Understanding Color

Understanding
Color
Understanding
Color
K e n n e t h F . H o f f m a n n
In a Digital Workflow
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Understanding
Color
Kenneth F. Hoffmann
Digital Imaging & Publishing Technology
National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Rochester Institute of Technology
1999
In a Digital Workflow
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Understanding Color in a Digital Workflow Kenneth F. Hoffmann page i
Table of Contents
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Part One: Color from Design to Print . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1. Project planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Workflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3. Conventional prepress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
4. Digital prepress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
5. Digital file output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
6. File to print options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
7. Choosing a print process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Part Two: How Do We See Color, Anyway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1. The human eye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2. The electromagnetic spectrum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3. Absorption and reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4. Color perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
5. The language of color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
6. Color and emotion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
7. Emotional & physiological responses to color . . . . . . . . . . . 19
8. Physiological factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
9. Temperature of light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
10. Why do we print in color? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Part Three: Comparative Color Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1. Additive color: RGB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
2. Subtractive color: CMYK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3. Artists color wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4. Alternate artists color wheel and color triangles . . . . . . . . . 29
5. CIE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
6. Munsell color: Hue Value Chroma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Part Four: What is Color Separation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
1. How do color scanners work? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
2. How do digital cameras work? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
3. Analog to digital conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
4. Process color printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
5. Steps to good color reproduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
6. The function of ink and toner on paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
7. The halftone dot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
8. Stochastic screening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
9. Dot gain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
10. GCR and UCR Color Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Understanding Color in a Digital Workflow Kenneth F. Hoffmann page ii
Table of Contents
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Part Five: Working With Digital Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
1. Bitmapped images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
2. Grayscale and color bitmapped images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
3. Bit depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
4. Vector graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
5. Fonts are vector images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
6. Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
7. Interpolation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
8. Resolution rules for scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
9. Output resolution, lpi, and gray levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
10. File types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
11. File types and sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
12. File Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Part Six: Using Color Within Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
1. Choosing color with a color picker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
2. Process versus Solid Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
3. High-Fidelity Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
4. Pantone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
5. Trumatch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
6. Color Naming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Part Seven: Color Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
1. Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
2. Need for Color Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
3. Color Predictability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
4. Tools for Color Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
5. Color Mapping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
6. Device Profiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
7. Color Management Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Part Eight: Digital Color Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
1. Xerography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
2. Steps in the xerogrphy process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
3. Ink-jet printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
4. Digital Printing Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
5. Defining Run Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
6. Variable Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
7. Print-On-Demand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
8. Competitive Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Part One:
Color from Design to Print
Understanding Color in a Digital Workflow Kenneth F. Hoffmann page 1
Overview of Part One
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Part One:
Objectives: at the completion of this part, you will be able to:
1. Explain the major factors to be considered when planning a print project.
2. Explain how project variables may influence cost, design, substrate, print
process, and binding.
3. Compare the steps required to print a job on a digital press and an offset press.
Printing is one of the few industries
in which customers take an active
part in manufacturing...Customers
and printers work together through-
out the process.
Mark Beach and Eric Kenly
How is a print job produced? What are the design and production considerations? What are
the steps needed to produce a color print job? What print process technology is best used?
What decisions and compromises need to be made? In this part you will learn the compare
the steps needed to produce a print job by conventional and digital processes and understand
the decision-making processes involved.
Key words to learn in this part:
Turnaround time Substrate
Conventional prepress Digital prepress
Preflighting Trapping
Imposition Proofing
Raster Image Processor Workflow
Imagesetter Platesetter
Output device Digital printer
Computer-to-film Reverse engineering
Computer-to-plate Offset lithography
Computer-to-press Gravure
Analog Flexography
Part One: Color from Design
to Print
1. Project planning and the
impact on design and
production
2. Conventional prepress
workflow steps
3. Digital prepress work-
flow steps
4. Comparison of digital
printing and offset print-
ing workflows
5. Factors in choosing a
printing process
Part One:
Project Planning
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Project Planning & Graphic Design
Quality is best achieved when expectations
and product or performance requirements are
clearly defined in the planning stages. (GRACoL)
Planning ahead influences both the quality and the cost of the
final product. Projects should be reverse engineered to
guarantee that the planned project can actually be produced
to specifications with given resources.
Project Questions
GRACoL (General Requirements for Applications in Commercial
Offset Lithography) from Graphic Communications Association
(GCA) is a set of guidelines established to encourage communica-
tion at all steps of the production process.
Following is a series of questions, loosely based on the GRACoL
guidelines. Similar questions apply equally well when planning
offset printing, digital printing, and digital media projects.
Project planning may also include the distribution requirements.
Cost: what is your budget for the project?
Be realistic and plan within your means. Make appropriate
compromises. Cost will impact everything from design
effort, quantity, colors, paper selection, size and layout,
and printing method, to binding and finishing procedures
for function and appearance enhancement.
Audience: who is the intended user/viewer?
The audience will impact everything from product type,
design, appearance, and font selection to distribution
strategies, product function and permanence.
Turnaround time: when is the project needed?
The needed delivery time may impact choice of printing
technology (e.g., digital vs. offset), print supplier, substrate
availability, binding and finishing methods. Is the project
timeline measured in hours or days?
Substrate: what is the project purpose?
The type of substrate is dependent on project function,
intended permanence, finishing effects, bulk and weight
limitations, appearance, printing and binding spec.
Things to Do
Develop a set of job
specifications including
such aspects as project
description, budget,
quantity, audience, time-
line, and the substrate.
Create a role playing
scenario for customer,
designer, print buyer, and
printers customer ser-
vice representative.
As the virtual project is
planned, designed, and
produced, see how the
specification variables
impact the project.
Remember, problem
analysis and problem
solving requires breaking
the big problem into a
series of small problems.
Part One:
Project Planning
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Colors: how many colors are needed? desired? afford-
able?
While some products require special spot colors,
process (CMYK) colors may be used to substitute for
spot colors in all printing processes. Digital printing
is most often either black only or process color
(there are some highlight color digital print devices).
The choice of colors may impact cost, project time-
lines, and printing method.
Proofing: what proofing is expected? who need to
evaluate the proofs? local or remote?
The type and frequency of proofs required for a given
project can vary widely based on the different costs
and quality levels expected of the project, as well as
the complexity and difficulty of the project.
Proofing can surely prevent costly errors but exces-
sive proofing can unnecessarily add to turnaround
time and overall project costs.
What special finishing is required?
Some finishing procedures such as embossing, foil
stamping, varnishing, and thermography may have
aesthetic value only. The cost vs. impact value should
be evaluated.
Some finishing procedures such as trimming, fold-
ing, die cutting, coating may have product perfor-
mance functions. Some finishing may be both func-
tional and aesthetic in value.
What binding method is required?
Product permanence, flexibility, function, user pref-
erences, cost, and turnaround time may all impact
the choice of binding methods.
Where will production steps be completed?
Production can be done at locations anywhere. What
are the workflow, cost, quality, and time implications
when a project moves through several locations?
Print-then-distribute or distribute-then-print?
Planning
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Budget
Product
type
Location
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Part One:
Workflow
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The Print Production Workflow Segments
Pre-Press
From design to production of the image carrier
Press
The process for transferring image to substrate
Post-Press
Final manufacturing processes: folding, conversion, binding, forming, die cutting, etc.
There is No "One" Workflow
Workflow variables include:
Planning/Scheduling
Job specifications from design to finishing
Quantity to be delivered
Turnaround time for delivery
Equipment capacities and capabilities
Distribution strategies
Personnel availability and capabilities
Solutions to unforeseen problems
Reverse Engineering
Print production is a manufacturing process. Like any manufacturing process, production
needs to be carefully planned. Reverse engineering the print project means identifying the
exact production needs and timelines required before the project gets started in the produc-
tion sequence. Material specifications are determined. Specific press and post-press equip-
ment is identified and reserved for the project. Project cost estimates depend on accurate
planning and scheduling.
Part One:
Conventional Prepress
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Disappearing Procedures,
Forgotten Vocabulary
These procedures and materials have
essentially disappeared, or are rapidly
disappearing from the prepress work-
flow of many companies:
Airbrush retouching
Typesetting
Paste-up
Mechanical art
Press type
Diffusion transfer stats
Camera line negatives
Camera halftones
Contact screens
Screen tints
Camera separations
Wet dot-etching
Dry dot etching
Amberlith/rubylith masking
X-acto knife
Rubber cement
Waxers
Contacts and dupes
Spreads and Chokes
Construction stripping
Analog platemaking
Conventional Prepress
Conventional prepress is based on the need to build
individual analog page images, convert the page
images to film, and use the film to expose proofs and
printing plates. Timelines measured in hours and days.
These procedures are still being practiced in the print-
ing industry today, but their use is already extinct in
most companies and rapidly declining in all segments
of the printing and publishing marketplace.
With the advent of desktop publishing and the ability
to easily make digital pages, including complex image
and color specifications, conventional prepress crafts-
manship is being replaced by computer skills.
Conventional prepress workflow:
Design developed and sketched
Type is set on phototypesetter
Pages are made on paste-ups
Line negatives made of pages
Halftone negatives made of photos
Color separation negatives made
Page negatives stripped onto flats
Proofs made from film flats
Plates made from film flats
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Part One:
Digital Prepress
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New Procedures
New Tools
New Vocabulary
The evolution of digital prepress has
dramatically changed the creative and
production procedures, tools and
vocabulary. A 15- to 20-year old
graphic arts textbook would likely
have no references to these items:
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe PageMaker
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe InDesign
QuarkXPress
Macromedia Freehand
KPT Bryce
Painter
Kais Power Tools
Plug-ins and XTensions
WACOM tablet, digital pen
PostScript, PDF, TIFF, JPEG
Lossy compression
Lossless compression
RAM
Internet
Raster Image Processor
Imagesetter
Computer-to-Plate
Digital Prepress
When the term desktop publishing was first coined,
many printers associated the process with lesser quali-
ty, amateurish document files that would not produce
the desired and expected results. Now, no printing
business can successfully compete and grow without
desktop prepress or digital prepress as now termed.
Digital prepress today is clearly superior than conven-
tional prepress. Pages are produced faster, with a much
higher quality level, and at less cost. Color is far easier
to design into a project and far easier to produce.
Digital prepress enables those with computer skills and
knowledge of quality criteria to replace traditional pre-
press crafts. The mouse has replaced the X-acto knife.
Design options developed
Type created in word processing
Graphic images made on computer
Photos are scanned: b&w or color
Page layouts made on computer
Text & images combined on page
Pages are digitally proofed
Pages output to film /analog plates
Pages output to digital plates
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Part One:
Digital File Output
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Preflighting
The process of verifying that all graphic, page, and document files have been prepared follow-
ing all design and production specifications prior to file output.
Trapping
The overlap of adjacent image edges to allow for a registration tolerance between color units
on the (non-digital) printing press. Trapping software is used to alter the digital image files
per specific production requirements. Trapping is a production, not a design, responsibility.
Trapping can be performed by workstation application or RIP software.
Imposition
The positioning of page images on the press sheet to meet all press, finishing, and binding
requirements. Imposition is a production, not a design, responsibility. Imposition can be per-
formed by workstation application or RIP software.
RIP (raster image processor)
The RIP (raster image processor) is the computer for an output device that receives and
interprets the PostScript page description and drives the imaging mechanism in the output
device.
PostScript Output Device
Imagesetters are PostScript output devices which image films that are used in analog
platemaking workflows. A computer-to-plate platesetter makes plates off the press. A com-
puter-to-press platemaking system images the plates on the press printing unit. A digital
printer is a PostScript output device with a re-imageable image carrier.
Desktop
Publishing
Workstations
Output
Device
imagesetter
platesetter
printer
Raster Image
Processor
(RIP)
Server
network connectivity
among all devices
Part One:
File to Print Options
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File to Print Options
When a digital file is ready for offset or digital printing production, there are four options
which are commonly used in the industry today:
Computer-to-digital printer - Pages are directly imaged on re-imageable surface and
printed with the xerographic process or variation. Printing can be either simplex or
duplex and is immediately dry when printed.
Computer-to-film (CTF) output - partially or fully imposed films are produced on an
imagesetter. Pin-register systems are frequently used to automate the registration
process and to eliminate any manual film mounting and registration procedures on
a light table. Analog platemaking is required from the films.
Computer-to-plate (CTP) output - fully imposed pages are produced directly onto
the plate by a platesetter. No films are needed or produced, Pin-register systems are
used to automate the plate registration and plate mounting on the offset press.
Computer-to-press (CTPr) output - pages are directly imaged onto plates already
positioned on the offset press cylinders. Laser imaging devices are incorporated in
the press unit. Usually, waterless offset printing technology is utilized. Also called
direct imaging (DI) offset and hybrid digital/offset.
Comparative File-to-Print Workflows and Timelines
Digital
File
Preparation
Digital File
Preparation
and
Proofing
Digital File
Preparation
and
Proofing
Sheetfed Offset
Lithography Printing
Sheetfed Offset
Lithography Printing
Direct
Imaging
Offset
Printing
Digital
Printing
Computer-to-Film (CTF)
Analog Proofs and Plates
Digital Proofs
Computer-to-Plate (CTP)
Digital proofing and computer-to-plate
workflow can save many hours compared
to CTF, analog proofing and analog
platemaking workflow.
Sheetfed offset and direct-imaging offset
printing may require significant ink drying
time between sides and prior to finishing
and binding procedures.
Digital printing has no delay for platemak-
ing; toners are fused and dry immediately;
duplex printing capability is the norm.
Production times measured in minutes and
hours, rather than hours and days.
Part One:
Choosing a Print Process
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Choosing a Printing Process
The primary printing processes today include:
Offset Lithography - printing from a flat plate, usually onto paper substrate, but can
print on some plastic films and even metal; sheetfed and web press configurations;
single and two-sided press configurations; web press often has in-line drying and
finishing operations.
Digital - includes toner and ink jet systems; usually printing onto paper, but some
systems enable printing onto polyester film; sheet fed and web configurations;
duplex printing capability on most systems; some systems have in-line finishing and
binding operations.
Flexography - printing from a soft compressible, raised image plate; can print on a
wide variety of web fed substrates including tissue, paper, corrugated board, foil,
metalized paper, and several varieties of plastic; fast-drying, fluid ink; can be config-
ured with in-line finishing operations.
Gravure - printing from a hard, recessed engraved-image cylinder; used to print
high volume products on a wide variety of substrates including paper, paperboard,
foil, plastic films, plastic laminates (e.g. Formica), and vinyl flooring; cylinders
can average 6 to 7 million impressions.
The factors used to select a print process include:
Type of product Quantity
Substrate Image quality requirements
Image variability requirements Cost per piece
Color requirements Turnaround time requirements
Finishing and binding requirements
Many of the print processes are competitive in the same product markets. For example, mag-
azines and catalogs may be printed by gravure, offset, and even digital printing processes
with quantity being the primary determining factor. Other products, such as plastic laminate,
are exclusively printed by only one process. Variable data can only be done by digital printing.
Xerography vs. Offset Lithography
An important and emerging print market battle exists between xerography and offset lithog-
raphy. Quality and affordable full-color printing in short- to medium-run lengths may be best
achieved by digital printing systems. Offset printing can best print specific spot colors. Only
digital can print variable data. Turnaround time, with immediately dry digital printing, favors
digital over offset, even on longer print runs. Numerous off-line binding options for cut-sheet
favor both digital and offset, but especially enable fast turnaround on bound, digitally-printed
products.
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Part Two:
How do we see color, anyway?
Understanding Color Kenneth F. Hoffmann page 10
Overview of Part Two
Part Two:
1. Identify the parts of the human eye and explain their role in color perception.
2. Identify visible light as a component of the electromagnetic spectrum.
3. Explain the concepts of light absorption and reflection.
4. Explain the concept of the temperature of light and the impact on color
perception.
5. Explain major physiological and psychological aspects of color perception.
Cold hearted orb that rules the night,
Removes the colours from our sight.
Red is grey and yellow white,
But we decide which is right.
And which is an illusion???
The Moody Blues
What is green? Why is the sky blue? What is candy apple red? How do we see color, anyway?
In this part you will learn how people perceive color. Most importantly, you will learn why
different people see colors differently, and why individuals might see the same color different-
ly under different conditions.
Absorption
Color perception
Cones
Electromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic spectrum
Fatigue
Kelvin
Memory color
Nanometers
Reflection
Rods
Visible light
Visible spectrum
Wavelengths
Part Two:
How Do We See Color, Anyway?
1. The human eye
2. The electromagnetic
spectrum
3. Absorption and reflec-
tion
4. The language of color
5. Temperature of light
6. Physiological factors
7. Why do we print in
color?
Part Two:
The Human Eye
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The Rods and
Cones are on
the Retina, the
lining on the
back of the eye.
The Human Eye
The human eye is the bodys physical receptor of light energy unless, of course, you
include the skin when we get sun burns and sun tan. The lens of the eye focuses the light on
the retina, a light-sensitive surface around the back of the eye. The retina is made up of rods
and cones, which are the photosensitive cells. The rods and cones convert the light energy
into different nerve impulses. Vision is a function of light energy reaching the rods and
cones.
Did You
Know?
There are around 100
million rods in the reti-
na. Rods function in dim
light conditions and pro-
duce monochromatic
vision: white and black
and shades of gray.
There are more than six
million bulbous cones in
each eye. Cones see
color such as red, green,
and blue and also see
white, black and gray.
Cones need higher lev-
els of illumination to
produce color vision.
Bright colors at midday
are seen as a result of
different wavelengths
stimulating the cones.
The same scene in the
darkening dusk appears
muted, even as shades of
gray, as there is only
enough light energy to
stimulate the rods in the
retina.
The eye consists of red-sensitive, blue-sensitive, and green-sensitive
cones. It would be extremely unlikely that different individuals have
the same number and distribution of each color-sensitive cone.
Therefore, different individuals are unlikely to perceive colors
exactly the same.
Even in a color prepress work environment, with standard viewing
conditions, individuals will describe colors different because of
their differences in color sensitivity.
The eye sees colors in nature that can not be reproduced by any
photographic or print methods the eye is the perfect color-sensi-
tive photoreceptor!
Part Two:
The Full EM Spectrum
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The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Our environment is filled with electromagentic radiation. The electromagnetic radiation
consists of a wide range of wavelengths from radio waves to cosmic rays. This range of radia-
tion wavelengths is called the electromagnetic spectrum. Visible light is merely the compo-
nent of the electromagnetic spectrum that our human eye can perceive.
The wavelengths of energy in the electromagnetic spec-
trum range from the extremely short cosmic energy waves
at one billionth of a millimeter to the extremely long
wavelengths of radio at more than a kilometer in length.
Telescopes, such as Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra
Telescope see a lot more than the visible energy in the
electromagnetic spectrum. Sensors can detect energy at
almost all wavelengths: cosmic rays, gamma rays, x-rays,
ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, microwave, radar, radio.
The beautiful images from the Hubble Space Telescope are
not always in natural colors. Rather, some of the electro-
magnetic energy from the nebulae and galaxies are inter-
preted and assigned colors in the visible spectrum for us
to enjoy.
Did You Know?
Going from the values of radio
waves to those of visible light is like
comparing the thickness of this
page with the distance of the Earth
from the Sun, which represents an
increase by a factor of a million bil-
lion.
Similarly, going from the values of
visible light to the very much larger
ones of gamma rays represents
another increase in frequency by a
factor of a million billion.
Long Wave Radio Television Microwave Visible Light X-Rays Cosmic Rays
VHF Radio Radar Infrared Ultraviolet Gamma Rays
Part Two:
Visible Light Spectrum
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The wavelengths in the visible light portion of of the electromag-
netic spectrum range from 380 nanometers (deep violet) to 780
nanometers (deep red). A nanometer (nm) is one billionth
(11,000,000,000) of a meter. Visible light is between the ultraviolet
and infrared energy wavelengths.
We see different wavelengths between 380 nm and 780 nm as dif-
ferent colors. When we detect energy wavelengths at 420 - 480 nm,
we see blue. When our eyes detect wavelengths around 580 nm we
see greenish-yellow. When we see all of the wavelengths in about
equal measures, we see white light.
The prism can be used to separate white light into the visible spec-
trum because the different wavelengths bend and refract at differ-
ent angles within the prism.
Did You
Know?
Sir Isaac Newton was
not the first to believe
in the theory that white
light is the sum of all
colors. The Greek
philosopher, Aristotle,
believed that white light
was light in its pristine
form. Aristotle believed
that certain color phe-
nomena, such as the
rainbow, arise from a
modification of light.
Newton was right about
light refraction and the
fact that different colors
of light had different
properties. However,
Newton incorrectly
believed that light was
made of particles (rays)
of matter at different
sizes, rather than the
waves of electromechan-
ical energy that we
know today. 720 nm The visible light spectrum. 380 nm
Points to Ponder and Debate...
There is an age-old question about sound; If a tree falls in the forest and there is nobody to hear it fall,
does the falling tree make any noise?
Likewise...
If there is no one around to see an object, does that object have any color? If an object is red when
seen in bright light conditions, is the object still red in a darkened room?
Color science states that there is no color without light, an object, the human eye, and an interpretive
brain; all four are necessary for what we call color.
Part Two:
Absorption/Reflection
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Absorption and Reflection
As white light (the sum of all visible wavelengths) strikes an object, some of the light energy
wavelengths are absorbed and some of the light energy wavelengths are reflected When white
(sun) light strikes the flower petals, the object surface absorbs blue light and reflects green
and red light. We see the mixture of green and red light as yellow.
When red, green, and blue light reflects evenly (or nearly
so) from a surface, then we see that surface as white.
Part Two:
Color Perception
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Color Perception is Not Exact
Human color perception is not exact. Colors appear different because of their surrounding
regions. Two gray squares may be objectively the same, but will appear different based on the
density or the color of the surrounding regions.
Gradients and shades can often be perceived incorrectly. This is actually an even 20% black
positioned inside a larger gradient (90% to 10%).
The gray patch
surrounded by
yellow appears
darker than the
exact same value
gray surrounded
by blue-purple.
The magenta
patch surrounded
by light gray
appears darker
than the exact
same magenta
value surrounded
by dark gray.
The size of an
object affects
color perception.
Colors of larger
objects are more
easily distinguished.
Part Two:
Language of Color
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Hue
The wavelength of light of a particular color in its purest state without any added black or
white is called the hue. The hue in the main attribute of a color that distinguishes itself
from other colors. The name of the hue itself is a subjective term different in each lan-
guage that refers to an objectively measured wavelength of radiant energy. Hue is the per-
ceived color of an object. Here are some colors in familiar hues.
Saturation
The intensity of a particular hue is called saturation. Saturation refers to the value of a color,
the extent to which that color is made of a selected hue rather than of white. Saturation is
the property of a color that makes pale pink different from bright red. The scale for measur-
ing and describing saturation ranges from 0% to 100%. We often refer to a color with low
saturation as looking washed out. Saturation can also refer to the amount of grey in a
color. Less grey results in more saturation.
Purple Orange Brown Green Yellow Blue Red
Brightness (also called Lightness, Luminance)
Brightness is the amount of light being reflected from a surface. Brightness is the intensity
or dullness of a color. A hue in its purest state is at its brightest. In printing, brightness is
affected by the reflectance of the paper.
Brightness also refers to the lightness or dullness of a color due to the kind of light hitting
the object. A barn may be bright red on a sunny day, but a dull red on a rainy, overcast
evening. The darker the viewing conditions, the darker are the colors that we perceive.
Part Two:
Language of Color
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What is Green?
Few objects in nature either fully absorb
or fully reflect the primary colors of red,
green, and blue. Therefore, there are
numerous shades of many colors. Green,
for example, appears is an infinite variety
of hues. We sometimes call these distinc-
tions color shades.
What is a Color Family?
The name of a color is sometimes very vague. What is light blue? The name may have dif-
ferent meaning to different people. Other color names are more specific. What is navy blue?
In this case the answer would probable be similar from most people: a dark, cool near black
shade of blue.
We have many names for the shades within a given hue. A color family is the colors that are
referred to as being similar in hue. Some members of the Blue family include Baby,
Periwinkle, Navy, Sky, Medium, Royal, Gem, Blueberry, Aquamarine,
Cornflower, Indigo, and Carolina. Mitsubishi even has a auto color called Celtic Blue
Pearl try describing that one! Every printer knows Reflex blue and Process blue.
Meet Some Members
of the Blue Family
Part Two:
Color and Emotion
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Color and Emotion
Hot, warm, cool, cold: these are words often used to describe colors. We associate tempera-
ture, emotions, feelings with colors. We we refer to a color as being warm or cool we
mean an emotional or aesthetic quality, not the actual physical quality of the color or light. A
warm gray is somewhat reddish or yellowish. A cool gray has a blue or green color cast to it.
The early light of dawn casts a warm glow
on this mountain lake scene.
The deep green forest fern bed suggests a cool
atmosphere on even the hottest day.
The blue cast on this wintry landscape makes
it feel even colder than the snow itself might
suggest to the viewer.
You dont need a desert to evoke
the feeling of a hot location.
Part Two:
Color and Emotion
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Physiological Responses to Color
Our bodies respond differently to different colors that we see. For example:
RED increases electroencephalographic activity, chronic tension,
muscular activity, eye blinks
BLUE decreases all of the above.
These physiological responses to color is probably why
blue is considered a professional color that communi-
cates calmness and control. Blues is a popu-
lar color in corporate logos and for cor-
porate uniforms.
Red effectively calls attention to criti-
cal information and to danger warn-
ings in communications. Red is often used
for emphasis in package labels and signage.
Emotional Responses to Color
The most intense emotional responses are associated with bright colors at both ends of the
visible spectrum (red and purple).
Warm colors, such as reds, oranges, and yellows, are used to represent action, vitality, fun.
They can denote aggressiveness and appear close.
Cool colors, such as blues and greens, are seen as restful and quiet. They represent status,
background information, and work. They denote calming assurance and appear remote.
But, there are cultural differences. In France, red is associated with aristocracy; in Japan, yel-
low is associated with nobility and grace. Some holidays have strong color associations.
Valentines Day: red, pink. Easter: purple, white, yellow. St. Patricks Day: green. Halloween:
orange, black. Christmas: red, green.
Infants and young children choose bright, saturated colors. Adults prefer more desaturated
colors as they grow older. Blue is the most universally liked and recognized color, even
among those who are color-impaired.
Part Two:
Physiological Factors
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The Physiological Factors of Color Perception
In the imaging and publishing field, we must understand color compres-
sion. The human eye can see over nine million colors; color film only
10,000 to 15,000; the sheetfed press only 5000 to 6000; and the web press
can only deliver 2000 to 3000 colors. Nothing that we produce as a photo
or a printed sheet will ever exactly match the colors in the real world.
Vision is susceptible to sensory adaptation. There is a reduction in sensi-
tivity to stimulation as the stimulus persists for a period of time stay
out in bright sunlight, eyes become less sensitive; your eyes will take time
to adapt to a sudden change such as entering a dark room. Likewise, there
is an increase in sensitivity when there is a lack of stimulation when in
a dark room for a while the eye becomes sensitive to very low levels of
light energy.
There are also physical differences in color vision: people see and describe
color differently per one's own sensitivity. Subjective differences may
result from physical adaptation over time: production workers on day
shifts may perceive color differently than the night shift crew. Describing
color is difficult due to the lack of a standard vocabulary or set of terms to
explain visual differences a fact often overlooked in making color
approvals or describing color corrections.
Aging is a real factor. The need for increased illumination is greater as one
ages. A person at age 50 may need 50% more illumination than when
he/she was age 20.
We cannot memorize color or tonal gradation: we can only compare color
under a standard light source. Color can appear unchanged even under
different conditions. White and object colors that are part of a color scene
may still appear the same under different lighting conditions what
appears as a white surface may in fact be a light gray when compared to
other white values. The eye focuses on contrast and context rather than
memory.
Color fatigue is the cause of the negative afterimage from over stimula-
tion. Stare at a color for a minute and quickly look away and you often get
a negative (opposite color) afterimage floating, for a few seconds, in your
new field of vision. Color fatigue increases in effect when person becomes
tired or mentally exhausted This phenomenon will vary from individual to
individual but we are all affected and should be aware of the potential
when doing color evaluations. The negative afterimage from color fatigue
impacts the visual evaluation of color or hue.
Adaptation to
Stimulus
Aging is a Real
Factor
No Color
Memory
Color Fatigue
Color
Compression
People See and
Describe Color
Differently
Part Two:
Temperature of Light
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Temperature of Light
Color temperature, measured in degrees Kelvin, is the temperature to which a black object
must be heated to produce a certain color light. As an object is heated, it emits radiation of a
characteristic color. Color temperature is a system of numbers used for measuring the color
of light. The color varies according to its temperature which is measured in degrees Kelvin.
Candle light, at 1800K, has emitted radiation that is relatively red. 2900K is representative of
a tungsten lamp. At 4800K, light is relatively yellow. At 6500K the color of light is neutral
due to an even distribution of wavelengths. At 9300K, the color of light is relatively blue.
5000K is close to the color temperature of direct sunlight and is considered the standard
light temperature for viewing conditions during color evaluation for the imaging, publishing,
and printing industry.
Kelvin
Scale
The Kelvin Scale
(abbreviated by
the letter K) is a
system of absolute
temperature
invented by
William Thompson
Kelvin. The Kelvin
scale uses the
same degrees as
the Celsius (C)
scale, but defines
absolute zero
(0K) as the tem-
perature at which
all atomic activity
stops.
0Kelvin = minus
273.16Celsius.
Numerically, the
Kelvin tempera-
ture is equal to
the Celsius tem-
perature plus 273
degrees.
This image
appears as it
would under
standard 5000K
color evaluation
and viewing
conditions.
This image
appears with a
greenish color
cast as it would
under standard
fluorescent
light viewing
conditions.
The color temperature of the viewing conditions will directly impact the
appearance of the photo, proof, or printed sheet being evaluated.
Part Two:
Why Do We Print in Color?
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Why Do We Print in Color, Anyway?
While color is not necessary for visual communication, studies have clearly shown the many
advantages of added color in documents. Color can add significant impact to a design. Color
can increase the effectiveness of print/media communication. Color can add interest.
Marketing studies have clearly shown that the use of color results in return rates significant-
ly higher than those for black& white printing. Sometimes the results with color images can
be ten or more times higher than black and white printing.
This illustration
may be consid-
ered as more
effective in color
than when in
grayscale.
Many magazine
advertisements
are printed in
grayscale and
are very effective.
Would this
poster be as
appealing and
interesting with-
out the use of
color?
Overall, color is
proven to be a
more effective
communication
strategy than
grayscale or
black & white.
Cambria Museum of Art
Join us for an evening of live music, refreshment, and art in celebration of our new location at the heart
of downtown Cambria. Featuring a true Cambria treasure: 100 years of local artwork.
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Part Two:
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Research has proven that using color in business documents can have
measurable results. The following examples have been selected from a
variety of sources to demonstrate the power that black and white
documents can achieve when printed in color.
Color Captures Attention
Color emphasizes critical information and conveys a sense of
professionalism
Color increases readers attention spans and recall by 82%
Color gains readership by 80%
Color makes an impression that is 39% more memorable
Telephone listings printed in color can increase response by 44%
People are more likely to pick up a full color piece of mail first.
Color emphasizes critical information and conveys a sense of
professionalism
Color Improves Communications
Color increases comprehension by as much as 73%
Color speeds learning and retention by 78%
Color can boost survey participation by 80%
Reader comprehension has been found to be 14% better with
highlight color rather than with bold text
Color Sells
Color helps sell up to 80% more
Color can improve brand recognition by up to 80%
Color increases
readers attention
spans and recall by
82%.
82%
Color speeds learn-
ing and retention
by 78%.
78%
Color helps sell up
to 80% more.
