System and method for reproducing colors on a printing device

1. A method for reproducing an image including process colors in a first colorant space and a non-process color on a first printer having a first printer model, the first printer model being arranged to transform the first colorant space into a device independent color space, and the first printer model having an inverse first printer model arranged to transform the device independent color space into the first colorant space, the method comprising the steps of:

analyzing the image to detect first portions in the image having only process colors and second portions having non-process colors;

reproducing the first portions of the image in the first colorant space on the first printer; and

reproducing the second portions of the image on the first printer by:

creating a dedicated printer model that encompasses the non-process color and that has a one-to-one relation to the device independent color space;

using the dedicated printer model to transform the second portions into the device independent color space;

using the inverse first printer model to transform the second portions from the device independent color space to the first colorant space; and

reproducing the second portions in the first colorant space on the first printer.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first printer uses printing plates to reproduce the image.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:

using the first printer model to transform the first portions from the first colorant space to the device independent color space;

using an inverse second printer model to convert the first and second portions from the device independent color space to a second colorant space of a second printer; and

reproducing the first and second portions in the second colorant space on the second printer.