Color management workflow for transitioning offset printing using custom inks to digital printing
View Patent ↗A color management workflow for offset printing using custom inks is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for color management workflow for transitioning offset printing using custom inks to digital printing includes a color image recording device to measure one or more spot color ramps that correspond to custom ink colors, the color image device operable to determine a matching L*a*b value for the spot color ramps. The apparatus further includes a color characterization module to determine device CMYK matches for each of the L*a*b values for the one or more spot color ramps and create a custom input characterization file based on the device CMYK matches and an International Color Consortium (ICC) profile module to create a new input ICC file and a new output ICC file from the custom input characterization file.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a color image recording device to measure one or more spot color ramps that correspond to custom ink colors, the color image device operable to determine a matching L*a*b value for the spot color ramps;
a color characterization module to determine device CMYK matches for each of the L*a*b values for the one or more spot color ramps, create a custom input characterization file based on the device CMYK matches and redefine the CMYK matches so that the redefined CMYK matches are the same as a linear scaling of the custom ink colors; and
an International Color Consortium (ICC) profile module to create a new input ICC file and a new output ICC file from the custom input characterization file.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a hueing module to add additional characterization data for different hue angles to the custom input characterization file.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the additional characterization data compliments a color profile of the custom input characterization file.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the color image recording device is a spectrophotometer.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein redefining the CMYK matches includes mapping an actual value of the CMYK matches to a CMYK input that equals a linearly scaled percentage of the custom ink color.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the new input and output ICC files are provided to a digital printer to create one or more print jobs with colors analogous to the custom ink colors.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each spot color ramp includes a predetermined number of different percentage levels of the particular custom ink color and is printed at an offset press utilizing the custom ink color.
8. A method comprising:
measuring one or more spot color ramps that correspond to custom ink colors, the color image device operable to determine a matching L*a*b value for the spot color ramps;
determining device CMYK matches for each of the L*a*b values for the one or more spot color ramps;
creating a custom input characterization file based on the device CMYK matches;
redefining the CMYK matches so that the redefined CMYK matches are the same as a linear scaling of the custom ink colors; and
generating a new input ICC file and a new output ICC file from the custom input characterization file.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising adding additional characterization data for different hue angles to the custom input characterization file, wherein the additional characterization data compliments a color profile of the custom input characterization file.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the color image recording device is a spectrophotometer.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein redefining the CMYK matches includes mapping an actual value of the CMYK matches to a CMYK input that equals a spread value of the custom ink color.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the new input and output ICC files are provided to a digital printer to create one or more print jobs with colors analogous to the custom ink colors.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein each spot color ramp includes a predetermined number of different percentage levels of the particular custom ink color and is printed at an offset press utilizing the custom ink color.
14. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
measuring one or more spot color ramps that correspond to custom ink colors, the color image device operable to determine a matching L*a*b value for the spot color ramps;
determining device CMYK matches for each of the L*a*b values for the one or more spot color ramps;
creating a custom input characterization file based on the device CMYK matches;
redefining the CMYK matches so that the redefined CMYK matches are the same as a linear scaling of the custom ink colors; and
generating a new input ICC file and a new output ICC file from the custom input characterization file.
15. The article of manufacture of claim 14 , wherein the machine-accessible medium includes data that causes the machine to perform further operations comprising adding additional characterization data for different hue angles to the custom input characterization file, wherein the additional characterization data compliments a color profile of the custom input characterization file.
16. The article of manufacture of claim 14 , wherein redefining the CMYK matches includes mapping an actual value of the CMYK matches to a CMYK input that equals a percentage value of the custom ink color.
17. The article of manufacture of claim 14 , wherein the new input and output ICC files are provided to a digital printer to create one or more print jobs with colors analogous to the custom ink colors.