80%
Part Two:
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Color Enhances Productivity
Color reduces search time by as much as 80%
Color reduces errors by 80%
Information can be located 70% faster if it is in color
Document sorting improves by 15% when highlight color is used
Highlight color improves search time by 39% when compared to
using different fonts
Color can increase payment response by up to 30%
People are 2.5% more likely to pay the full amount when it is
shown in color.
Color increases
readers attention
spans and recall by
82%.
82%
Color Attracts Attention
Color Clarifies
Color Sells
Part Three:
Comparative Color Models
Overview of Part Three
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Part Three:
1. Explain the principles and application of additive color model.
2. Explain the principles and application of subtractive color model.
3. Explain the principles and application of the artists color wheel.
4. Explain the principles and application of the CIE color models.
5. Explain the principles and application of the Munsell Color System.
Understanding color and how it is
reproduced is one of the most difficult
concepts in the graphic arts, but it is
also one of the most rewarding to
understand.
Thomas E. Schildgen
Over the years, the ability to understand, visualize, communicate, and reproduce color has
been analyzed and defined. We have used scientific, perceptive, quantitative, and qualitative
descriptors and measures. Fundamentally, color is a human sensation and the business of
color remains a subjective evaluation by the customer.
Mixing Systems
Additive color
Subtractive color
RGB
CMYK
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Intermediate
Complementary
Color wheel
CIE
Chromaticity
Chromaticity diagram
Gamut
Munsell Color System
Perceptual
Chroma
Part Three:
1. Additive Color: RGB
2. Subtractive Color: CMYK
3. Artists Color Wheel
4. CIE color models
5. Munsel Color
Part Three:
Additive Color Model
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The Additive Color Model
We see light. The additive color model builds
color with light. Televisions and computer
monitors build color with the additive color
model. The additive color model is often
referred to as RGB Color because the three
primary colors are Red, Green, and Blue.
Each of these three primary colors is one-
third of the visible light spectrum. As the
amounts (intensity) of RGB lights are varied,
new colors are made. A RGB monitor can dis-
play millions of colors, all made from combi-
nations of only red, green, and blue lights.
To best understand the additive color
model, imagine a white wall in a dark-
ened room.
A beam of red light makes a circle on the
white wall a RED circle, of course.
A beam of blue light makes a BLUE circle
that overlaps the red circle. In the area
where red and blue overlap, a new,
lighter color is made. This new color has
2/3 of the visible light spectrum and is
named MAGENTA. (R + B = Magenta)
There is no green in magenta.
A beam of green light makes a GREEN
circle that overlaps the blue and red cir-
cles. In the area where green and blue
overlap, a new, lighter color is made. This
new color has 2/3 of the visible light
spectrum and is named CYAN.
(G + B = Cyan) There is no red in cyan.
In the area where green and red overlap,
a new, lighter color is made. This new
color has 2/3 of the visible light spectrum
and is named YELLOW. (G + R = Yellow)
There is no blue in yellow.
In the area where red, green and blue
overlap, a new, lighter color is made. This
new color has all of the visible light spec-
trum and is named WHITE. (R + G + B =
White)
Additive Color Model
Primary Colors
Red, Green, Blue
Secondary Colors
Red + Blue = Magenta
Blue + Green = Cyan
Red + Green = Yellow
Red + Green + Blue = White
In both print and non-print media, we mix some colors to make additional colors. There are
two widely used mixing systems: the additive color model and the subtractive color model.
Part Three:
Subtractive Color Model
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The Subtractive Color Model
We see light. But, we do not print with light.
Printing systems use the subtractive color
model by subtracting color from white light.
The subtractive color model is often referred
to as CMYK Color because the three sub-
tractive primary colors are Cyan, Magenta,
and Yellow. Each of these three primary col-
ors subtracts one-third of the visible light
spectrum. Black is used as a correcting color
to add neutral density to the colors. As the
amounts (coverage area) of CMYK inks or
toners are varied and mixed, new colors are
made. A CMYK color mixing and printing
system can make millions of colors, all made
from combinations of only cyan, magenta,
yellow, and black.
To best understand the subtractive
color model, imagine a white sheet
of paper in a white lighted room.
A patch of CYAN ink makes a cyan
square on the paper. We see cyan
because the red has been subtracted
from the reflected light.
A patch of MAGENTA ink makes a
magenta square on the paper. We
see cyan because the green has
been subtracted from the reflected
light. Where the cyan and magenta
overlap we see BLUE, because all of
the red and green have been sub-
tracted from the reflected light.
A patch of YELLOW ink makes a
yellow square on the paper. We see
yellow because the blue has been
subtracted from the reflected light.
Where the yellow and magenta
overlap we see RED, because all of
the blue and green have been sub-
tracted from the reflected light.
Where the yellow and cyan overlap
we see GREEN, because all of the
blue and red have been subtracted
from the reflected light.
Where all three colors (CMY) over-
lap, the result is almost black. Black
is used as a fourth color to add neu-
tral density. Black is indicated by
the letter K; B is for blue.
Subtractive Color Model
Primary Colors
Cyan, Magenta, Yellow
Secondary Colors
Cyan + Magenta = Blue
Cyan + Yellow = Green
Magenta + Yellow = Red
C + M + Y = (almost black)
Black (K) is used to increase density.
A primary color is one that cannot
be made by mixing two other colors,
but, theoretically, primary colors can
be mixed to produce other colors.
A secondary color is one that results from
the mixing of two primary colors.
A tertiary color (sometimes called intermedi-
ate color) results from the combination of a
secondary and a primary color. For a tertiary
color mix, the name of the primary color is
given first.
The artist may use the color wheel to help
plan a design. The color directly opposite any
selected color on the wheel is called a com-
plementary color. Complementary colors
would go together well in design.
Part Three:
Artists Color Wheel
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Primary Colors
Red, Blue, Yellow
Secondary Colors
Orange, Green, Purple
Tertiary Colors
Yellow-Orange Blue-Purple
Yellow-Green Red-Purple
Blue-Green Red-Orange
The Artists Color Wheel
Perhaps, you remember a different color
model from art class. Called the Artists Color
Wheel, this model shows red, yellow, and
blue as the primary colors. A color wheel is
a visual reference chart of colors.
The colors on the color wheel are called
hues. They are divided into primary,
secondary, and tertiary colors. The left side of
the wheel (Yellow through Red-Purple) are
referred to as warm colors. The right side
of the wheel (Yellow-Green through Purple)
are called the cool colors.
The artist Marc Chagall said,
All colors are the friends of their neighbors and the lovers of their opposites.
P
P
S
S S
T
T
T
Neutral
T
T
T
P
Did You Know?
The Jesuit teacher Franois d'Aguilon,
in 1613, declared that there were three
primary colors: red, yellow, blue, which
together with white and black could be
combined to make all colors.
Sir Isaac Newton not only studied the
visible light spectrum, he also arranged
to colors of the spectrum into a circle
to study the colors. Many color wheels
have since been developed. This color
wheel was defined by Herbert Ives,
based on the work of Newton.
With the simple use of shades,
tones, and tints, shapes can be
given a three-dimensional
appearance.
Part Three:
Artists Color Wheel
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Y
M
B
G R
I
I
I
Neutral
I
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C
Alternate Artists Color Wheel and Color Triangles
In various art texts the color wheel has different variations. Below is a common color wheel
that combines and emphasizes the RGB and CMY colors. Which are the primary colors and
which are the secondary colors depends on which model (additive or subtractive) is empha-
sized. The mixture of the primary and secondary colors are called Intermediate colors.
The concept of complementary
colors is often expanded. Opposite
colors on the color wheel are called
complementary.
Near complements are colors which
align in a Y pattern in the wheel.
An example is indicated by the
magenta lines. Twelve different Y
patterns can be made to define 12
different near complement groups.
Triadic complements are formed in
a triangular pattern, as indicated by
the cyan lines. Four different triadic
complement groups can be defined.
Near and triadic complements are
formed on both the standard and
the alternate artists color wheels.
Artists may use a color triangle to show
color shades (intermediates between a hue
and a black), tints (intermediates between
a hue and white), and tones (intermedi-
ates between a hue and gray).
Part Three:
CIE
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CIE Color Models
CIE is the abbreviation for Commission
Internationale de lEclairage (International
Commission on Illumination), an organiza-
tion that defined a visual color model in
1931. This group established specifications
for the standard observer color vision sensi-
tivity. Their work in 1931 established what
has become the most universally accepted
system of color measurement.
The CIE system developed a device-indepen-
dent, uniform color model. The CIE system
has evolved into four different color spaces to
meet the needs of different market sectors.
The measurements used by the CIE were
based on a standard observer. The CIE
sampled 1,700 individuals to establish a stan-
dard red, green, and blue wavelength of light
that represented the average observer.
A chromaticity diagram is a two-dimensional
plotting of the CIE three-dimensional color
space. The 1931 CIE-XYZ diagram (left) was
developed to show the entire gamut (range)
of perceivable colors, expressed in chromatic-
ity. Chromaticity is a color quality of light
that is defined by wavelength and saturation,
independent of brightness or luminance.
A significant and frequently used application
of the CIE-XYZ diagram is its adaptation
(right) to show the relative gamut for colors
that can be reproduced on photographic film,
on a computer monitor, and on an offset
printing press.
520
510
500
490
480
470
460
450 400-380
530
540
550
560
570
580
590
600
610
620
630
650
700-750
Film
Monitor
Printing
Press
Did You Know?
James Maxwell, a Scottish physicist, brought mathematics to the search for a color model. In 1872, he
developed an equilateral triangle chart that placed the three primary colors (RGB) at the corners. He
stated that all color could be located within the triangle. His work is the basis for the 1931CIE system.
CIE model in 1931.
Wavelength numbers
are in nanometers
Part Three:
CIE
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In 1976, in an effort
to better refine color
measurement,
CIELAB and CIE LUV
were developed.
CIE LAB (also known
as CIE L*a*b*) is
based on CIE XYZ.
The L* values repre-
sent lightness. The
chromaticity coordi-
nates are indicated by
a* and b* a* is the
green/red and b*
indicates the blue/
yellow. The CIE LAB
model is used pri-
marily for reflective
color, including
printed sheets.
The CIE LUV color space
model is very similar to the
CIE LAB model. The CIE
LUV model is primarily
used for TV and computer
monitor displays.
L=100
white
(+u*)
+a*
red
(-u*)
-a*
green
(-v*)
-b*
blue
(+v*)
+b* yellow
L= 0
black
L*
value
Yellow
+ b*
Hue
40
50
60
Blue
- b*
Green
- a*
Red
+ a*
30
20
10
simulation
In the Munsell
color system,
the ten hue
regions are
arranged so
complement
colors are oppo-
site each other.
Munsell identi-
fied five main
hues:
Red (R),
Yellow (Y)
Green (G)
Blue (B)
Purple (P)
Five intermedi-
ate hues are:
Yellow-Red (YR),
Green-Yellow (GY)
Blue-Green (BG)
Purple-Blue (PB)
Red-Purple (RP)
Steps in
between these hues are given a number from 1 to 10 preceding the letter, as in 5R or 4.5PB.
The value or lightness of a color ranges from 1 to 10, in perceptually uniform steps. The
chroma or saturation of a color also is arranged in perceptually uniform steps. The maximum
chroma differs for each Munsell hue, ranging as high as 15 for the yellows and 16 for the
reds. Neutral whites, grays, and blacks have a chroma of zero.
The three attributes of the Munsell color system hue, value, chroma are given in a
notation form HV/C. For example, the notation 7.5RP 8/10 would indicate a color 7.5 steps
around the color wheel from the red-purple, of medium-high brightness, and high saturation.
Part Three:
Munsell Color
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The Munsell Color System
The Munsell Color System is a perceptual
color system that defines colors by hue,
value, and chroma. Introduced in 1913 by
Albert H. Munsell, and American artist and
teacher, used chips of color for visual refer-
ence and identification.
Called the Munsell Color Tree, the model
uses a vertical axis to represent the lightness
or value of a color, and the horizontal axis to
represent the chroma or saturation of a
color. The purest color is located on the
outer edge of the model. Ten hue regions are
arranged in a circle around the brightness/
lightness value axis.
white
blue-green
red-purple
yellow-red
red
yellow
blue
purple-
blue
purple
green
green-
yellow
9
8
7
6
4
6
8
10
5
4
2
1
black
chroma
v
a
l
u
e
hue
Part Four:
What is Color Separation?
Overview of Part Four
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Part Four:
1. Identify and describe the function of the primary component parts in scanners
and digital cameras.
2. Explain the color concepts of process color separation.
3. Explain the basic procedures in preparing color images for best print quality.
4. Explain the role of the halftone dot and stochastic screening spot.
5. Explain how halftone and stochastic images are made in PostScript.
6. Explain the concept of dot gain.
A good scan is as important as a good
original to successful reproduction of
an image; neither digital retouching
nor high-quality output can make up
for an inadequate scan.
Agfa, A Guide to Color Separation
How do colors separate? How do we put them back together again? Why are we always being
corrected? What are we screening for? How does your dot grow? To moir or not to moir: is
that an option? How many pixels do you need to make a dot? Or, is that how many dots make
a spot? Color separation: an art, a craft, a science, or a technology or all of the above?
scanners drum scanners
flatbed scanners analog
digital linear array
matrix array megapixel
A/D conversion binary
bit depth process color
color separation tone reproduction
gray balance color correction
halftone screen angle
screen frequency dot size
dot shape misregistration
algorithm stochastic screening
dot gain FM screening
optical dot gain
Part Four:
1. Image capture: color
scanners and
digital cameras
2. CMYK printing process
3. Steps to good color
4. The function of ink and
toner on paper
5. The halftone dot
6. Stochastic screening
7. Dot gain
Part Four:
Image Capture: Color Scanners
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How Do Scanners Work?
A scanner uses a light source, optics (mirrors and lenses), and filters (RGB). The scanner
measures the RGB color values of light that reflect off the image (for reflective photographs or
art) or shine through the image (for slides/transparencies). The scanner records those values
in an electronic file with data for each of the three RGB channels. As the image is measured,
each sample point is recorded as a separate pixel (picture element) comprised of the different
values of RGB light. The resulting bitmap of the pixelized image can be reconstructed on a
computer screen.
PMT - Photomultiplier Tube
Drum scanners, in which the flexible film or
print original is mounted on a rotating glass
drum, use three (RGB) PMT sensors which
convert light into voltages or electrical
charges. These electrical charges are analog,
continuous signals of varying intensity. The
PMT can sense very low light levels by ampli-
fying the signals during the sensing. The sig-
nals are converted into a digital form and
sent to the computer for image display and
file storage.
Drum scanners, using PMT technology, are
capable of registering a wide density range
and for many years were the standard for
high quality color separation scans in the
publishing industry. However, PMT scanners
have very high manufacturing and mainte-
nance costs due to their complexity.
Extensive manual controls in most PMT
scanners require the operator to have a very
high level of knowledge and expertise.
Because of the curved surface and high-speed
spinning of the scanner drum on which the
film or print is mounted, only flexible mate-
rials are supported. Rigid originals must be
copied onto film. Precious flexible originals
were often duplicated to avoid any risk of
damage during scanning. Many color separa-
tions were made from second-generation
images. Therefore, drum scanners have often
been replaced by the top-of-the line flatbed
scanners in many production environments.
PMT - Photomultiplier Tube Scanners
Advantages
High speed
Wide density range
High resolution
Preview accuracy
Preview-level color control
Preview-level sharpening control
File format choices
Reflection and transparency
Interchangeable drums for off-
scanner image mounting
Disadvantages
Proprietary high-cost systems at
high end of market
Mounting flexible images is time-
consuming
High operator knowledge and
skill required
Risk to original on spinning drum
Cannot scan rigid originals
Current Market Status
Rapidly declining market share
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Part Four:
Image Capture: Color Scanners
CCD - Charge-Coupled Device
Flatbed scanners, in which the copy is
placed on a glass plate, use triple-array,
RGB-filtered, light capturing CCD elements.
CCD's are semiconductor chips that convert
light into voltages or electrical charges.
These electrical charges are analog, contin-
uous signals of varying intensity. The inten-
sity is relative to the strength of the light
that hits the sample point on the CCD array.
The signals are converted into a digital form
and sent to the computer for image display
and file storage.
Flatbed scanner CCD technology at the end
of 1999 is a very mature technology. The
high-end flatbed scanners register density
ranges that match or exceed drum scanners.
Once considered poor quality and slow
speed compared to drum scanners, CCD
flatbed scanners are now the most widely
used scanners. Scanner resolutions, optics,
software, consistency, and speed have all sig-
nificantly improved in recent years.
Software controlling the flatbed scanners
today enables one to make scans without
requiring a high level of color knowledge
and expertise.
Flatbed CCD color scanners today range
from nicely capable home and office devices
costing under $200 to mid-range professional
scanners costing around $8,000 to high-end
professional scanners costing around
$50,000. Quality, versatility, and productivity
determine the cost and appropriate use.
Evolution of the Scanner
1970: $400,000.00 scanner with a free computer as part of its system!
1999: $1,500.00 computer with a free scanner!
CCD - Charge-Coupled Device Scanners
Advantages
Wide range of devices for many
markets and budgets
Density ranges from 24-bit to
48-bit
Improved optics
Improved user-friendly software
Reflection and transparency now
on most scanners
3D object scans on some models
Dedicated slide scanners
Wide range of flatbed sizes
Increasing automation of scan-
ning process.
High productivity levels of top-of-
line scanners
Disadvantages
Diversity of market choices for
scanners can lead to purchase of
scanner with capabilities which
either do not meet or exceed
needs of user.
Current Market Status
Rapidly increasing market share
due to range of device features
and overall decreasing cost of
highly-capable scanners.
Part Four:
Image Capture: Digital Cameras
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How Do Digital Cameras Work?
Digital photography usually includes traditional camera optic and mechanisms, but uses elec-
tronic light sensors rather than film. Many digital cameras have unique camera bodies
designed especially for their digital purpose. Other digital cameras are built with camera bod-
ies that fully utilize the same lenses as conventional film cameras. Studio cameras use inter-
changeable conventional film and digital camera backs for total versatility and economy.
Digital cameras are becom-
ing an increasingly impor-
tant component of a fully
digital publishing and print-
ing workflow, as shown in
this workflow diagram.
A digital camera can be
described as a scanner with
a lens in front. Digital
cameras use CCD light sens-
ing elements. The CCDs are
composed of thousands of
minute elements in a linear
array (grouped in a row) or
matrix array (grouped in
rectangular block).
Linear arrays are moved in
steps across the image plane
of the camera and are often
used for capturing high-res-
olution images of non-mov-
ing subjects.
Matrix arrays, also known as
area arrays, capture the full
scene in a fraction of a sec-
ond, permitting subject
movement. Both types of
arrays include RGB filters to
make the color channels.
Matrix arrays are often
described by total pixels as
well as by width and height
pixel measurements.
Do You Know?
How many pixels equals a megapixel? (One million pixels)
How do you calculate a megapixel? The Nikon D1 camera model has a
2.74-megapixel CCD for ultrahigh-definition images. This camera
makes an image with a resolution of 2,012 x 1,324 effective pixels
(2,663,888 pixels = 2.66 megapixels).
A Typical Digital Workflow for Publishing
Text and Image Acquisition
Text - word processing
Graphics - computer illustrations
Photos - digital cameras
Digital Document Creation
Digital Proofing
Digital Printing
Part Four:
A/D Conversion
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Analog to Digital (A/D)
Conversion
The conversion of an analog (continuous)
signal into its digital (discrete) equivalent
is essential. Computers can only display,
manipulate, and store digital data. The
A/D converter measures input voltage and
outputs a digitally encoded number cor-
responding to that voltage.
Counting in binary format (zeros and
ones) an 8-bit converter can sample 256
gray levels (0 through 255 00000000
through 11111111).
Pixels in an RGB image requires an 8-bit
number for each color channel, offering a
gamut of 16.7 million colors (256 x 256 x
256). the resulting 24-bit RGB image
requires three times the storage space of
the monochrome image. When an RGB
file is converted to a CMYK file for
process color printing, four 8-bit chan-
nels are created from the previous three,
making a 32-bit depth file.
Scanners and digital cameras do not make the
RGB to CMYK conversion. This conversion is
done by image editing software applications or
utilities.
Shopping for Scanners and Digital Cameras
When shopping for a color scanner or a digital camera, many issues are very similar:
Resolution - how much image data is sampled. This determines the detail of any image that is cap-
tured and the enlargement potential of any image for a given output requirement.
Bit depth - how many tones and colors can be recognized and recorded.
Optics (lenses and mirrors) - the quality of the optics determine such important factors as image
sharpness and light-level sensitivity.
Speed - the productivity of the scanner (scan time) and the digital camera (frames per second).
Scanner considerations also include reflection/transparency and size of scanning area. Digital camera
considerations include lens types and options, viewing, relative shutter speeds and f-stops, and memory
storage and image file downloading.
Use the Internet to search for various color scanner and digital camera manufactures. Compare fea-
tures and costs.You will find a very wide range of scanner and camera models. Digital cameras and color
scanners are becoming increasingly more capable at steadily decreasing costs.
255
Time
0
Analog Digital
Part Four:
Process Color Printing
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Cyan
blacK
CMYK
C + M
C + M+ Y
Magenta
Yellow
Process Color Printing
Printing full-color pictures with inks or toners
uses the subtractive color model (CMYK). Each
layer of color subtracts color reflecting from the
paper. The amount of color subtracted depends on
the size of the spots of printing ink or toner.
Part Four:
Steps to Good Color
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Steps to Good Color Reproduction
Optimum color reproduction depends on three elements:
1. Tone reproduction image contrast, highlight, midtone, and shadow densities
2. Gray balance (cast correction) adjusting the proportions of CMY to produce a
neutral gray.
3. Color correction achieving accurate hue and realistic saturation
Tone and gray balance corrections must be accomplished before color correction is attempted.
Unsharp masking followed by RGB to CMYK conversion, if needed, complete the process.
original image
sharpened
color corrected
tone & cast
corrected
Cyan ink or toner on paper
subtracts red light. (the
remaining light reflections
are: B + G = Cyan)
Part Four:
Ink/Toner on Paper
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Function of Ink/Toner on Paper in Process
Color Printing
The three primary colors of white light are Red, Green, and Blue.
White paper reflects all three colors evenly.
Cyan and magenta ink or
toner on paper subtracts
both red and green light.
(the remaining light reflec-
tions is Blue
So, Why do We Need Black?
Theory and Reality do not match exactly. The CMY inks and toners
are not pure colors. The slight imperfections mean that some light
still reflects off of the paper. These slight imperfections cause some
light to reflect off of the sheet. The result is a less-than-pure black.
Ink and toner act like a filter on the surface of the paper. Color layers each filter out (absorb,
subtract) some color from the reflection of light off of the paper surface.
Fast Factoid
The dye, magenta, invented in 1859, was named
in honor of Napoleon IIIs victory over Austria
at the Lombard town of Magenta, Italy.
Part Four:
The Halftone Dot
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Halftone Dots (Spots) in Process Color Printing
A conventional or digital printing press has inks and toners each with a single density. A
printer varies the amount of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink/toner coverage by using
dots or spots, all with the same density.
We just learned that ink and toner act like a filter on the surface of the paper and that these
color layers each filter out (absorb, subtract) some color from the reflection of light off of the
paper surface. The size of the CMYK dots or spots of coverage determines how much RGB
light is subtracted from the reflected light.
The most common method for controlling ink coverage is the conventional halftone.
In conventional halftones, the image is made of vary-
ing-size, evenly-spaced, equal density dots which create
the illusion of a gradation of tones.
The four primary characteristics of halftones include:
screen angle
screen frequency
dot size
dot shape.
Screen Angles
In process color printing, each color halftone at made
with its dot pattern at a different angle.
In conventional color separations, the halftone screen
angles are black at 45, magenta at 75, cyan at 105,
and yellow at 90. (Figure A)
Incorrect screen angles will result in a moir pattern
an unwanted interference pattern caused by varia-
tions in the way the color halftone dots overlap.
(Figure B)
Misregistration of the halftones will result in blurry
image detail and possible color shifts since the halftone
dots do not line up and overlap correctly. (Figure C)
A
B
C
K=45
M=75
C=105
Y=90
K=45
M=75
(shifted
right)
C=105
Y=90
K=45
M=55
C=105
Y=90
Part Four:
The Halftone Dot
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Dot Size
Halftone dot size is stated in terms of percent dot area the percentage of the area that is
covered by ink. Screen tints use the same terminology.
A binary digital printing system renders a halftone by controlling the placement of the printer
dots on the substrate. The size of the halftone dot is constructed point by point or pixel by
pixel. This is true of imagesetter films, printing plates, and laser printed sheets.
The resolution of the rasterized page is defined as pixels per inch or dots per inch. The entire
page is comprised of addressable pixels in a grid pattern (bitmap). Halftone dots are defined as
sections of the pages grid pattern; these grid sections for each halftone dot are called cells.
The total number of imaged pixels, divided by the total number of pixels in each halftone cell,
is the percent dot area for that specific halftone dot.
Below are simulated halftone cells with imaged pixels that are clustered to make the individ-
ual halftone dots.
4/256 = 1.5% 104/256 = 40.6% 216/256 = 84.3%
Screen Frequency
Screen frequency is the count of parallel lines or rows of dots per unit of measure: lines per
inch or lines (lpi) per centimeter (L/cm). The higher the number of halftone dots per inch,
the greater the amount of image detail that can be rendered. The screen frequency is chosen
after considering print method, resolution, and substrate.
Part Four:
The Halftone Dot
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Dot Shape
In conventional (photographic process) halftones, the halftone dot was made as light passed
through a halftone screen film. Dots grew outward, evenly from a center core. Halftone
screens were made with round, elliptical, or square dot shapes at the 50% midpoint dot size.
Different shapes yield different results in varying print conditions. For example, round dots
are preferred over elliptical dots in web offset printing because of the potential for slight
stretching of the dot shape.
In digital halftone rendering with dots that are built pixel by pixel, the possible shapes are
many. With PostScript halftone rendering, each pixel at the output device resolution is
addressed and controlled. Therefore, a wide variety of dot shapes are possible. Screen fre-
quency, output device resolution, and screen angle are all factors in dot shape.
A
B
C
Dot Shapes and PostScript
PostScript must address each pixel on the
page bitmap. All pixels must be used. The
halftone cell easily aligns to the bitmap grid
at both the 90 and the 45 screen angles.
Figure A shows a 10 x 10 cell at 90.
In Figure B, the same size cell does not align
to the grid at the 75 screen angle.
Figure C simulates how PostScript will adjust
the cell shape to fit the bitmap grid at the
best possible screen angle and nearest
screen frequency.
Imagesetter and platesetter vendors have
their own screening algorithms to get the
best dot shapes with their systems.
Part Four:
Stochastic Screening
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Stochastic Screening
In conventional halftones, the dots are evenly spaced and vary in size. Stochastic screening
uses same-sized micro dots that are precisely placed in a way that seems randomly spaced.
Stochastic screening will render a photographic image with much higher detail than conven-
tional screening because of the smaller image elements.
The algorithm (mathematical calculation) that controls stochastic screening dot placement
uses information about the image densities, output device resolution, and minimum dot size
(usually the printers resolution setting. The grayscale image density is recreated in print by a
seemingly random distribution of the imaged pixels. (see figures in the box below).
Many digital printers provide the option to render images in a photographic or continuous
tone mode. These printers use a method called diffusion dithering which, in effect, is very
similar to stochastic screening, rather than printing with the geometric grid pattern of con-
ventional halftones. The result is smoother images with higher amount of detail.
The terms photographic and continuous tone are actually misused since the printed images
are built with four toner colors (CMYK), each with consistent density. The photographic
images throughout this curriculum course book are imaged with a digital printer using the
photographic or continuous tone option.
4/256 = 1.5% 104/256 = 40.6% 216/256 = 84.3%
4/256 = 1.5% 104/256 = 40.6% 216/256 = 84.3%
Part Four:
Dot Gain
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Ink and Toner Printing Difference: Dot Gain Issue
In offset printing, there is a phenomenon called dot gain. Essentially, the halftone dot size on
the printed sheet is larger than the dot size on the offset plate. Dot gain is caused by four
major factors, some are more important than others depending on the specific situation.
- the inking of the plate: a dot with ink is slightly larger than a dot without ink
- the pressures of transferring the ink from plate to blanket to paper
- the absorption or spread of ink on the paper
- the color light spread within the paper (optical dot gain) makes the dot appear larger
than it really is.
Dot gain is inevitable; dot gain cannot be eliminated in offset printing. However, dot gain can
be calibrated and controlled. When dot gain is out of control (such as in the magenta ink on
the image below) then a color shift will occur.
Digital printing with toner spots does not have true dot gain. There is not a plate to compare
before and after dots. However, each digital printing device does have its unique print
gamut the range of colors which it can reproduce.
Optical dot gain is caused by the
shadow of the color ink or toner
within the paper. Therefore, the
paper as well as the printing
method is a factor in overall
dot gain or color appearance.
Dot gain can be measured and com-
pensated for in prepress procedures.
Desired Dot Area On Press Sheet
Prepress On Press Sheet
Uncompensated
Compensated
Simulated Good Dot Gain Simulated Excessive Dot Gain
Part Four:
GCR and UCR
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GCR and UCR Color Replacement
When we print color separations, the three additive colors (red, green, and blue) are translat-
ed into their subtractive counterparts (cyan, magenta, and yellow). In theory, equal parts of
cyan, magenta, and yellow would combine to subtract all light reflected from the paper and
result in black. However, due to printing papers, print conditions, and impurities present in
all printing inks, a mix of 100% CMY instead yields a muddy brown. In standard color separa-
tion CMYK printing, black ink or toner is used to add neutral density and increase the depth
of shadow colors.
In addition, many printers remove some cyan, magenta, and yellow in areas where the three
colors exist in equal amounts, and they add black ink. Prepress operators typically use one of
two ways to generate black in print: gray component replacement (GCR) or undercolor
removal (UCR):
With GCR, black ink is used to replace portions of cyan, magenta, and yellow ink in
colored areas as well as in neutral areas. GCR separations tend to reproduce dark,
saturated colors somewhat better than UCR separations do and maintain gray bal-
ance better on press.
With UCR, black ink is used to replace cyan, magenta, and yellow ink in neutral
areas only (that is, areas with equal amounts of cyan, magenta, and yellow). This
results in less ink and greater depth in shadows. Because it uses less ink, UCR is
generally used for newsprint and uncoated stock.
UCA (undercolor
addition) compen-
sates for the loss of
ink density in neu-
tral shadow areas.
This additional ink
produces rich, dark
shadows in areas
that might appear
flat if printed with
only black ink. This
option is available
only for GCR separa-
tions.
Increasing the UCA
amount increases
the amount of CMY
added to shadow
areas.
Part Five:
Working with Digital Files
Overview of Part Five
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Part Five:
1. Identify and explain the differences between bitmapped and vector images.
2. Explain the different characteristics of grayscale and color bitmapped images.
3. Explain and identify the characteristics of images at varying bit depth.
4. Explain why fonts are able to be visually modified.
5. Explain the difference between input and output resolutions.
6. Explain the relationship of input resolution and file size.
7. Calculate optimum resolution requirements for scanning.
8. Explain the relationship between output resolution, lpi, and gray levels
9. Explain the characteristics and uses of various image file types.
The digital revolution is upon us. From
art and design to printing and publishing,
the graphic arts world has been reduced
to bits and bytes. We now live and work in
or near cyberspace.
