"Sitting over a hot computer ain't my idea of fun. My creativity goes almost completely into picture taking. (But) I suppose if I ever retired, I would enjoy learning the Photoshop craft far more than playing golf." - Herbert Keppler - On going digital. (Popular Photography & Imaging, January 2005)
" Focus on content.. be color blind." - Lakshman Iyer
Today we'll be talking about proper color management workflows and how to take an image from monitor to print with as much color accuracy as possible.
Colors on a monitor are displayed using a combination of RGB light, while printed colors are typically created using a combination of 4 inks CMYK. Because the RGB and CMYK color models use different methods to display colors, each produces a different gamut, or range of colors.
The color space for a device is defined by the gamut it can produce. And an ICC profile is a description of a device’s color space. The profiles are used to help ICC systems communicate properly and translate your color gamut from device to device accurately.
Proper Color Management Workflow diagram:
Color Management Workflow:
STEP 1: Calibrate your monitor
STEP 2: Set up the Photoshop Color Management Environment
STEP 3: Assign a Profile to the image
STEP 4: Soft Proof your image on screen
STEP 5: Print your Color-Managed image using ICC Printer Profiles
Below is a handout detailing the proper color management workflow steps for printing to an Epson inkjet printer.
Great links for additional Color Management information:
