Search: for:

Antialiasing

SmartNote: 9
Type: Term
ColorGeek factor: unrated
Antialiasing is a technique used to smooth the edges of line art, fonts, and other vector art by blending the edges of the object with its background and creating intermediary colors and shades. Technically it lowers the resolution of the image but done correctly, and viewed from sufficient distance, can appear to smooth previously jagged edges and actually increase the apparent resolution. It is a good technique for screen display (CD-ROM and Web publishing) but should not be used for printing in most cases as the higher resolution of a printing device will often reduce jaggies and antialiasing would make it look worse.

See Also

Term: Resolution

Luminance

SmartNote: 94
Type: Term
ColorGeek factor: unrated
Luminance is the brightness component of colors described in the Lab color space.

Is often expressed in Candelas per square meter (cd/m^2)

See Also

Term: CIELab, Lab

ColorGeek Factor

SmartNote: 989
Type: Site Help
ColorGeek factor:
The ColorGeek factor is a rating we use to indicate what technical level a SmartNote is geared towards. They are coded as:



















"Hey, I just need to know how to make it work"

"I'd like to know how it works overall"



"I'm an admitted color geek. Give me more!"




"There's no hope for me. I need to know things at the molecular level"

ColorThink 1.0 Announcement

SmartNote: 990
Type: PressRelease
ColorGeek factor:

August 28, 2000 - San Francisco: CHROMiX announced here today a new suite of color management tools called ColorThink.

The ColorThink toolset is a suite of tools for managing, repairing, and graphing ICC profiles and understanding the color capabilities of devices.

"Never before has there been a suite of tools such as this available - and it's offered at very a reasonable price." said Steve Upton, president of CHROMiX "It's like the Extensions Manager meets Norton Utilities but it's all about color and ICC profiles and includes great 2D and 3D graphing."

ColorThink 1.0 is composed of 8 modules:

*** ColorThink Profile Manager - Like the Extension Manager except it works with ICC profiles installed in the System Folder. Enable or disable profiles individually or in sets, view them by internal or external names, and even disable all extraneous profiles in one step.

"While I find all of the ColorThink tools very useful I think the Profile Manager is a unique convenience" said Dan Culbertson, a ColorThink beta tester and color management user. "...In testing inks, papers and profiling software I generate hundreds of profiles. Profile Manager allows the creation of sets of profiles so that only those profiles actually necessary to my current operations load and are visible...this is a profile organizer beyond compare"

*** ColorThink Profile Inspector - Opens profiles in a unique graphical profile viewer. A patent-pending viewer shows the primary colors of profiles as well as summarizes profiles' white and black points, table sizes and other settings while performing a comprehensive 12-point integrity check. Header and extended tags are browsable and any errors or warnings are neatly summarized and can be fixed with the Profile Doctor. Profile parameters such as rendering intent, preferred CMM and others can be quickly edited.

*** ColorThink Profile Doctor - the Profile Doctor performs 16 comprehensive tests on profiles and the system to ensure problems are discovered and fixed. Common problems like the Mac OS not recognizing profiles, profile naming confusion, color corruption and even crashing can be discovered and fixed using the Profile Doctor.

"ColorThink is an invaluable addition to my toolkit, as a profile manager, a profile doctor, a teaching and a learning tool." agreed Bruce Fraser, noted color management author, speaker and consultant

*** ColorThink Image Inspector - The Image inspector opens multiple image formats, displaying the embedded profile and allowing it to be copied out to the Finder, opened with the Profile Inspector or installed directly into the System folder. Embedded profiles can be removed or new profiles embedded into the image. Images' colors can also be summarized into lists for graphing in 2D and 3D.

"ColorThink has too many great profile analysis and editing tools to pick a favorite; but I can state that the one I use most frequently is the profile extraction feature... it is part of my daily process to select an image, check the attached profile, and extract it for further use or analysis." C. David Tobie - Design Cooperative

*** Graphing (2D and 3D) - ColorThink has comprehensive graphing of profiles and color lists in two and three dimensions. 2D graphs can be used to quickly compare device gamuts, evaluate media white points, and graph color lists in Yxy, Luv or Lab coordinates. 3D graphing provides a more accurate view of device color gamuts and 3D gamut comparisons can uncover profile problems as well as show gamut differences for determining best working spaces, proofing systems, etc. A unique 3-D vector compare mode will plot the difference between two sets of colors as vector "arrows" in 3D. There is simply no better way to track color shifts or illustrate the differences between profile settings, rendering intents, and so forth.

*** ColorThink Profile Linker - device link profiles can be created for use with RIPs and color servers quickly and easily. Just drag source and destination profiles into the linker and ColorThink will quickly build an ICC compliant device link profile.