Prof. Frank. J. Romano
What does bitmapped mean? What is a vector? Is a bezier curve a baseball pitch? Why do we
need pixels? To rasterize or not to rasterize? What is resolution? Can you understand an
interpolated image? Do you know your file type? How do you pronounce GIF? Digital image
files require careful planning and production. You need to fully understand the variables in
order to produce optimum quality images for print and non-print media.
bitmapped pixel
grayscale bit depth
bit byte
vector object-oriented
bezier curve rasterized
font resolution input resolution
output resolution interpolation
downsizing downsampling
resolution rules gray levels
file types compression
EPS EPS/DCS
PICT TIFF
JPEG PDF
PhotoCD LZW
GIF
Part Five:
1. Bitmapped images
2. Grayscale and color
bitmapped images
3. Bit depth
4. Vector graphics
5. Fonts are vector images
6. Resolution
7. Interpolation
8. Resolution rules for
scanning
9. Output resolution, lpi,
and gray levels
10. File types
Part Five:
Working With Digital Files
Bitmapped Images
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What is a Bitmapped Image?
Bitmapped images are images that are made of picture elements (pixels) tiny squares of
color. Images that you scan, photos that you make with a digital camera, and images that
you make on the computer using paint or photo-realism applications are bitmapped images.
Bitmapped images are resolution dependent. If a bitmapped image has the correct image cap-
ture resolution, and is prepared for the correct page layout size requirements, then the pixels
are not noticeable. If a bitmapped image has the image capture resolution too low, or is
enlarged after being placed on the page layout, then the pixels can become very noticeable
this is sometimes a desired artistic effect.
Part Five:
Bitmapped Images
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What is Grayscale and Color Bitmapped Image?
Grayscale bitmapped images are made of many thousands of pixels that are white, black, or in
shades of grey. Color bitmapped images are made from thousands of pixels that are black,
white, and many different colors.
Original computer-generated images, such as those made with the appli-
cations Painter and KPT Bryce3 (below), are also bitmapped images.
Did You
Know?
The size of a
bitmapped image
is often given in
two dimensions:
actual pixel width
by pixel height.
An image that is
3072x2048 pixels
will be 10.24
wide by 8.827
high when shown
at 300 ppi and
will be 42.667
wide by 28.444
high when shown
at 72 ppi. The
image detail does
not change.
Part Five:
Bitmapped Images
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What is Bit Depth?
Bit depth is the number of bits used to record the information for one
pixel of a displayed image. The greater the number of bits used, the
greater the number of different colors a pixel can have. Each pixel in a
bitmapped image is given a color value based on the bit depth of the
file.
An image with a bit depth of one has only two color values: solid color
and white. An image with two bits of information per pixel has four
possible values (2
2
= 4). An image with eight bits per pixel can have 256
(2
8
) values of the same color, or 256 different colors (Index color). A 24-
bit image has eight bits each for the red, blue, and green channels and
yields 16.7+ million colors (256 x 256 x 256).
Did You
Know?
A bit (contraction
for BInary digiT) is
the smallest piece
of information in a
digital system. A bit
can either be a 1
meaning on or a
0 meaning off.
Eight bits equals
one byte.
2 Bit
4 Colors
8 Bit
256 (Index) Colors
1 Bit
2 Colors
24 Bit
16.7 Million
Colors
8 Bit
256 Shades of Gray
Part Five:
Vector Graphics
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What is a Vector Image?
Vector images, also called object-oriented images, are made of mathematically defined lines
(paths). Images made with applications such as Adobe Illustrator and Macromedia Freehand
are vector images. Object-oriented applications store the image as a list of drawing instruc-
tions that are complied from menu instructions and mouse movements.
A graphic image drawn in Adobe
Illustrator is a vector image. All
of the detail in the image is made
from individually drawn parts.
The image file keeps track of each
item in the drawing so you can
easily move, enlarge, or edit any
part of the drawing.
The vector paths can be made of
many bzier curves, sort of like
mathematical rubber bands that
can be easily re-shaped to make
a new outline for the object. A
bzier curve has two end, or
anchor, points (one serves as a
control point) and a handle
which shapes the curve.
Many bzier curves can be
linked together without any dis-
continuity to make a complex
and smooth curved line.
Part Five:
Vector Graphics
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You would often
make a vector
drawing in many
parts and layers.
A,B. You can
remove the bee
from the rest of
the picture. You
can view the
flower without the
bee so you can
easily edit the
drawing. You can
manage objects as
if each item were
drawn on separate
clear layers.
Objects can be
moved freely and
can be stacked and
hidden by other
objects without
being erased.
C. Each part of a
vector drawing is
made of many
lines. For exam-
ple, you need to
draw dozens of
lines to make the
details of the bee.
D. You can also
draw the bee in
many separate
parts.
E. You can make
each section
such as the orange
bee stripes with
many smaller sec-
tions that you can
lock together as a
group.
A.
C.
E.
D.
B.
Part Five:
Vector Graphics
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F. When you
enlarge a vector
image, you will be
able to keep good
image quality. The
program mathe-
matically describes
the object to the
printer, which ren-
ders the object at
the highest resolu-
tion possible to
that printer.
G. You can color
the lines and
shapes of a vector
drawing. You can
easily change the
colors.
H. You can
enlarge, reduce,
rotate, reshape,
and refill any
object. The appli-
cation program
will redraw the
object without any
loss of quality.
F.
G.
H.
Did You Know?
When a vector image is dis-
played on a monitor, it has
been rasterized. The monitor is
a raster device and the image
is converted to bitmap pixels
for display by the monitors
Raster Image Processor (RIP).
Likewise, when a vector image
is printed or imaged onto film
or plates, the RIP converts the
vectors to bitmap pixels.
Part Five:
Fonts
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Fonts are Vector Images
PostScript printer fonts and TrueType fonts are outline font formats that use vectors to create
the outlines of the font character. The font characters can be resized, scaled, angled, skewed,
and rotated without any loss of quality. The program mathematically describes the font char-
acter outline for the printer.
In the following example, the font GillSans Bold Italic is set at 36 pt. in each variation.
GillSans BI
36 point
G
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B
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6

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6

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GillSans BI
36 point
GillSans BI
36 point
GillSans BI
36 point
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Horizontal scale = 150%
Vertical scale = 150%
Normal
Skewed at 30
Text angled and skewed at 30
Text box rotated 10
Text angled
15
Horizontal
scale = 50%
Part Five:
Resolution
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Unraveling the Mysteries of Resolution
There seems to be no consistent use of the resolution and frequency digital imaging terms in
books, articles, and even in product advertising. The terms dpi (dots), ppi (pixels), and spi
(samples or spots) are often interchangeably used for input or output device resolution. Lpi
refers only to halftone dot screen frequency. In effect, there are limited meanings: input
(scanning) resolution, output (imaging/printing) resolution, and halftone screen frequency.
Input resolution - how much data is sampled; defined as samples-per-inch (spi) and
pixels-per-inch (ppi) in most instances.
Output resolution - the absolute number of distinct points with which a system can render
a visible image: pixels-per-inch on a monitor, dots-per-inch on a digitally printed page.
Screen frequency - the number of lines or rows of dots per unit measure on a halftone
image: lines-per-inch (lpi) or lines-per-centimeter (L/cm).
Resolution and File Size
The input resolution of
an image has a direct
relationship on the file
size of the image. (fig. A)
The width and height of
an image can be defined
in pixel dimensions.
Digital cameras and con-
tinuous-tone film
recorders most often
define image size in pixel
dimensions.
Monitor resolutions are
stated in pixel dimen-
sions: 640 x 480, 832 x
624, 1024 x 768
Kodak PhotoCD and
some CD-ROM digital
image files are stated in
pixel dimensions (fig. B)
The pixel dimension vs.
actual image reproduc-
tion size is directly relat-
ed to image resolution.
(fig. C)
A
C
B
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Resolution
Part Five:
Increasing Input Resolution: Interpolation
Interpolation is the algorithmic increase of image resolution by the addition of new pixels
throughout the image, the colors of which are based on neighboring pixels, providing a high-
er apparent resolution. Interpolation may be a function of the scanner software or may occur
in image manipulation.
Interpolation cannot add more detail information to a scanned image. Detail is determined at
the time of the original scan or digital image capture. Interpolation can help smooth jagged
edges in photos and line art when the image is enlarged because interpolation provides more
data points.
The original image resolution for this
RGB JPEG picture file was 170 ppi. The
pixel dimension of 340 x 508 made a
non-compressed file size of 507K. The
print image size is 2 x 2.988 inches.
The interpolated (resampled to be at
higher resolution) image resolution for
this RGB JPEG picture file is 300 ppi.
The pixel dimension of 600 x 896 made a
non-compressed file size of 1.54MB. The
print image size is still 2 x 2.988 inches.
The opposite procedure when an
image is resampled to result in a lower
image resolution is called either
downsizing or downsampling.
An image that undergoes repeated inter-
polation and/or downsizing will likely
have significant quality degradation.
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Resolution Rules
Resolution Rules for Scanning (based on Agfa publications)
The scan (input) resolution needed for any specific image depends on the percentage of
reproduction (original image size layout size), and the output method.
For Line Art:
Scan Res (R) = Output Device Res x % of reproduction (R = maximum of 1200 dpi)
examples:
Res = 600 dpi x 1.25 (125%) = 750 dpi
Res = 600 dpi x 1.5 (150%) = 900 dpi
Res = 1200 dpi x 1.5 (150%) = 1200 dpi (maximum needed)
For halftone output (e.g. film, CTP):
Input Resolution (R) = lpi x % of reproduction x QF (Quality Factor)
QF = 1.5 if lpi > 133 QF = 2 if lpi 133 (some advocate a QF of 3 if lpi 85)
examples:
Res = 133 lpi x .75 (75%) x 2 = 200 dpi (199.5)
Res = 133 lpi x 1 (100%) x 2 = 266 dpi
Res = 133 lpi x 1.5 (150%) x 2 = 400 dpi (399)
Res = 200 lpi x .75 (75%) x 1.5 = 225 dpi
Res = 200 lpi x 1 (100%) x 1.5 = 300 dpi
Res = 150 lpi x 6.5 (650%) x 1.5 = 1500 dpi (1462.3)
For continuous tone output (e.g. ink jet, dye sub):
Input Resolution (R) = % of reproduction x Output Device Resolution
examples:
Res = .75 (75%) x 400 dpi = 300 dpi R = 1 (100%) x 400 dpi = 400 dpi
Res = 3 (300%) x 400 dpi = 1200 dpi
For stochastic screening (FM)
Input resolution (R) = comparative lpi x % of reproduction
examples:
Res = 200 lpi x 1 (100%) = 200 dpi
Res = 200 lpi x 1.5 (150%) = 300 dpi
Res = 300 lpi x 1.5 (150%) = 450 dpi
Important note:
When a digital printer has a built-in scanner interface, the system software will calculate the
needed scan resolution based on percentage of reproduction and printer output resolution.
Most digital color printers have a continuous tone or photographic image rendering option.
Rather than use conventional halftone screen ruling patterns, these digital printers use FM
screening. One should get information from the vendor regarding optimal image resolution.
Part Five:
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Inverse Rule of
Printable Gray Tones
The number of pixels in each halftone
cell determines the number of print-
able gray tones or gray levels.
The formula for calculating the print-
able gray tones is:
number of gray tones = (dpi/lpi)
2
+ 1
At any given printer resolution, there
is an inverse relationship between the
screen frequency and the number of
printable gray tones.
Increase the halftone lpi and the
number of gray levels will decrease.
Decrease the halftone lpi at the same printer resolution and the number of printable gray levels will
increase. Below about 1200 dpi, a digital printer cannot use conventional halftone screening and achieve
both smooth gray scale tone rendering and halftone dot rendering small enough to avoid detection at a
normal viewing distance.
Output Res, lpi, & Gray Levels
The printer/imagesetter output resolution, the halftone screen frequency, and the gray levels
(printable gray tones) are all inter-dependent.
The higher the screen frequency, the fewer the levels of gray you can get at a given output
resolution. Reduce the screen frequency, or increase the output resolution, and you get more
printable gray tones or gray levels. This is a critical concept in tone and color reproduction
and in gradient blends.
The number of gray levels is determined by the number of dots (pixels) in a halftone cell. If a
cell is 8 x 8 (64 dots) there are 65 possible gray levels including white and black all dots
off and all dots on. A cell that is 16x16 yields 257 (256) gray levels.
Resolution & Gray Levels
Part Five:
Number of printable gray tones (gray levels) = (output
resolution dpi halftone lpi)
2
+ 1.
examples:
(2400 dpi 150 lpi)
2
= 16
2
= 256 + 1 = 257 gray levels
(2400 dpi 200 lpi)
2
= 12
2
= 144 + 1 = 145 gray levels
(1800 dpi 150 lpi)
2
= 12
2
= 144 + 1 = 145 gray levels
(1800 dpi 100 lpi)
2
= 18
2
= 324 + 1 = 325 gray levels
(1200 dpi 100 lpi)
2
= 12
2
= 144 + 1 = 145 gray levels
(1200 dpi 120 lpi)
2
= 10
2
= 100 + 1 = 101 gray levels
(600 dpi 60 lpi)
2
= 10
2
= 100 + 1 = 101 gray levels
(600 dpi 100 lpi)
2
= 6
2
= 36 + 1 = 37 gray levels
A halftone cell
based on an 8 x 8
pixel grid has 64
total pixels. Each
additional pixel
imaged will increase
the percent dot area
by 1/64 or 1.5%.
A halftone cell
based on an 16 x 16
pixel grid has 256
total pixels. Each
additional pixel
imaged will increase
the percent dot area
by 1/256 or .03%.
Part Five:
File Types
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File Types: Alphabet Soup
There are many image and document file types. Photographic image files may be saved as
Photoshop, TIFF, EPS, PDF, JPEG, GIF, PICT, PhotoCD and more. Each application has a
native file type. Files can be saved as PostScript and as Acrobat PDF.
What do these different file types mean? What is the need for, and impact of, all these file
types? How do you choose the right file type for your specific need and situation?
File Types Glossary
EPS Encapsulated PostScript - A file format used to transfer PostScript image infor-
mation from one program and platform to another. The file includes PostScript
code and a low res bitmapped representation of the image.
EPS/DCS EPS Desktop Color Separation - An image file format that creates five files for
each color image: one PostScript file for each CMYK channel and one preview file.
GIF Graphics Interchange Format - A standard developed by CompuServe for bitmap
images up to 256 colors and used for World Wide Web images, not for commer-
cial printing.
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group - A set of standards developed by this group for
compressing and decompressing digitized still graphic images. JPEG is a lossy
compression method. JPEG is widely used on the World Wide Web, but is not pre-
ferred for use in professional commercial printing, since image quality is degrad-
ed due to data loss. JPEG files require a compromise decision to determine level
of image quality and amount of file compression.
LZW Non-lossy compression method often used with TIFF files. With grayscale and
color images, LZW usually yields about a 2:1 compression ratio.
PDF Portable Document Format - A PostScript-based streamlined file format devel-
oped by Adobe for the transfer of pages across platforms and output strategies.
PhotoCD A proprietary image file format developed by Eastman Kodak for storing photo-
graphic images in multiple resolutions on a CD. Images can be easily accessed for
use in professional printing.
PICT A common file format for defining bitmapped images on the Macintosh.
PostScript A page description language from Adobe that comprises software commands that
form the desired image on an output device when translated through a RIP.
TIFF Tagged Image File Format - A file format used to represent black-and-white,
grayscale, and color bitmapped images, particularly those produced by a scanner.
TIFF/IT An ANSI- and ISO- accredited standard page file format that provides a high level
of file security (difficult to modify) and cross-platform portability.
Part Five:
File Types
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File Types and Sizes
Different file types yield widely different file sizes. The following list of files are all for the
same image that has the same resolution.
ID#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
The image files
are listed in
ascending order
by file size.
The explanation
of each file is
listed below.
ID# Description
1 JPEG - Quality Low (1), Compression Highest
2 JPEG - Quality Low (3), Compression High
3 JPEG - Quality Medium (6), Compression Medium
4 EPS RGB file with medium JPEG compression selected in EPS dialog box
5 GIF export file
6. Photoshop PDF file
7. JPEG - Quality Maximum (10), Compression Minimum
8. TIFF (RGB) with LZW compression
9. Original PhotoCD image
10. Photoshop native file
11. PICT file
12. TIFF (RGB) without LZW compression
13. EPS (RGB)
14. EPS (CMYK)
Part Five:
File Types
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The EPS/DCS file format
can only be used with
CMYK color image files.
