What is Colour Management?
Did you know that every device in the digital chain of production is unique? This means that not only do you get different colour from your monitor, scanner and printer, but also that every monitor is different, every printer is different, and so on.
In fact, if you take two brand new monitors directly off the production line and compare them side by side, you will see different results! Similarly, if you take two printers and send the same print to each, the results will be different.
Colour Management allows you to calibrate each element in the digital production chain to achieve accurate consistent colour across all devices. Using Colour Management, your camera and scanner will produce pictures that will appear the same on your monitor, your proofing printer and on a printing press.
This is achieved by measuring each device in the chain and producing a profile, called an ICC Profile (named after the International Color Consortium). This profile will measure the colour coming in to the device and convert it to produce consistent accurate colour.
Measurements are made using a variety of different software and hardware tools. For many, the most important starting place is to calibrate and profile your monitor. If you are not seeing accurate colour on your screen, then every decision you make from that point will be wrong.
Some people attempt to calibrate their devices by eye. The danger of this of course is that everybody has different eyesight and different perception of colour. Using a proper device to measure the colour is essential to achieving consistent results. Nearly all products are suitable for use on both Windows and Macintosh systems.
Like many things in today's world, there are many levels of Colour Management. If you are a digital photographer, your needs are different to those of a colour printing company. This catalogue will help you choose the right products to match your requirements.
The website has been divided into the main product areas, but obviously there is some crossover. If you're not sure, or just need some advice, please feel free to contact us and we will do our best to give you impartial advice.
Why should I profile?
Profiling and calibrating the devices in your production chain is essential to producing accurate and consistent colour. If your scanner, monitor and printers are not properly profiled, then not only will your colour be inconsistent, but it will be wrong!
Many people agree that the most important starting point is with your monitor. All computer monitors are wrong! Not only that, as they age, they change, particularly if you are using a CRT monitor as opposed to a flat panel. It is also important to take into account the environment that you are working in. If you are working next to an open window in direct sunlight, your monitor will give different results at different times of the day.
Some computer systems (such as the Apple Macintosh operating system) include some rudimentary software for monitor profiling. These systems will give you a measure of calibration, but it is obviously dependant on your eyesight and your colour perception. They obviously cannot measure up to the level of control given by a proper profiling device with dedicated software.
Similarly, nearly all inkjet printers come with a range of ICC profiles supplied by the manufacturer. These again are better than using nothing, but as they are generic and not device specific, they can never compare with a specific profile created for your printer, with your inks and your paper. Using a proper profiling system will always give you the best results.
Profiling will also save you money!
When you know that you are always going to produce accurate repeatable colour, you can give a proof to your customer with the confidence that the final result will match that proof. Sending jobs out to printing presses will no longer result in the final job coming back looking different to your monitor and printer proof. Re-runs are avoided and time and money saved.
Colourtools.com can offer you the complete range of Colour Management tools available in the UK AT A DISCOUNT. We are proud of the fact that we can offer a range of products suitable for everyone, whether you are an enthusiastic amateur or the largest professional studio in the UK.