*** ColorThink Renamer - Many users do not realize that ICC profiles have internal and external (file) names. Changing the file name will not change the name that shows in many application menus. Renamer allows quick renaming or synchronizing of the internal name, external name or both.

"Our color consulting professionals have been using these tools in the field to teach color management concepts and solve color management problems." said Upton, "Now we have made these tools available as an easy-to-use suite for a price that's unheard of in this industry"

CHROMiX ColorThink is for Mac OS 8.5.1 and ColorSync 2.6.1 or greater and is priced at $129. Special introductory pricing of $99 will be in effect from the planned ship date of Sept 15, 2000 through Oct 15, 1999. ColorThink will be available for purchase directly from www.chromix.com.

Steve Upton of CHROMiX will be demonstrating the full CHROMiX ColorThink toolset at Seybold SF 2000 August 29-31 in San Francisco's Moscone center. Go to the Rods & Cones booth #2430 in the South hall (right rear corner) every odd hour on the hour (11, 1, 3, 5 pm) for a full demonstration.


CHROMiX is a consulting, sales and development firm concentrating on image fidelity issues and workflow streamlining. Based in Seattle, CHROMiX offers a comprehensive website including a full color management store and profilecentral.com, a free online clearing house of ICC profiles for printers, photographers, designers, and anyone interested in high quality images.

(c)2000 CHROMiX ColorSync, MacOS, Norton Utilities trademarks of their respective companies. ColorThink is a trademark of CHROMiX - all rights reserved.

Media Contact:

Steve Upton, President & CEO
CHROMiX
uptonpr(at)chromix.com
www.chromix.com
www.profilecentral.com
8320 5th Ave NE, Suite B
Seattle, WA

ColorThink 2.0 Announcement

SmartNote: 991
Type: PressRelease
ColorGeek factor:

April 9, 2001: Seybold Seminars, Boston.

CHROMiX today announced ColorThink 2.0, an upgrade to its popular color management toolset. ColorThink 2.0 combines powerful new graphing and ICC profile management capabilities with Mac OS X compatibility.

New features include:

  • Carbon compatibility to take advantage of new Mac OS X features
  • Integration of 3D graphing with OpenGL technology
  • Integration of advanced network-wide and worldwide profile management using
    ProfileCentral.

OpenGL-based Graphing :

New OpenGL integration provides fast, beautiful 3D graphs of profiles and other color data. All colors are rendered accurately to screen so users can see the colors of their printer's gamut as well as the shape. OpenGL allows for wireframe, shaded objects, and advanced capabilities such as gamut overlay, transparency and an innovative 3D slicer for detailed profile analysis. Graphing of Hexachrome(tm) profiles is also supported in this version.

Profile Management :

Workgroup-Wide Profile Management

ColorThink 2.0 allows workgroup administrators to setup a "share point" on the group's server to distribute profiles among their team. Inexpensive client applications will periodically check the share point and update the user's profiles automatically.

World-Wide Profile Management

" ProfileCentral.com (launched at Seybold Boston in 1999) has become a popular source for people seeking device and process profiles." said Steve Upton, president of CHROMiX. "We have found that some printers are reluctant to distribute their profiles due to concerns with keeping profiles updated."

CHROMiX has developed custom versioning tags that can easily be embedded in any ICC profile. In addition, ColorThink 2.0 is now fully integrated with ProfileCentral.com, which allows

  • Embedding of versioning tags
  • Registration of profiles with ProfileCentral.com. Profiles can be privately or publicly listed.
  • Uploading of profiles to user-specified share-points on the Internet
  • Client software automatically checks installed profile versions against ProfileCentral.com and alerts user to updates.
  • Profiles can be automatically downloaded and installed on user's system
  • Versioning tags contain update hints instructing users on several different update options

"ColorThink 2.0's integration with our powerful ProfileCentral.com databases removes the quandary printers have faced until now" described Upton. "Printers, photo labs, media manufacturers and other service providers can now distribute their profiles with the confidence that updating them is easy."

ColorThink 2.0 will also help users transition from Mac OS 9 to OS X by moving profiles between OS 9/Classic storage areas and the new profile storage areas offered by Mac OS X.

"We suspect there will be some confusion regarding profile installation, sharing and use within applications as users transition to OS X. ColorThink 2.0 will ease this transition and reduce confusion." said Upton.

CHROMiX will also make available Peek, a free utility that will display profile versions, and link to ProfileCentral.com for updates.

ColorThink 2.0 is expected to enter beta testing within the next 30-40 days and ship shortly after that. CHROMiX is seeking a small number of beta sites for testing of the profile management features. Please contact the company at CCTBeta(at)CHROMiX.com if you are interested in participating in this program.

Non-Mac OS X features (including OpenGL support) will also be available in a Mac OS 9 version of the software. A Windows version is also under development, but CHROMiX has not set a delivery timeframe.

CHROMiX will be demonstrating ColorThink 1.1 at Seybold Boston 2001 in the GretagMacbeth booth (as well as offering sneak previews of ColorThink 2.0 technology)


About CHROMiX

CHROMiX (http://www.chromix.com), consults, produces and sells color management solutions to companies in the visual content creation industries. Known for solutions that work well, clear training and outstanding after-sales support, CHROMiX is dedicated to fulfilling its mission of streamlining the publishing process with services, training, and products that are best of class. CHROMiX provides the largest color glossary and reference database available online as part of its web site and along with ProfileCentral.com offers tips, tricks and links to many other sources of information.

Media Contact:

Steve Upton
CHROMiX
8320 5th Ave NE, Suite B
Seattle, WA 98115-2012
206-985-6837,

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements about the product development features and timelines for software and web services and our strategy. These forward-looking statements do not constitute assurances regarding our future results. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available or relevant events occur in the future.

CHROMiX ColorNews Issue #3 - Editing Profiles, How & When

SmartNote: 992
Type: ColorNews
ColorGeek factor:
___________________________________________________________________
C H R O M i X C O L O R N E W S

Issue #3
June 28, 2001
___________________________________________________________________

=====================================================

Welcome to the third issue of ColorNews, a periodic (hey, we're
trying for monthly!) update on all things related to Color
Management. Please let us know what your interests are so we can
address these concerns in our coming issues.

ColorNews covers newsworthy items including new product
releases and updates, and interesting, informative web sites. Each
issue will include a feature article covering an aspect of color
management such as profiles, workflow, and so forth.

In a visit to CHROMiX.com or profilecentral.com, you opted to receive
this newsletter. You may have also heard Steve Upton speak and
requested more information. If you have received this message in
error, we apologize. We value our relationship with you and do not
want to spam you. See below for details on how to provide feedback,
how to unsubscribe, or how to become a sponsor.

=====================================================
Table of Contents
=================

1. Color News
2. New Releases
3. ColorFAQs - this month's FAQ is on Why and How to Edit Profiles,
and Who Should Do It
4. ColorNews Administration (feedback, subscriptions, etc.)

=====================================================
Color News
================

- CHROMiX (yes that's us) just announced our exciting rebate program for ColorTron users
who are interested in GretagMacbeth's Eye-One. Save up to $250 off list price by trading
in your ColorTron for the new Eye-One. For more information go here:
<http://www.chromix.com/chromix/store/toolsearch.lasso?toolid=477>

- Studion has shipped their hotly anticipated ColorBlade software plug-in for Photoshop.
Introduced at Seybold Seminars San Francisco last August, ColorBlade won a Hot Pick
award and deservedly so. ColorBlade uses a unique color appearance model to make
stunning CMYK separations using your normal profiles. You can also divide your
image into panes to compare multiple profiles at once. Check out our site for more
information, it is available now for $189.
<http://www.chromix.com/chromix/store/toolsearch.lasso?toolid=475>

- Bruce Fraser has once again written two interesting, highly informative articles
on what color really is and describing how and why we see the colors we do. See
<http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/13036-1.html>
<http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/13605.html>

- Pantone has posted their seminar schedule for the remainder of 2001.
They will be offering their "Communicating with Color" seminar in cities from
Seattle to Miami - to find one near you see:
<http://www.colorseminars.com/dates.html>

- To answer a question we received that many of you may have wondered about -
ColorVision WILL work with Adobe Elements. "The current (2.07) version
will work just fine, but attempting to use the Preview function will produce
an error (not a crash, but Elements will scold you). The new 2.1 version
will also work fine, and the Preview feature will not be shown, since the
new code knows that it's running in Elements, and that Preview will not work.
Better to completely hide any features that are non-functional."

We are always happy to answer any and all questions you might have.

=====================================================
New Releases
===============

As mentioned in earlier issues of ColorNews, BestColor has released
an update to their designer edition. Version 1.1 is now available for
download at bestcolor.com. Version 1.1. can be profiled but you will
need special instructions - please contact us for more information.

GretagMacbeth's release of their new Eye-One color solution has been
very successful - check out this fabulous new product in our store at:
<http://www.chromix.com/chromix/store/toolsearch.lasso?toolid=464>

They've also upgraded ProfileMaker Pro to version 3.1.5 in order to add Eye-One
support while fixing some minor bugs.
<http://www.gretagmacbeth.com/>



=====================================================
Quick Question....
===============

Some feel ColorNews would benefit from HTML formatting, others swear by the old
stand-by, raw text. We can see the benefits of HTML formatted issues when used with
a minimum of graphics and spruced up with text formatting and friendlier links. Some
things are tough to describe with text alone and would require linking to our site to
display the graphics. Cumbersome at best!

How do you feel? ColorNews is read by thousands of people and we care about your preferences.

If you have comments or feedback, please send us a quick note to newsformat(at)chromix.com

Thanks for helping out!

=====================================================
ColorFAQs
================================

Each month, our President Steve Upton will take time to answer questions
we receive on a regular basis. If you have specific questions or
comments, please see below for how to make submissions.

This Month - Why and How to Edit Profiles, and Who Should Do It

by Steve Upton
_______________________________________________

Hey, wait a minute - isn't that a different topic than was mentioned
last issue? Yes, I changed my mind. What more can I say? One of the
reasons we put off the gamut FAQ is the issue of displaying graphics in
email. Send in your comments regarding the "Quick Question" above and help us out!
Tune in to future issues for more information regarding device gamuts and
comparisons.

What is it with profile editing?

Many people think of profiles as black boxes that simply convert
color and if you don't like it... tough. In fact, there is a lot of
information in a profile and those of you who use our ColorThink
software have realized a few of the ways you can see this information.

When might I edit a profile?

Well, you might edit profiles when they either:

1) Produce the wrong color when used for output - for instance, a
test print appears too yellow.
2) Produce the wrong color then used for simulation - for instance,
if you are using a CMYK press profile to proof on screen or on
another printer and the colors look wrong.

If I have these problems, does that mean I should edit the profile?

Not necessarily. When I gave a presentation at last December's GATF
Color Management Conference in Phoenix I was tasked with the topic of
profile editing. In fact, I spent most of my time describing the
different things you can (and should) do to avoid editing profiles.

Overall, I have found that when you print well, measure well, and use
good-quality equipment and software, you generally get good profiles.
In most cases when we have trouble with profiles we can solve the
largest issues by going back and reprinting the target (perhaps with
better RIP linearization), or by remeasuring.

Profiles do not always show exactly what we want and so we are left
with the option of editing.

What part of the profile can I edit?

When you edit a profile, you have the capability of editing
individual tables within the profile. Each of these tables contains
input curves, a look up table (LUT), and output curves. (At least,
printer profiles are like this, and most editing is of printer
profiles.)

Why does this matter?

When proofing, how do you know whether to edit the proofing part of
the press profile or the rendering part of the printer's profile, since
both are in use?

Well, if you are building and testing your profiles
methodically, then you should have already tested your printer
profile's rendering capabilities and edited it as required. Then you
know for sure it is your press profile's proofing transforms. To test a
profile, print a known-good RGB image from Photoshop using the
profile. If you like what you see then the issue is probably with
your proofing profile.

If a profile editor allows you to move curves - for instance lightness,
saturation, CMYK or whatever - then you are probably editing the input
and output curves I mentioned.

If an editor allows you to do "selective color" editing, then you are
probably altering the information contained in the lookup table.
Selective color editing will allow you to make the reds less orange, for
instance, without altering any of the other colors.

A good profile editor will allow you to select:

- which rendering direction you want to edit - output or input
- which table you want to edit for that direction - perceptual,
colorimetric, etc.
- editing by curves - for color-cast removal and so forth
- editing selective colors - for those remaining color problems that
may persist.

A good profile editor will also save edits along the way for further
tweaking and testing.

Now, which are the best editors?

Kodak Profile Editor is one of the best - unfortunately you must
purchase the full package in order to get the editor.
Monaco's is also good - again not available outside their package and
is only works on their profiles.

How do I know which editor is best for me?

A) For the person who wants to edit profiles but not necessarily
learn new software and a new user interface, I recommend:

Kodak Custom Color ICC - this operates as a Photoshop plug-in, but the
representative image file can actually be edited in any application.
Most Photoshop moves can be used to alter the file - good for people
really familiar with PS and not really willing to use another
application. This application should not be confused with the
above-mentioned Kodak software. Custom Color ICC is available outside
the full package for $395.
<http://www.chromix.com/chromix/store/toolsearch.lasso?toolid=392>

Color Vision's Doctor Pro - works in a similar fashion to Custom
Color. The edits are stored as actions and then "re-lived" by the
software when the actual profile edit takes place. This program is
also quite capable and good for people who are PS literate. It does
not have the ability to isolate the edits to just the input or output
side of the profile but ColorVision is working on this issue. It is
priced at $259.
<http://www.chromix.com/chromix/store/toolsearch.lasso?toolid=454>

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| A D V E R T I S E M E N T
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| CHROMiX ColorThink - Your brain on color!
|
| If you haven't seen ColorThink yet, you're missing the full
| picture! ColorThink is the color management toolset that
| picks up where the other tools leave off. Manage your profiles
| individually or in sets, scan and fix problem profiles (including
| profiles imported from PC's to Macs). Graph profiles in 2D and 3D.
|
| ColorThink is $129 in our store and is now available as a free demo.
| <http://www.chromix.com/colorthink>
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

B) For the person who wants to edit profiles and doesn't mind a new
User Interface, I recommend:

GretagMacbeth's ProfileMaker Pro Editor. A good editor all-around,
with the only drawback being that you cannot save edits in as
flexible a way as I would like. Like most GretagMacbeth software, it
has a clean interface. One of the nicest features is the "scrubbing"
or "windowshade" effect it has for viewing your changes. A slider
appears over your reference image with the changes acting as an
overlay that you can move on and off your image. It allows you to
zoom into an area (shadow detail, for instance), make edits, and then
see where they take effect. It is priced at $479:
<http://www.chromix.com/chromix/store/toolsearch.lasso?toolid=426>

A mainstay in the editing arena is ColorBlind Edit. It is perhaps one
of the most powerful editing tools but suffers from an interface that
is difficult for many color management experts to grasp, much less
"normal" users. That said, it does allow you the ability to edit
almost every aspect of a color profile, and also allows you to save
your edits in different ways and even apply them in batch mode (with the
server version of Edit). It is priced at $495.
<http://www.chromix.com/chromix/store/toolsearch.lasso?toolid=391>

If you are interested in the Kodak or Monaco editing solutions,
please contact us directly for more information. As I mentioned, they
are also quite capable but have some limitations.

There are several less expensive packages around but, from what I
have seen, they only allow editing of the curves and, even worse, do
not allow differentiating the edits between rendering intents or
input/output direction.

I think their creators expect that users at that level might not
understand the arcane parts of profile editing. I would counter with
the argument that people at that level should not be editing
profiles. They should learn more about what's involved and then use a fully
capable tool. Editing profiles is something that should be undertaken with care,
and the person doing the editing should have at least a basic understanding of how they work.

Also, if you are editing a profile, don't forget to test with multiple
images that span the range of imagery you typically print. What may
appear to be a small color shift on one print can really mess up
another.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

FEEDBACK and FAQs

To submit questions or feedback to CHROMiX, email us at custsvc(at)CHROMiX.com.
Please include your name and email address in all correspondence (email, phone, fax etc).

SUBSCRIPTIONS

To unsubscribe to CHROMiX ColorNews, reply to this message with
"unsubscribe" in the subject.
To subscribe, email colornews(at)lists.chromix.com with "subscribe" in
the subject.

ColorNews is edited by Carolyn Hobart (hobart(at)chromix.com).

Entire Contents of CHROMiX ColorNews (c)2001 CHROMiX
CHROMiX, ColorThink, ColorNews, and profilecentral.com are trademarks
of CHROMiX. All other trademarks are property of their respective
owners.
CHROMiX ColorNews is intended as an informative update to CHROMiX
customers and business associates. We are not responsible for errors
or omissions.

See Also

ColorNews Issue #2 ColorNews: CHROMiX ColorNews Issue #2 - Screen to Print Matching
ColorNews Issue #4 ColorNews: CHROMiX ColorNews Issue #4 - Color Workflow

CHROMiX ColorNews Issue #4 - Color Workflow

SmartNote: 993
Type: ColorNews
ColorGeek factor:
___________________________________________________________________
C H R O M i X C O L O R N E W S

Issue #4
July 31, 2001
___________________________________________________________________

=====================================================

Welcome to the fourth issue of ColorNews, a periodic update on all
things related to Color Management. Please let us know what your
interests are so we can address these concerns in our coming issues.

ColorNews covers newsworthy items including new product releases and
updates, and interesting, informative web sites. Each issue will
include a feature article covering an aspect of color management such
as profiles, workflow, and so forth.

In a visit to CHROMiX.com or profilecentral.com, you opted to receive
this newsletter. You may have also heard Steve Upton speak and
requested more information. If you have received this message in
error, we apologize. We value our relationship with you and do not
want to spam you. See below for details on how to provide feedback,
how to unsubscribe, or how to become a sponsor.

=====================================================
Table of Contents
=================

1. Color News
2. New Releases
3. ColorFAQs - this month's FAQ is on Color Workflow
4. ColorNews Administration (feedback, subscriptions, etc.)

=====================================================
Color News
================

- ColorVision's OptiCal and PhotoCal bundles are now even better deals than they were before! The OptiCal/Spyder, PhotoCal/Spyder, and RGB Suite bundles all now also include Adobe's Photoshop Elements - for no extra charge! Follow the link below for more details on these great buys!
<http://www.chromix.com/chromix/pages/store/toolframeset.lasso?contribid=916>

- Back by popular demand! Our president, Steve Upton, has been asked to speak at Seybold San Francisco this September. Interested in attending? You should be! Go to <http://www.seyboldseminars.com/> to sign up so you don't miss this exciting event. And while there, don't forget to look for the CHROMiX booth! Yes, we will have a booth in a great location in the South hall (the big one). Booth 1445 is centrally located and near the back behind the Wacom booth and beside Canto. Come by and say hi!

- Do you use Red Hat Linux? If you're running Helios Ethershare and PC Share in this medium, you can use their Ethershare OPI product to do ICC color conversions on images printed through print queues! For more, visit:
<http://www.helios.de/>

- About ColorNews format. Thank you everyone for your great feedback on the preference for HTML or text formatted versions of this newsletter. We were a little surprised at the number and passion of the responses. Overall most people preferred the text version of the newsletter with a few requesting HTML and a few others suggesting PDF. For now we have decided to stick with the text format until our server system can handle dual versions. Then perhaps we will offer HTML as well. Thanks again for your feedback!


We are always happy to answer any and all questions you might have.

=====================================================
New Releases
===============

- ColorVision announces updates for most of their software products. In particular, Profiler Pro's v 2.1 now includes Profiler RGB and Profiler CMYK as part of the product, and also provides full support of CMYK workflows in Photoshop 6 - handy stuff! They are available for free download for existing customers at:
<http://www.colorcal.com/software_upgrades.html>.

- GretagMacbeth has the first update for iQueue available for download from their website. Version 1.0.2 for Mac and Windows now makes it possible to start queues without a dongle, and to process PDF, PS and raster files. Go to:
<http://www.gretagmacbeth.com/>

- Apple has posted a good article on ColorSync in use with Ice Cream. Certainly a combination of two of our favorite topics. See it here:
<http://www.apple.com/hotnews/articles/2001/06/kroger/>

- Bruce Fraser has written another great article, this time on "Color-Correcting Photographs in Photoshop". You can find it here:
<http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/13486-1.html>

Also, as if he wasn't busy enough, Bruce released his newest book "Real World Photoshop 6" which he co-authored with David Blatner. As with their book for version 5, it will soon become our mantra for people struggling with color and wanting a good book. Chapter 5 has been expanded to cover all the new color goodies in Photoshop 6.
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0201721996/chromix/>


=====================================================
ColorFAQs
================================

Each month, our President Steve Upton will take time to answer questions
we receive on a regular basis. If you have specific questions or
comments, please see below for how to make submissions.

This Month - Workflow

by Steve Upton
_______________________________________________

I think it's about time to talk about workflow.

This article got a little long but when I tried to break it in half for next month I couldn't find a place that wouldn't make me frustrated if I were reading it myself. I always hated that "...to be continued" bit just when the show was getting interesting. So, here it is in all its mass.

Workflow, really, is where I find most people wanting to know the answers. This rubber-meets-the-road part of color management seems to where people start the journey of managed color and the majority of questions in our speaking and training sessions fall in this area. People really just want to know how to make this stuff work.

I always say that you only need two things to have good color: great profiles and proper use of them in your workflow. Even with perfect profiles, improper use of them will create frustration for you.

It helps to understand how all this stuff is to fit together if you start with some basic ideas and strategies:

1. Anything that comes from a device will be in that device's color space and images headed out to a device should be in its color space. This means that your scanner is going to give you ScannerRGB and your monitor, printer, and press should be handed YourMonitorRGB, YourPrinterCMYK (or RGB) and PressCMYK respectively. These device-specific numbers are the reason why we build a good profile for each individual device.

2. The location in your workflow where the conversion from one set of settings occurs (say ScannerRGB to PressCMYK) is changeable and will probably depend on your business, equipment, funds, time and other factors. This flexibility is powerful but contributes to the confusion surrounding color management.

So, let's take a hypothetical example of a scanner, monitor, printer and press. You would like to scan an image, have it look good on your monitor, separate it to PressCMYK, soft proof it on your monitor, and then hard proof it on the printer. Sound familiar?

Looking at just one of these conversions, ScannerRGB to PressCMYK, we see that we can do it many different places: RGB->CMYK in the scanner software, in Photoshop, in QuarkXpress, in the printer driver, in a color server, or in the RIP.

No wonder this stuff is so confusing!

I have counted 4 different ways of doing the conversion in Photoshop alone!

It is important to realize that after the file is separated to PressCMYK it needs to remain unaltered for the rest of its journey to the press. Although it may take side routes to the monitor and printer for proofing, your color for the press is done.

The best method to deciding what is right for you is to use the following criteria:

- Not all conversion points are equal. I trust Photoshop 6 more than most other applications. Photoshop 6 will allow you to perform all the conversions mentioned above with good results. It is wise to test your profiles in this manner. When you are happy with the results, then try applying the conversion elsewhere with the same profiles. If things mess up, you know that the application or RIP you added to the mix is causing the problem.

- If you use Photoshop a lot in your workflow and it is just as easy to convert colors in Photoshop rather than somewhere else (as is often the case with scanner software vs. Photoshop), then use Photoshop.

- Leave your images in RGB farther along in your workflow (like after page-layout for instance) if you are going to send the document to multiple media. Going to CMYK too early in your workflow will result in a file that is good for one purpose but requires reworking for all the others.

- Workgroups can complicate things with the need to keep everyone trained and up to date but they can also benefit from workflow tools as I'll explain below.


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Most workflows can be roughly divided into single/raster image and composite/postscript images like created with a page-layout application.

In the single/raster image situation you have, for example, a great TIFF file that does not need to be joined by any other elements. Printing these files directly from Photoshop is usually the best course of action. You can either apply the profiles "by hand" in Photoshop using the "Convert to Profile" command or allow Photoshop to perform the conversion on the fly as you print.

When you have composite/Postscript images, like a brochure composed in QuarkXpress, then your life becomes quite a bit more complicated. One single file can contain TIFF's, EPS logos, and QuarkXpress elements (boxes, etc). QuarkXpress 4.1 does have some color management capabilities built-in but cannot manage embedded EPS files and does not allow all the control over color conversions that you may need.

For our example, say we have such a file and we would like to view it on screen (soft proof), print it to our printer (hard proof) and then send it off to press. If the job is only intended for press then I typically suggest that images be converted to CMYK prior to placing in Quark. This also fits most traditional workflows.

To soft-proof to screen, Quark needs to be set with the correct PressCMYK profile and your monitor profile. With the image previews set to 32 bits Quark will do a fair job of proofing to screen but EPS images are still unhandled.

Hard proofing is simply not going to work with Quark for our example due to the EPS problem.

Sending the job to press will work fine however as it's all in PressCMYK and was separated properly in Photoshop.

So what about the hard proof problem? This is an example of several places in today's workflows where color management breaks down due to applications not fully supporting all the features we need. Feel free to bug Quark about this one next time you have their attention, we all need this to work properly in version 5.

There are three solutions to this problem.

1. CompassPro XT is a Quark-specific solution that comes in the form of a Quark Xtension. CP XT allows you to setup the conversion preferences and then interrupts the printing process to convert the document elements on their way out to your printer. It works well but only for Quark and you will need a copy for each member of your workgroup.
<http://www.chromix.com/chromix/store/toolsearch.lasso?toolid=395>

2. Get a RIP for your printer that will allow you to load the PressCMYK and printer profiles and will perform the proofing conversion for you. This is becoming the most popular choice in digital prepress proofing today. A good RIP will do this job quickly and accurately and this will avoid the need to do this on each machine in a workgroup.

3. The most powerful and flexible solution is a color server. Color servers are applications that reside on a server (not necessarily dedicated) on your network and perform color conversions for your whole workgroup. Most color servers work at minimum with hot folders, processing files dropped into one folder and placing the results in another. You can setup print queues to appear on the network and forward the resulting files to printers, RIP's etc with your existing server software. A full-featured color server will setup its own queues and hand off the files for you.
<http://www.chromix.com/chromix/store/toollist.lasso?refcode=cmserve>

Color Servers have notable advantages over Quark plug-ins and in-RIP proofing:

- They do their color conversions well, not all RIPs can be relied upon for this.

- They typically have more options for handling RGB files, vector colors, and rendering intents

- The resulting files do not necessarily have to go to a printer. A PressCMYK PDF for example can be quickly converted to sRGB for serving on the Internet. You can also use them for preflighting files by dropping the entire job in a folder and having the server find and separate any RGB files to CMYK using high-quality, reliable settings and profiles.

- The output can go to multiple printers of different types. While a proofing RIP will handling one or two printers well, a color server can take the same PressCMYK file and send it to your inkjet proofer, color copier, and large-format inkjet on canvas and get great color on all devices. This may sound like a dream come true but I assure you it is being done successfully today. RIPs that you are forced to use (like for copiers) but have poor color management capabilities can have their problems bypassed by performing the conversions upstream in the server.

- Non publishing applications like Word, PowerPoint and Excel can be handled properly so you can stop fighting those purple presentations.

There are other benefits of servers but these are some of the most significant. Suffice to say that if you are finding a break in your workflow due to some finicky software, a color server can probably be used to work around it.

Some feel color servers are simply a temporary solution until the OS, applications and RIPs get up to speed with color. I think this is partially true but they have other benefits that will continue make them valuable. Either way we have several years ahead of us before things are updated to the point where you would shut one down and in the meantime we all have better things to do with our time no?