The DCS format allows
each high resolution
color channel to be
saved separately and
opened as needed for
output to the PostScript
film, proof, or plate
exposure system.
A Kodak PhotoCD
image file can be
opened in five differ-
ent pixel resolutions:
3072 x 2048
1536 x 1024
768 x 512
384 x 256
192 x 128
Having five resolu-
tions allows for a
better match of file
and image size and
output requirements.
2048
Part Five:
File Compression
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Lossless
With a lossless compression scheme no data is lost. Compression utilities, such as StuffIt,
CompactPro, PKZIP, WinZIP, and LZW, images or other types of data are copied in a way that
all original data is shorthanded to eliminate redundant segments of code. The resulting
compressed file size depends on the complexity of the data and can range anywhere from the
same size to a small fraction of the original.
Lossy
A lossy image file-compression scheme is one in which some of the color information is
thrown away when an image is saved. The viewer typically is unaware that lossy compression
has been performed on an original image file because the lost image data areas are
extremely subtle, and mostly unimportant to the human eye. JPEG is a lossy compression
scheme.
File Compression
JPEG
JPEG (JPG) is a file format and a lossy
compression scheme developed by the
Joint Photographers Experts Group. An
image saved as JPEG retains most of the
images visual information, while com-
pressing the file by from 5 to 100 times
the size of the original file depending
on the file size vs. quality compromise
level that you choose.
When saving an image to the JPEG for-
mat you can choose from have several
different formats: Baseline (Standard),
Baseline Optimized, and Progressive.
Baseline Optimized retains more color
fidelity. Progressive produces a very
small file that can be placed in a World
Wide Web page. Progressive JPEG
images open on the Web by showing
successively more detailed versions
until the maximum resolution of the
file is reached.
Repeated JPEG save-open-save at high
compression levels will quickly flatten
an image resulting in noticeable detail
loss as shown in the images at the left.
Part Six:
Using Color Within Applications
Overview of Part Six
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Part Six:
1. Identify the characteristics and uses of application color pickers.
2. Identify the characteristics and uses of solid and process colors.
3. Explain the color printing capabilities of offset lithography and digital printing.
4. Identify the components of the Pantone color system.
5. Explain the organization of the Trumatch color system.
6. Explain the importance of accurate color naming.
White does not exist in nature.
Pierre-Auguste Renoir
artist
Why do we sometimes want more than merely CMYK? What is a color picker? What is a
spot color? What is the difference between a solid color and a process color? What are fac-
tors affecting your choices? Can a solid color really become a process color? Why are Hi-Fi
colors called Hi-Fi? What are the features of Pantone and Trumatch process color speci-
fication systems? How many different ink colors do we need and when do we need them?
Color picker
Color libraries
Pantone
Trumatch
Process color
Spot color
Solid color
High-fidelity color
Part Six:
1. Color Pickers
2. Process vs. Solid Colors
3. High-Fidelity Color
4. Pantone
5. Trumatch
6. Color Naming
Part Six:
Color Pickers
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Choosing Colors with a Color Picker
When working on an image or page within a document, we often must select specific colors
for text, fills, shades, and lines. These specific colors are defined and selected with similar
tools perhaps with different terminology within different applications. These color
selection tools are generally called color pickers.
There are two main factors that influence the way we work with color in our documents in
order to achieve our desired results: the application we are using and the final output device.
Applications vary in the processes they provide for selecting colors and in the way
that they transmit color to the output device. Some applications work best with the
RGB color model and others work with the CMYK model.
The type of output you intend for the document conventional printing, digital
printing, monitor display determines both the way you choose color as well as
the way you define the output/print settings. Some devices require CMYK, some
RGB, and some handle both models.
When you select a color for a part of your image or page, you need to know the requirements
for your specific job. This way you can plan for and get the best possible results.
R
G
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K
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Spot color
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Part Six:
Color Pickers
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The color picker
in the Microsoft
Office suite of
applications,
enables you to
choose colors
using RGB and
HSB color mod-
els. At the left is
the color picker
from MS Word
in Office 98 for
the Macintosh.
Notice the ter-
minology; this
color picker uses
the term
Luminance
rather than
Brightness.
Choosing Color in Office Applications
Most digital printers must receive PostScript instructions to print an image or a document.
Office applications, such as presentation, spreadsheet and word processing programs, do not
create these PostScript instructions by themselves; they rely on the printer devices to create
them. To display and print, these applications use QuickDraw with the Macintosh operating
system and Graphics Device Interface (GDI) with the Windows operating system.
Office applications use the RGB color model for the color monitor display. They often include
a palette with preselected colors. Some applications may allow you to add new colors to the
palette with a color picker.
With some office applications you are able to select colors base on hue, saturation, and
brightness, or even CMYK, but these applications always send RGB color data to the digital
printer. An exception is when a CMYK EPS file is placed in a document; this images is send as
CMYK data.
When working with the RGB color model for documents which are intended for print output,
remember that the RGB color space (gamut) is different than the CMYK color space of the
printer. When you print the document, out-of-gamut RGB colors are converted to colors that
your printing device can produce.
Part Six:
Color Pickers
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Choosing Color in PostScript Applications
Most applications for pixel editing, illustration, and page layout can create the PostScript
information that they send to PostScript printers or save in PostScript files. Adobe
Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe PageMaker, QuarkXPress, and Macromedia FreeHand are
all PostScript applications.
PostScript applications enable us to specify and work with color in a variety of ways: CYMK,
named colors (Pantone, Trumatch), and, in some applications, RGB, HSB, or other color
models and libraries. Below, the QuarkXPress 4.0 Edit Color dialog box lists the color
models available in the color picker.
Generally, PostScript applications send color information to a printer as CMYK. With some
color printers, RGB images may be placed in the page being printed; the printers RIP will
make the necessary RGB to CMYK conversions.
When you create and choose a color, remember that the displayed version will likely appear
different on different color printers. You can get software utilities which enable you to print
color reference (swatch) sheets on each of the color printers in your facility. This enables you
to select accurate colors. These reference pages should be printed on a color printer which has
been calibrated for optimized print quality.
Part Six:
Color Pickers
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With many applications, the same color or nearly the same can be specified in more
than one color model. The two purples shown here are almost exactly the same when dis-
played on a monitor. Are they the same in print you be the judge.
Part Six:
Color Pickers
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Some colors cannot be matched between RGB and CMYK color models. These colors are not
common to both gamuts. Green is a good example. 100% green in the RGB color model
does not come close to matching green in the CMYK color model as made by 100% cyan and
100% yellow.
Green RGB
100G
Green CMYK
100C + 100Y
When a RGB color model green is converted by QuarkXPress into CMYK green the result is a
closer, but still does not match. 100% green (RGB) becomes a CMYK mix of 77.3%C, 0.4% M,
100%Y, and 0.4%K. The magenta and black are negligible and probably would not print.
Things To Do...
The best way to determine the exact colors printed by a specific printer is to simply print a reference
file. After the printer has been properly serviced to be in optimum condition, print a reference file of
color swatches. There are software utilities from Pantone and Trumatch as well as from RIPs such as
Fiery and Splash. By choosing colors from these reference charts, you can be sure of getting the same
results from your printer.
Caution: the reference charts will likely not match the monitor display. To match the monitor and print
output you need color management and calibration of the monitor to the output.
Part Six:
Process vs. Solid Colors
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Process Colors (also called Separated colors)
As learned in part two of this guide, the subtractive colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, with
black (CMYK) can be combined to make a seemingly limitless palette of colors. The amount
of each process (CMYK) color is controlled by the percentage of area covered. We can omit a
specific CMYK color (0% = not used), or we may use a screen tint percent, or we may use a
solid (100%) coverage. In fact, however, the CMYK process color model does not enable the
printing of all possible colors. Sometimes solid colors are needed for a design.
Solid Colors (also called Spot colors)
A solid color is one that is printed with a single color of ink that has been blended to a spe-
cific hue, saturation, and brightness. We may print a bright red ink, a deep burgundy red, a
pale red. We may print with orange ink, purple, brown, forest green, or metallic gold ink.
These solid color inks may, of course, be printed at various percent dot area tint patterns in
order to achieve a multi-color effect with a single ink color.
Cyan = 45%
Purple Ink (simulated)
Magenta = 100%
Yellow = 27%
Black = 11%
Purple
A process color may require up to four inks
and, therefore, must be on four plates. A solid
color prints in a single color of ink from a
single plate.
When are Process and Solid Colors Used
Process colors are used for printing color type and graphic shapes when:
the job design already has process color separation photographs and/or illustrations
such as in magazines and catalogs.
the job design is being printed on a press or digital printer that is limited to CMYK.
Solid colors are used for printing color type and graphic shapes when:
the job design has no process color separation photographs and/or illustrations
the job design has process color separation photographs and/or illustrations but
additional specific colors are desired for the text and graphic shapes, such as in
package labeling and product brochures.
When solid colors are
rendered in CMYK,
some color matches are
on target while others
can be way off the
mark.
So, what is the solu-
tion?
Color selections should
be made with the print
method considered.
If the job will be printed
with a conventional
ink-based printing
method, then we need
to be sure that all color
specification meet both
design and production needs.
If the job will be printed with a digital color (CMYK) printer, then all colors should be made
as separated colors. If you have a printed color reference file (see page 54), then colors can be
selected from that print. Separated RGB and separated CMYK colors can be used, depending
on the specific document application and the digital printer.
Part Six:
Process vs. Solid Colors
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Solid-to-Process Color Conversion
Often an illustration or a page has colors that are specified as spot or solid colors.
Sometimes this is intentional that is the color of ink that will be used for printing that
part of the design. Sometimes, this is merely an error in the way that the color has been
specified within the application; a separate ink color is not intended. The opposite is also
true. A color may be created and the specification as a spot or solid color may have been
inadvertently omitted.
So, what is the problem?
When printing the job with conventional ink-based printing systems, if a color is specified as
a spot or solid color, then a separate printing film or plate will be imaged. Likewise, a color
that is not designated as a spot color my really be intended as a separate ink color. In this
case there would be a missing film or plate for the job.
However, in digital color printing almost all output is with CMYK toners or ink jet inks. With
digital color printing, all colors process and solid are printed in CMYK. Solid colors are
rendered in CMYK according to the color rendering software of the printer.
Part Six:
Hi-Fi Color
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High-Fidelity Color
As stated earlier in Part Two, the range of colors (gamut) of RGB and CMYK are both smaller
than the gamut of visible light and are slightly different from each other. A method of
increasing the gamut for color printing is called high-fidelity (Hi-Fi). There are two very dif-
ferent methods for printing Hi-Fi color:
Pantone Hexachrome - This method uses six colors: enhanced CMYK plus a
special green and orange.
maxCMY (also called CMYK,CMY and seven color Hi-Fi) - This method uses seven
plates: two each for CMY plus black. Where the photo has colors outside the normal
gamut of CMYK, additional plates are used to print more CMY, as needed, on top of
the first printing of those colors. The double printing provides for increased color
saturation in the same way colors are deeper when we put a second coat of paint on
a wall. Since the additional CMY dots are printed on solid areas the same dot angles
and screen frequency are used.
DuPont recently has discontinued marketing its Hi-Fi color product, HyperColor, which used
the maxCMY seven-color model. Pantone Hexachrome as the dominant Hi-Fi model.
Scanner RGB
Monitor RGB
Offset CMYK
Offset Hi-Fidelity
Using Hi-Fi
Hi-fi printed pages often
look quite different from
CMYK pages, prompting
its use for the impact of a
different appearance.
Hi-fi printing is used in
packaging and catalogs
for improved product
color matching.
Hi-fi printing can replace
the need for 10-12 colors
for packaging and labels.
Part Six:
Pantone
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The Pantone System
Pantone is a company that makes a widely-used system of color specification. This system is
used by virtually every designer and printer and components are licensed into all PostScript
illustration, pixel-editing, and page layout applications.
Pantone does not make ink. Pantone specifies colors, in solid ink colors as well as process
colors, RGB Web-safe colors, and high-fidelity colors.
A key point to always remember is that the selection guides are exactly that guides. We
will not be printing with the exact same presses, inks, and on the same substrate so we can
never exactly match the colors in the guides. This is especially important when comparing
ink and toner printing systems.
A second point to remember is that the colors in the printed guides cannot be displayed
exactly on an RGB monitor. We can come close with color management, but even then we
need to be aware of the potential differences.
Selected Pantone system components
A
B
Formula Guide (A)
This guide displays on both coated and
uncoated papers, the approximately 1000
solid ink colors in the main Pantone
library.
Fourteen basic ink colors, plus transpar-
ent white and black, are used in this
guide. An ink supplier, or the printing
company may be responsible for mixing
the ink color.
Some metallic and special colors are
included in the Formula Guide.
Process guide (B)
This guide displays on coated paper only
the approximately 3000 colors specified
with CMYK tints.
Tints are specified in 5% and 10% incre-
ments of CMYK.
The Process guide can be used for both
conventional ink printing and for digital
printing.
Part Six:
Pantone
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Selected Pantone system components - continued
Solid to Process guide (C)
This guide converts the Formula Guide
colors to process colors using a 26-step
tint system. Tint values for each CMYK
color are designated by the letters A
through Z with the letter O designat-
ed as zero percent and the letter Z
meaning 100% of that color.
The history of this guide is important; it
was developed before digital prepress.
Film screen tints for the 26-step system
were used for analog platemaking in off-
set lithography. Digital printing can easi-
ly create values in more than 26 steps.
In software applications, such as
QuarkXPress, when a solid ink color (for
example, PANTONE 285) is converted
within the document to a CMYK color,
this is the method of conversion.
With many colors, the conversion does
not make a match that is close to the
original color.
Pantone also makes color swatch guides metal-
lic ink colors (D), pastel ink colors (E), for
Hexachrome high-fidelity colors, and for
textile colors, printed on cotton and paper.
The Pantone system also includes a variety of
software utilities, such as ColorDrive, OfficeColor
Assistant, and Personal Color Calibrator to enable
better color specification and print consistency.
The Pantone system is more than and ink color
specification system. While the Pantone system
was created for conventional prepress, and many
of the components are specifically for that
process, the growth of digital printing and non-
print media have led to the development of prod-
ucts for these markets.
C
E
D
Part Six:
Pantone
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Pantone Hexachrome
Pantone Hexachrome builds upon a known color printing concept; adding any two colors
to the CMYK process color printing system expands the color gamut by at least 20 percent.
The Hexachrome ink set includes a vibrant green and orange with a new enhanced CMYK ink
set that is purer than traditional CMYK ink sets.
As a result, Hexachrome can print all of the traditional CMYK colors plus 90 percent of the
Pantone solid colors. Hexachrome has a gamut that is larger than the RGB color gamut dis-
played on a monitor.
Designers and printers
may use the Pantone
Hexachrome fan books for
coated and uncoated
papers which show the
2000+ colors in the
Hexachrome model.
The Solids in Hexachrome
fan books shows which of
the Pantone solids can
be printed in Hexachrome.
Pantone HexImage is
a plug-in for Adobe
Photoshop which can
make six-color
Hexachrome separations
from RGB, CMYK, or
L*a*b* images for place-
ment in page layout files.
Part Six:
Trumatch
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The Trumatch System
The Trumatch color system focuses on the digital prepress procedures. Specifications are
only given for process color, none for solid colors. Two swatch books are available, one for
coated paper and one for uncoated paper. Software utilities for printing color reference charts
are also available.
The pages on the Trumatch swatch book, and the columns in the dialog box are organized
by hue, saturation, and brightness characteristics.
Depending on the software application you are using, you need to verify the process color
versus spot color designation. Some application color pickers may not clear or retain the
selection, as needed, when the color model designation is changed.
The Pantone Process and Trumatch color libraries are correctly used as process colors.
The Pantone Coated and Uncoated color libraries are correctly used as spot colors.
Part Six:
Color Naming
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Color Naming
Names for colors are added to a page layout document file in three ways:
The Pantone and Trumatch color systems provide named colors.
Custom colors are often given custom color names.
