Gamut

• The total reproducible range of colors on a device – Almost right!

• The total reproducible range of colors on a device expressed in device independent color space

12

Definition of Color Management

• Gamut mapping with the intent of preserving object appearance

• What is an ICC profile? – A look up table (LUT) that defines the

mapping of device dependent to device independent color space for a given device

13

Color Gamuts

RGB

Offset Press CMYK

Visual Spectrum

You can display more colors than

you can print

Gamut compression

Digital Press CMYK

Spot

14

ICC Color Processing Workflow

RGB Input

CMYK Input

CMYK Output Profile

15

L*a*b

Device Independent Color Space

Profile Connection Space

Color Management for Spot Colors

John’s Purple

Nancy’s Orange

PANTONE Emerald 17-5641

16

Spot Colors at the DFE Server

Spot Color

DFE Look Up Tables

HKS

Toyo

DIC

PANTONE L: 44.08 a: 67.69 b: 37.09

Fiery Output Profile

Printed Output C: 4%

M: 97.5% Y: 73.5% K: 0%

17

Additional Resources

ABCs of Color Guide

18

http://w3.efi.com/resources/educational-downloads/abcs-guides

3 Key Steps to Getting the Color Right

3 Key Steps

1. Application vs. DFE (RIP) color settings

2. Calibration

3. Profiling

20

21

Application vs. DFE (RIP) Color Settings

Anatomy of a Document

• Designed for Press

• Designed for Digital Printer

22

Match Settings

Make sure the applications match with the print server

23

Application’s Settings

DFE Settings

Additional Information

24

Color Settings Whitepaper http://www.youtube.com/user/

EFIDigitalPrintTech

Adobe Creative Suite Printing Guide

Fiery.efi.com/ ColorSettingsWP

tinyurl.com/ljmcpnz

Calibration

Calibration

• Maintains consistent tone reproduction

• Provides consistency from day to day

• Compensates for environmental fluctuations

• Keeps color in a known and repeatable state

26

What Does Calibration Do?

10 90 100 20 0 80 30 40 50 60 70

27

Calibration Summary

• Establishes even gradation across the tonal scale

• Examples

– 75% patch: lose detail in shadows

– 7-10% patch: lose details in highlights

28

Calibration Example

Before After

29

What Else Affects Calibration?

• Media changes

• Press technology and speed

• Print settings

• Environmental variables

30

When To Calibrate?

• After the engine is warmed up • Before a large job • Media changes

Calibration Demo

Where Are We Now ?

Cal

ibra

ted

Consistent, but not Accurate Color

Un Profiled

Un

Cal

ibra

ted

Neither consistent nor Accurate Color

33

Profiling

Color Profiles (Output)

• Defines gamut of print system

• DFEs include factory default profiles

• Best practice: create custom profiles

Factory Default ICC Custom ICC

My engine, paper, environment!

35

Output Profile Creation

• Need two sets of values 1. Device values (CMYK)

2. Device independent values (L*a*b*) from spectrophotometer

36 Output profiling patches on

calibrated print system

Output Profile Creation

• Use profiling software to create ICC output profile from measurements

37

Fiery Color Profiler Suite

Profiling Demo

Selecting the Output Profile

• Select Output Profile

39

Where Are We Now ?

Cal

ibra

ted

Consistent, but not Accurate Color

Consistent, and Accurate Color

Un Profiled

Un

Cal

ibra

ted

Neither consistent nor Accurate Color

Profiled

Accurate on average, not consistent

40

What We’ve Learned

• Why does color management matter?

• Color Basics 101

• The 3 Key Steps

1. Application vs DFE (RIP) color settings

2. Calibration

3. Profiling

41

eLearning Bundle

• Free 3-course bundle for all registrants 1. Optimizing Color and Consistency with your

Fiery Server

2. Spot Color Accuracy with your Fiery Server

3. Introduction to Fiery Color Profiler Suite

• How does it work? Look for email with details

Must sign up and begin courses by June 30, 2014 • Go to https://training.efi.com

• User name: WOF.COLOR

• Password: Fiery.1

42

Exclusive Offer

• Attend all 3 Color Management Sessions, get 10% off Fiery Professional Certification – If you haven’t already, register for

2nd and 3rd sessions • April 16: The ABCs of Producing

the Best Match for Spot Colors • April 30: Best Practices for

Matching Industry Color Standards

– Details will be sent via email following the April 30th Webinar

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Color Webinar Series

1. 3 key steps to getting the right color

2. The ABCs of producing the best match for spot colors

3. Matching industry color standards

44

Fiery Resources

• resources.efi.com/fiery

• One-stop shop for everything users need to get the most out of their Fiery server

45

Fiery Forums

FieryForums.efi.com

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Q&A

Thank You!