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FEEDBACK and FAQs

To submit questions or feedback to CHROMiX, email us at custsvc(at)CHROMiX.com.
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ColorNews is edited by Carolyn Hobart (hobart(at)chromix.com).

Entire Contents of CHROMiX ColorNews (c)2001 CHROMiX
CHROMiX, ColorThink, ColorNews, and profilecentral.com are trademarks
of CHROMiX. All other trademarks are property of their respective
owners.
CHROMiX ColorNews is intended as an informative update to CHROMiX
customers and business associates. We are not responsible for errors
or omissions.

See Also

ColorNews Issue #3 ColorNews: CHROMiX ColorNews Issue #3 - Editing Profiles, How & When

ColorSync Users Mailing List

SmartNote: 994
Type: MailingList
ColorGeek factor:
Apple hosts this active and informative mailing list. It is intended for users of Apple's ColorSync software and ranges in technical level from novice to expert.


Subscribe, unsubscribe, etc.


Search Archives

See Also

for developer-level discussion MailingList: ColorSync Developers Mailing List

ColorSync Developers Mailing List

SmartNote: 995
Type: MailingList
ColorGeek factor:
Apple hosts this active and informative mailing list. It is intended for users of Apple's ColorSync software and ranges in technical level from novice to expert.


Subscribe, unsubscribe, etc.


Search Archives

See Also

for user-level discussion MailingList: ColorSync Users Mailing List

BESTColor User's Forum

SmartNote: 996
Type: MailingList
ColorGeek factor:
BESTColor hosts a web-based forum for discussion and support of their BESTColor products including BESTColor DE, ColorProof, ScreenProof, Color Management and other topic areas.

The BESTColor support folks seem to have an active role on the forum and often post answers to questions.

Link: http://www.bestcolor.com/forums/index.php
(will open in a new browser window)

See Also

Profiling the BESTColor DE RIP TechTip: Profiling the BESTColor DE RIP
BESTColor DE RIP Tool: BESTColor RIP Designer Edition

Using ICC Profiles Cross Platform

SmartNote: 998
Type: TechTip
ColorGeek factor:
ICC profiles are a cross-platform file format that can be used on Mac, Windows, Linux, or other platforms without conversion.


If you have problems regarding moving profiles cross-platform, they typically show up as a result of the operating system differences rather than actual color issues.


Macintosh: The most common problem is when the profile does not have the correct Mac "type" and "creator" codes set. These are the invisible codes that files on the Mac use to keep track of what kind of file it is (the actual data contents like TEXT or PICT) and the application that created it. If your profile has a blank white icon - a typical sign - and ColorSync is ignoring it so it will not show up in any menus, it probably needs the codes set.


Follow the link below to the "Make ColorSync Profile" utility. This is a small drag-and-drop utility that you can drop profiles onto and they suddenly get the correct icon. Problem solved. Also - the utility is for Macs only and must be run on a Mac - there is no way to set these codes before you send the profile to a Mac user.


CHROMiX ColorThink will also detect this problem and fix all the profiles on your system at once as well as other such issues. For more on ColorThink, go here


Windows: Typically profiles without an expected 3-letter extension cause the common confusion on Windows. Microsoft originally used the ".icm" extension for profiles but now officially prefers ".icc" (and we could not agree more). Older applications and RIPs might expect only the .icm extension and ignore .icc profiles until you change them to .icm. We recommend naming profiles with .icc and then change to .icm if you have a problem. Grumble at the applciation's developer the next time you talk to them to change to the new method too...


Just for the record there is no difference between an "icm" profile and an "icc" profile; other than the fact that there is no such thing as an "icm" profile really - it's just an icc profile with another extension.


Kodak and a few other companies have also used the ".pf" extension in the past but that use seems to have faded. Again, we recommend .icc to avoid confusion.

See Also

Windows-&#62;Mac profile fixer Utility: Make ColorSync Profile Utility

GamutView

SmartNote: 999
Type: Utility
ColorGeek factor:
A unique and powerful technique for using a Lab image and Photoshop 5 to visualize your printer's gamut, the GamutView kit is free to download and use.


Photoshop 5 and 6 have the ability to mark the colors in an image that will not properly print on your CMYK printer. If an image is chosen that displays all possible colors and the Gamut Warning feature of Photoshop is activated, the resulting image clearly shows the colors your printer will output: your printer's gamut.


The kit includes a 7 page PDF file and image and action files to clearly show this remarkable technique. Photoshop 5 or 6 is the only tool required by you. Instructions are for Photoshop 5 but can be easily applied to Photoshop 6 or later.


Download Now (.zip 312K)




See Also

for full 2D and 3D gamut and color graphing... Tool: ColorThink v2