When colors are used in vector illustrations and special effect image files (such as a
duotone), the names for the colors used in these images are imported with the
images into page layout files.
Problems arise when one or more of the following situations happen:
Two or more color names are given to the same ink color, such as cyan and
process cyan. In this case the film or plate separations will likely have multiple
cyan plates.
Custom color names are used such as orange bee stripes which may be the same
color as Pantone S 18-1. This can result in inconsistent color rendering.
Colors intended to be process colors are specified as solids, and vice versa. This can
result in an incorrect number of printing plates.
Custom color names often
do not provide any clue to
their actual construction
and specification.
A color may be a a separated
CMYK color, a separated
RGB color, or a spot color in
either CMYK or RGB. The
color army green at left is
specified as a spot color
despite the CMYK construc-
tion. This will be output as a
separate film or plate.
Pantone and Trumatch
have name codes which
identify their construction
as spot or process colors.
However, these names can
be misleading if someone
has incorrectly selected or
left unselected the spot
color designation.
Part Six:
Color Naming
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A complex job with many pages and illustrations may have a
document-based colors palette that could seem excessive. If
they are all used and specified properly, then there is little or no
problem with a lengthy color list.
An easy way to verify that the color specifications match the job
requirements is to view applications print specifications dialog
box and compare the number of separate plates listed, as in this
example, with the job requirements. How many colors of ink
will be needed for that job?
This color naming problem
is not an issue when print-
ing to a CMYK digital color
printing system; there are
no separated plate colors
and no spot color inks.
This image of a lovebird was prepared as a duotone in Adobe
Photoshop. The duotone ink colors were defined as black and
Pantone Process Cyan CV, a standard color name in the Pantone
Coated library. The color Pantone Process Cyan CV is carried
with the EPS image file when it is placed in a QuarkXPress page.
QuarkXPress will see Pantone Process Cyan CV as a different and
separate color than Process Cyan.
Part Seven:
Color Management
Overview of Part Seven
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Part Seven:
Color Management
1. Identify the components in a color printing workflow.
2. Identify key causes of color mismatch in print production
3. Explain the role of the ICC (International Color Consortium) in developing color
management solutions.
4. Explain the key components in a color management system.
The rude awakening came after
the printing was done. The colors
had been much more brilliant on
the original. Even on-screen, every-
thing had looked a lot better.
PrintProcess publication
Why is color printing so difficult? What causes the problems? When did color management
get started? Can color ever really be managed?
Consistent use of color standards will help prevent misunderstandings and mistakes in the
print production process. In this part you will learn the key issues in color management and
the solutions that are being developed.
ANSI Color management
CGATS module (CMM)
IT8 Perceptive mapping
Reference target Absolute colorimetric
Profile mapping
Characterization Relative colorimetric
Color rendering mapping
Color Management Saturation mapping
System (CMS)
Densitometer
Spectrophotometer
Colorimeter
Tristimulus
Part Seven:
Color Management
1. Need for Standards
2. Need for Color
Management
3. Color Predictability
4. Tools for Color
Management
5. Color Mapping
6. Device Profiles
7. Color Management
Modules
Part Seven:
Color Management
Standards
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The Need for Standards
Prior to the mid 1980s, the standards movement in graphic arts was almost non-existent
except for ANSI (American National Standards Institute) safety, typography and the photo-
graphic industry standards for film density measurement and color viewing conditions.
The Digital Data Exchange Standards (DDES) group, formed by vendors of color electronic
prepress systems, recognized significant problems with the mix-and-match world faced by
printers at that time; color scanning, display, proofing, and printing were inconsistent and
without standards. This led to the formation, and ANSI accreditation, of the IT.8 committee,
which, in turn, led to the formation of CGATS. ANSI does not create standards, which in the
U.S. are voluntary. ANSI accredited industry groups create the standards. Two graphic arts
groups are:
Image Technology Committee #8 (IT8), formed in 1987, concerns itself with the
exchange of digital data between color electronic systems and peripherals; since
1994, a ;subworking group of CGATS. Three IT8 color reference targets were estab-
lished as standards in 1993.
The Committee for Graphic Arts Technology Standards (CGATS), established 1989.
This group acts as an umbrella group to assist with graphic arts standards.
The IT8 7.1 is used to
measure the values of
transmissive color
being read by a scan-
ner or other input
device.
On the IT8 7.1 trans-
missive color refer-
ence target are color
patches in six cate-
gories:
shadows
middletones
highlights
CMYK colors
RGB colors
skin tones and
frequently occur-
ring colors
Part Seven:
Color Management
Standards
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The IT8 7.2 is used to
measure the values of
reflection color being
read by a scanner or
other input device.
On the IT8 7.2 reflec-
tion color reference
target are color patch-
es in six categories:
shadows
middletones
highlights
CMYK colors
RGB colors
skin tones and
frequently occur-
ring colors
The IT8 7.3 is a digi-
tal file of input data
for characterization
of four-color process
printing.
On the IT8 7.3 digital
reference target are
color patches in
eight categories:
shadows
high total ink
saturated color
with no black
saturated color
with 20% black
CMY solid colors
CMYK dot gain
CMYK neutral
gray balance
frequent colors
Part Seven:
Color Management
Color Management
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The Need for Color Management
Even with established standards, color is not easy to print and display consistently. The work-
flow process begins with image capture. continues through rendering the image on-screen,
and output by digital proofing, digital printing, and preparation of plates for color printing.
All these systems function well independently, but color and visual perception are not pre-
cisely controlled. Without color management, the components of the color printing repro-
duction process do not match.
Each device in the imaging
workflow relies on a different
method to process colors.
The technology utilized by
each device limits the range
of colors (gamut) captured or
displayed.
The purpose of color manage-
ment is to provide color con-
sistency and predictability
throughout the entire work-
flow. The color management
system (CMS) does this by
correcting for the differences
in color introduced by each
device in the workflow.
Part Seven:
Color Management
Color Predictability
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Color Predictability
The differences in color space (gamut) often leads to misunderstanding and concern because
color may have unexpected and unpredictable results.
There are two primary reasons why good color predictability is difficult to achieve:
The difference in color gamut among the various devices in the workflow. For
example, a print on an ink-jet printer used for proofing cannot match the press
sheet from an offset printing press.
Deviations from the standard performance of any device in the workflow. For
example, a specific digital printer may not perform to the output standard for that
model.
Color Management and Color Predictability
Color management can remedy the problems and become the solution providing for color
consistency and predictability.
CMS manages device color space differences.
CMS transforms RGB scan data for colors into the CIE color space.
CMS can provide the final transform into the printers CMYK color space.
CMS can convert CMYK data for one device color space into CMYK data for another
device or print reproduction.
CMS can develop a characterization profile for any particular device.
CMS can be set to correct color by automatically factor device profiles.
The purpose of color management is to compensate for the lack of color consistency between
input and output devices. CMS provides color predictability which ensures that the color data
is converted in a reproducible way.
What is Calibration? Why is it Needed?
Calibration is the term for measuring and adjusting the performance of a device. Devices,
such as scanners, monitors, and printers, need to be calibrated in order to achieve consistent
color from day to day and from device to device.
We must recalibrate when the devices performance expectation parameters change. These
parameters can change simply over time as the device shifts from its normalized performance.
Heat, as the device warms to normal operating temperatures, as well as environmental
changes, such as humidity and ambient room temperature, may cause performance shifts.
Printer toners and inks may have slight differences; calibration helps to reestablish normal-
ized performance when consumables are changed.
Part Seven:
Color Management
Color Measurement
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Tools for Color Measurement
The IT8 color reference targets cannot be evaluated by perception. Accurate color measure-
ment is critical to the color management process. Three devices used for color measurement
each have different capabilities and purposes: densitometers, colorimeters, and spectropho-
tometers. These devices are available to measure transmitive or reflective color devices, as
appropriate. Devices are available to measure monitor color, printed color, and colors on film
emulsions.
A reflection densitometer measures the
reflective color reference target and the
color bar on the press sheet to monitor
color print reproduction. The density of
solid ink patches and the percent dot area
of a tint patch cannot be measured visual-
ly. At best, one can make a good guess at
percent dot area. A densitometer is need-
ed to accurately read ink densities and
percent dot area.
Spectrophotometers measures light at many
points on the visual spectrum and formulates
the color of various products such as plastic,
paints, inks, ceramics, metals. With a spec-
trophotometer, we can obtain the same types
of numerical data as with a colorimeter and
also get a spectral reflectance graph. With its
high-precision sensor and the inclusion of
data for variety of illuminant conditions, the
spectrophotometer can provide higher accura-
cy than a tristimulus colorimeter.
Colorimeters mea-
sure light much like
the human eye does
using tristimulus
red, green, and blue
receptors.
Colorimeters
express colors
numerically accord-
ing to international
standards, using CIE
color space models.
A colorimeter may
be used to measure
printed colors where
product's appearance
is critical for buyer's
acceptance.
Part Seven:
Color Management
Color Mapping
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Color Mapping
There are different methods for mapping colors
that are used by color management systems.
Perceptive Mapping
In perceptive mapping, all or most of the colors
in the original color space are adjusted in a way
that maintains the relationships between the
colors. Since the human eye is more sensitive to
color comparisons and relationships than to
recognition of a specific wavelength, this
method of color mapping preserves these rela-
tionships. Most people will not be able to notice
that the colors in the image have been adjusted.
Absolute Colorimetric Mapping
In absolute colorimetric mapping, all of the col-
ors in the source image which are outside the
target gamut are lost. These out-of-gamut colors
are clipped on the gamut boundary. This map-
ping method may result in an image that seems
noticeably different than the original image.
Relative Colorimetric Mapping
In relative colorimetric mapping, all of the col-
ors in the source image which are outside the
target gamut are replaced with colors that are
inside the target gamut, while preserving the
hue and lightness of the original color.
Saturation Mapping
In saturation mapping, all of the colors in the
source image which are outside the target
gamut are scaled to the brightest saturation pos-
sible. the hue remains the same, but the light-
ness may change.
target gamut
source gamut
In perceptive mapping, the colors in the
original (source) gamut are rescaled to
be within the target device gamut.
Colors already withing the target gamut
are also moved in order to maintain
color relationships.
In absolute colorimetric mapping, the
colors in the original (source) gamut
which fall outside the target gamut are
replaced with colors along the target
gamut boundary.
target gamut
source gamut
Part Seven:
Color Management
Device Profiling
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Device Profiles
The first step in establishing and using a color management system is calibrating the input
device (scanner). Each scanner is different in how it recognizes color and may introduce
small color changes each time an image is scanned. When the calibration process is complete,
the information about the device is called a profile. This calibration process is also called
characterization.
Making a Profile
Characterization defining a device profile is not a complex procedure, but it does
require careful procedures. Here are the typical steps for making a profile for a scanner.
The scanner must be allowed to warm to full operating temperature. The color con-
sistency of the light source is dependent on the scanner being fully warmed up.
The scanner settings must be calibrated to the manufacturers recommendations. All
settings should be set for normal operating conditions.
Scan a reference target (IT8 7.1 for transmission, IT8 7.2 for reflection). Turn off
any settings for descreening, sharpness, or tone curve adjustment.
Record and compare the color values to the values of the colors on the original
target. The manufacturer of the IT8 target supplies the color value data with each
target.
CMS software enables one to compare the scanned color data with the supplied
color data in order to create a profile of the device. When the CMS software has the
device profile information, it will control any color shifts accordingly and yield
results that correspond to the original. The device color profile is described in terms
of the device-independent CIE color model, not RGB or CMYK.
After the color profile is saved, perform some scan tests to verify that the profile
yields desirable results.
Profiles for monitors and print output devices and presses complete the list of profiles needed
in a complete color management system. A monitors color output is measured using a col-
orimeter which attaches to the monitor and measures the actual colors. A profiles for each
printer is necessary. In some situations, such as sheetfed offset printing, different profiles are
needed for variables such as substrate and ink sets.
There are pre-made profiles that are available from device manufacturers. These profiles are
generic to a given model and often are valid and acceptable. However, these supplied profiles
may not match the performance of an individual unit.
CMS uses the device profiles to bring consistency and predictability to the color printing
workflow. Without CMS, color printing is haphazard guesswork.
Part Seven:
Color Management
CMMs
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Color Management Modules
Desktop computer operating systems now incorporate color management functions in their
operating systems. Operating system-level color management provides applications, peripher-
als, and operating system components with a common interface and file format for control-
ling color and converting colors between devices. This approach to color management assists
in getting consistent color from different application on different output devices.
Color management modules (CMMs) convert color from one mode to another, such as RGB
to CMYK, or one devices CMYK to another devices CMYK. CMMs are one of three compo-
nents in OS-level color management, working with device profiles and a system level applica-
tions programming interface. CMMs are third-party plug-ins for Apple's ColorSync on the
Mac OS, and available soon for Windows.
The CMM is a color translation engine (mathematical algorithm) that provides the interface
between the device profiles and the image files that need to be transformed between color
spaces. The CMM applies the data from both the source profile and the target profile to the
image.
The Apple
ColorSync control
panel enables users
to select a preferred
CMM or, by select-
ing Automatic, let
ColorSync use the
CMM specified in
each profile.
The CMYK setup in
Adobe Photoshop
enables selection of
color management
settings for the print
device profile, the
engine (CMM), and
the rendering intent
for mapping out-of-
gamut colors.
Part Eight:
Digital Color Printing
Overview of Part Eight
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Part Eight:
1. Explain how xerography (electrostatic, electrophotography) printing and ink jet
printing technology work.
2. Describe the market forces which are driving the increase in digital color
printing.
3. Explain the concept of variable data printing.
4. Explain what is meant by on-demand printing.
5. Compare the capabilities of competitive digital printing systems.
Color sells!
anonymous
Data in, printed sheets out is the commonly accepted definition of digital printing.What are
the technologies used? What are the market forces? What is the importance of variable data
printing? What is on-demand printing? What are the digital printing system choices?
Digital printing is forecast to grow rapidly over the next decade, taking work form conven-
tional printing processes and creating new market opportunities.
electrophotography electrostatic
xerography selenium
toner ink jet
drop-on-demand continuous ink jet
array bubble jet
piezoelectric crystals nozzle
run length turnaround time
variable printing target marketing
versionalization individualization
personalization print-on-demand
Part Eight:
1. What is electrophotography?
2. What is ink-jet printing?
3. Digital printing market
4. Defining run length
5. Variable printing
6. Print-on-demand
7. Competitive products
a. black & white
b. color
Xerography
Xerography (also called electrostatic printing and electrophotography) is a printing process
which uses electrostatic forces to produce images on the paper or other substrate.
Xerography typically uses an aluminum drum coated with a layer of positively-charged sele-
nium. Light passed through the document to be copied, reflected from its surface, or imaged
by a diode or a laser light source reaches the selenium surface. Areas exposed by light lose
their charge and do not attract the negatively charged particles of toner which are sprayed
onto the selenium surface and form an image of the document on the drum. A sheet of copy
paper is passed close to the drum, and a positive electric charge under the sheet attracts the
negatively charged ink particles, resulting in the transfer of the image to the copy paper.
Heat is then applied to
fuse the toner particles
to the paper.
Later improvements
have made it possible to
print in full color and
print on both sides of
the paper.
Digital copiers are now
replacing optical
copiers. Digital
copier/printer/fax
devices are networked
Part Eight:
Xerography
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1. charge drum
selenium surface
Re-imageable
drum
2. laser imaging
photoconductive surface
of selenium
3. toner is applied
paper
4. transfer toner by electrostatic
charge
5. fuse toner with heat
6. clean
Did You Know?
Chester F. Carlson (1906 - 1968), American physicist, was the inventor of xerography (dry writing).
When working in the patent department of a New York electronics firm, Carlson was plagued by the
difficulty of getting copies of patent drawings and specifications. In 1934, he began to look for a quick,
convenient way to copy line drawings and text. Since others were already working on photographic or
chemical copying processes, he turned to electrostatics for a solution to the problem. Four years later
he succeeded in making the first xerographic copy. Carlson obtained the first of many patents for the
xerographic process in 1940 and for the next four years tried unsuccessfully to interest someone in
developing and marketing his invention. More than 20 companies turned him down. Finally, in 1944, he
persuaded Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, a nonprofit industrial research organization, to
undertake developmental work. In 1947 a small firm in Rochester, N.Y., the Haloid Company (later the
Xerox Corporation), obtained the commercial rights to xerography, and 11 years later Xerox intro-
duced its first office copier. Carlson's royalty rights and stock in Xerox Corporation made him a multi-
millionaire.
Factoid: Xerographic machines for full color copying became available in the 1970s.
Part Eight:
Xerography
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Xerography Process
One does not need to be a physicist to
understand the principle of xerography.
In fact, there are only two things that
one needs to remember:
Like electrostatic charges repel
Opposite electrostatic charges
attract
Xerography takes advantage of these two principles via a device called a photoreceptor. The
photoreceptor receives, processes, and transferes images using static electricity. There are
two types of photoreceptors: belt and drum.
The photoreceptor is coated with a light sensitive semiconductive material such as selenium.
If a strong static charge is applied to the surface (selenium), the charge remains there as
long as the surface is dark. When light strikes the photoreceptor, it becomes a conductor
allowing the current to flow. the charge is then allowed to pass to the substrate.
+ +
+
Six Steps in the Xerography Process

There are six simple steps in the xerography process:
Charging - The photoreceptor is positively charged with static electricity by a high-
voltage wire, called the charge corona
Imaging/exposing - Either reflected light image (copier) or a laser light (printer) is
used to create the latent (unseen) image on the photoreceptor selenium surface.
Where light exposes the surface, the charge is dissipated. The unexposed surface
retains the positive static electricity charge. This is the image that will print.
Development - The positively charged latent image on the photoreceptor is exposed
to negatively charged toner. The toner is supplied to the photoreceptor via a devel-
oper unit which has mixed the toner with a developer made of fine grain plastic and
a magnetic material. The latent image becomes a visible image on the photoreceptor.
Transfer to substrate - The substrate is positioned in register between the photore-
ceptor and another high-voltage corona which gives a positive charge on the paper.
The positive charge on the paper attracts the negatively charged toner from the pho-
toreceptor surface. A second corona removes the charge from the paper to allow
separation from the photoreceptor.
Fusing - Heat and pressure are used to bond the toner to the substrate.
Cleaning - the photoreceptor is cleared of any remaining toner.
In color xerography, steps 1-4 are repeated for each color before fusing. The four-color image
is built layer upon layer either directly onto the paper or (better and faster) onto an interme-
diate belt for a single transfer of the full color image onto the substrate.
Part Eight:
Ink Jet
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Ink Jet Printing
Ink jet printing processes produce color and density on a substrate by controlling the deposit
of tiny droplets of ink which form an image. Special coated papers are needed to result in
vibrant, saturated colors. There are two basic categories of ink jet printers: continuous ink jet
typical of high-speed production systems and drop-on-demand ink jet typical of desktop
and short-run units.
Continuous ink jet is based on a simple principle: a thin stream of liquid ink can be broken
up into a steady stream of uniform-sized droplets when subjected to high frequency vibration.
Modern continuous ink jet systems use piezoelectric crystals that produce hundreds of thou-
sands individual droplets each second.
The stream of droplets is controlled and directed by a charging electrode which deflects
unwanted droplets into a catcher and returned to the ink reservoir. Undeflected droplets fly
onto the moving substrate to form the image. Continuous array ink jet printers use one or
more arrays or groups of ink jet nozzles to achieve high printing speeds. A typical high speed
array has 240 nozzles per inch in a 4.25" array (1020 nozzles). Two adjacent arrays will cover
an 8.5" page size. Special coated papers are needed to result in vibrant, saturated colors.
Desktop and short-run wide format ink jet printers use drop-on-demand ink-jet printing. In
drop-on-demand ink jet, droplets are only formed when needed for the page image. The two
most common ink-ejection mechanisms are bubble jet and piezoelectric crystal. Both cause
ejection of a tiny droplet from an ink chamber, which is immediately refilled from the ink
reservoir to repeat the cycle as needed. Drop-on-demand is a relatively slow print technology.
ink reservoir
piezoelectric crystal
nozzle
ink
chamber
piezoelectric crystal
deforms
ink ejects and
forms droplet
ink reservoir
heating plate
nozzle
ink
chamber
vaporized ink
forms bubble
ink ejects and
forms droplet
Two Drop-on-Demand ink jet types: piezoelectric crystal and bubble jet
Continuous ink jet
ink reservoir
deflector charge electrodes
return to ink tank
s
u
b
s
t
r
a
t
e
piezoelectric crystals
Part Eight:
Digital Printing Market
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Digital Printing Markets
The digital printing market is focused on short to medium run length, with a rapidly growing
emphasis on variable data printing.
Fixed Data/Images - Short to Medium Run hybrid digital offset systems
Variable Data/Images - Short to Medium Run b&w and color digital printing systems
Variable Data/Images - Long Run ink jet; xerographic products in development
Economics of Printing
Offset printing has high initial (start-up) costs.
Offset printing has a rapidly decreasing cost-per-
page as the run length increases.
Digital printing has a nearly flat-line cost-per-
page profile; cost of first copy is essentially the
same as the cost of 100th, 1000th, 5000th, etc.
What is the Print Customer Buying?
Fast turnaround time (<2 days) Acceptable quality
Cost advantages over offset (short run) No or minimal inventory
Documents with value (less obsolescence) Variability or personalization
NOT merely buying technology
Faster Print Job Turnaround Times in Future
At the end of 1995, 50% of all jobs were delivered within one week; by 2005, 80% of all jobs
will be delivered within one week. (source: GATF, GAMA)
Next day or sooner: 2% in 1995, 41% in 2005
In two days: 21% in 1995, 22% in 2005
Within one week: 28% in 1995, 24% in 2005
Within two weeks: 36% in 1995, 11% in 2005
Within one month: 7% in 1995, 1% in 2005
More than one month: 6% in 1995, 1% in 2005
print run length
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What will be the market and technological hurdles to be solved to enable faster job turnaround?
Part Eight:
Defining Run Length
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Defining Print Run Length
Print run length refers to the number of copies of the job that are printed in a single print
session. Usually the run length equals the total number of copies needed, including the
amount of sheets needed for the projected spoilage in the printing, finishing, and binding
procedures. The printing industry records a lot of data from many companies in order to
determine print run length patterns and projections. Paper making companies also use
similar data to project the amounts of various papers that will be needed in the future.
Print Run Length Categories
1 copy Ultra Short Run
2-500 copies Very Short Run
501-2,000 Short Run
2,001-5,000 Moderate Short Run
5,001-10,000 Moderate Run
10,001-50,000 Average Run
50,001-250,000 Moderate Long Run
250,001-750,000 Long Run
750,001-1,000,000+ Very Long Run
Market Share of Run Lengths
1-500 copies 16.6% (of total market)
500-2,000 33.5%
2,001-5,000 22.3%
5,001-10,000 13.8%
10,000-100,000 5.6%
>100,000 8.2%
Product Size and Run Length
1-100 101-500 501-2000 2001-5000 over 5000
under 10 pgs 13% 14% 17% 9% 47%
11-20 pgs 11% 9% 43% 19% 18%
21-50 pgs 2% 11% 32% 29% 26%
51-100 pgs 7% 12% 35% 17% 29%
101-200 pgs 3% 9% 38% 29% 21%
over 200 pgs 2% 6% 36% 31% 25%
What conclusions can you make from the above two data charts: Market Share of Run Length and
Product Size and Run Length? What is the potential market share for digital printing? Is the digital
printing market limited by product size?
Part Eight:
Variable Printing
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Variable Printing
Variable printing means that the individual pages can have different text and/or graphics.
Variable information from re-imageable image carriers results in variable printing, the
critical component of customized printing. Offset lithography has a fixed image plate and
cannot do variable printing every press sheet in the run is the same as the others. Printing
from fixed-image image carriers (e.g., offset plates) is called static printing
Variable printing itself has many variations: target marketing, variable versions, personalized
printing, customized printing, and one-to-one marketing. The market for variable printing
includes direct marketing (dont say junk mail), catalog marketing, and variable data print-
ing from a database. Why is everyone interested in variable printing? Value added and high
response rates!
Database Publishing
Database publishing enables customized, personalized, and variable printing a key market
influence on the growth of digital printing.
Often repeated quote:
The power of technology is in the hands of those who have the database.
Target Marketing
Versionalization: creating several versions tailored to the particular circumstances.
Individualization: creating a unique product based on an in-depth database of known
characteristics (not always recognized as such by the end-user).
Personalization: combines database and other marketing strategies to target specific
individuals.
Personalization Levels (level #12 has highest amount of personalization)
12. Every pixel is personalized
11. Rules-based database and image merge, dynamic layout
10. Database and image merge
9. Hybrid documents (personalized with static printing)
8. Database merge (link to all fields in database)
7. Data merge (name, address, salutation, plus embedded in text)
6. Document assembly (assembly pre-written paragraphs)
5. Mail merge (name, address, salutation)
4. Address merge (name and address on letter and mail piece)
3. Name and address on mail piece; sorted by zip
2. Addressed to "Resident"; sorted by zip, selected contents
1. Addressed to "Resident"; same contents, every piece the same
Point to Ponder and Debate... Where does the data come from?
Part Eight:
Print-On-Demand
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What is Print-On-Demand (POD)?
The definition of Print-on-Demand (POD) or on-demand printing is usually based on its
characteristics.
Print-on-Demand = short notice and quick turnaround
Print-on-Demand = short, economical print runs
Print-on-Demand is today mostly associated with digital printing
Print-on-Demand definition may include binding and finishing operations needed to
complete the job in the short turnaround time required.
Who does Print-on-Demand?
Any printing company or department can justify marketing and doing print-on-demand jobs.
Commercial, book, and periodical printers, in-plant printers, quick printers and copy centers,
prepress services, and even office superstores all may do on-demand printing.
What are the Benefits of Print-on-Demand
lower inventory costs
lower risk of obsolescent print materials
lower production and distribution costs
What is a Successful POD Business Strategy
Successful print-on-demand business strategies usually include marketing the entire process:
Digital photography
Digital document development
Digital data transmission and storage
Digital proofing
Digital printing
Consultative sales the printer as educator for the clients and designers
Market digital printing benefits, not merely converting offset to digital press jobs
Typical POD products
Customized and non-customized
textbooks
brochures, flyers
catalogs
coupons
labels
Advertising and direct mail
Product literature
Journal and magazine reprints
Books, booklets, and manuals
Technical reports, documentation,
proposals
Bound galleys of books for review
prior to print runs
Forms
Newsletters
Envelopes
Financial and legal reports and
documents
Menus, programs
Invitations, letterheads, stationary
Signs, posters
Presentation materials
Less-likely POD products
Consumer product packaging
Daily newspapers
Mass-market books
Telephone books
Long-run general magazines
Mass-distribution catalogs
High-volume direct mail
Mass-market brochures, promo-
tional materials
Part Eight:
Diverse Market Needs
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Numerous Products for Diverse Digital Printing Markets
There are several companies that manufacture digital printing products, and there are also
numerous printer configurations and options for the business office graphics and the profes-
sional graphic arts industry markets. Often, the same configuration will serve the needs of
both markets. Customized configurations enable optimum cost, service, and performance.
Three broad categories of xerographic equipment include:
copiers (optical and digital, hardcopy scanner document input)
copier/printers (digital, hardcopy scanner and network document input)
printers (digital, network document input)
Each of these categories offer a wide range of devices from black & white to color, from low-
to very high average monthly print volume requirements.
Home
Personal
Publishers Creative Graphics
Office
In-Plant
Printing Services
In-Plant
Printing Services
Data Centers
Creative and
Professional
Services
Prepress and
Imaging Services
Commercial Printers
Quick Printers
Data Center
Services
Postpress and
Fullfillment Services
Office
Graphic Arts
Industry
Other Industries and
Organizations
Photo
Color Market Segmentation
Vendors may
have various
products that are
targeted for all or
selected markets.
Various digital
front-end (DFEs)
and color man-
agement solu-
tions are avail-
able, depending
on the vendor.
There are simplex
and duplex print-
ing and in-line
finishing options.
Digital color print systems range from 4 to
100 pages per minute; from single-page
cut-sheet sizes to continuous web feed.
Prices range from desktop printers under
$1500, to low-volume network printers
about $7000, to high-volume web printers
at about $400,000.
Digital printers
are used to pro-
duce:
1. intermediate
proofs for tradi-
tional print
processes.
2. final proofs
for digital print.
3. final print
production out-
put of short to
medium run
lengths.
Part Eight:
Competitive Products
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Competitive Production Digital Printing Products
The number of companies which produce and markets digital production printers is large.
There is an even greater number of systems, a number that is continually growing as new
production digital printing systems are developed and introduced. One needs to continually
review the industry literature and company web sites to learn about current systems.
Here is a brief list of companies, and their web site URLs, that produce and market black &
white and color production digital printing systems:
Xerox http://www.xerox.com/ digital black & white and color
Indigo http://www.indigonet.com/ digital color
Agfa http://www.agfahome.com/ digital color
Xeikon http://www.xeikon.be digital color
Oc http://www.oce.com/ digital black & white and color
IBM http://www.printers.ibm.com/ digital black & white and color
Heidelberg http://www.heidelbergusa.com/ hybrid digital offset
Scitex http://www.scitex.com/ ink-jet
Scitex/KBA http://www.karatpress.com/ hybrid digital offset
Xeikon, a company in Belgium, is the manufac-
turer of web-fed digital color print engines mar-
keted by four different companies: Xerox, Agfa,
IBM, and, of course, Xeikon.
As of October, 1999, this print engine is consid-
ered the top-of-the line color digital printer.
Growth of Color Digital Systems
1993 - NONE
First Xeikon and Indigo placements in 1994
First Xerox DocuColor 40 placements in
1996; by 1998 the DC-40 placements total
more than all others combined.
First Canon CLC-1000 placements in 1997
By 2005, projected to be 30,000 to 50,000
digital color systems placed worldwide.
Part Eight:
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The Xerox DocuTech 135
black & white digital
production printer has
enjoyed a dominant mar-
ket share since its intro-
duction. The DT 135 fea-
tures digital and scanner
interface for acquiring
copy for production.
The Xerox DocuTech
6180 black & white
digital production
printer increased
print speed and pro-
vided for additional
printing substrate
options.
The Xerox DocuColor
40 features 2-up
sheet-fed, 600 dpi
process color printing
at 40 ppm simplex
and 30 ppm duplex.
Copy can be received
via a network as well
as via the scanner
interface.
Part Eight:
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The Xerox DocuColor 12, introduced in 1999,
offers 600 x 600 dpi x 8 bit resolution, 12.5 ppm
color and 50 ppm B&W at 8.5" x 11" sheet size;
6 ppm/25 ppm with an 11" x 17" full bleed sheet
size capability.
A copier/printer, the DC 12 features a 400 x 400
ppi scanner interface for hardcopy document
input as well as network connectivity.
Intermediate Belt Technology (IBT) enables the
full-color image to be transferred to the paper
in a single pass for faster production and
improved image quality over comparable units.
Optional sorter, choice of color controllers, and
high-capacity feeder are available.
The Xerox DocuColor 4, introduced in 1999,
offers 600 x 600 dpi x 8 bit resolution, 4 ppm
color and 16 ppm B&W at 8.5" x 11" sheet size
with a 13" x 18" maximum sheet size.
A copier/printer, the DC 4CP features a 400 x
400 ppi scanner interface for hardcopy docu-
ment input as well as network connectivity.
Also features the IBT for single pass full-color
printing, optional sorter, choice of color con-
trollers, and high-capacity feeder.
The Canon copier and printer lines have
many units ranging from desktop inkjet
printers to this CLC1000, 31 ppm color
copier/printer.
Part Eight:
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Indigo produces several process
color systems which use a liquid
ink toner, in digital offset press
configuration for sheet fed and
web fed production at 800 dpi.
Some units also feature additional
spot color capability.
Many companies make wide-
format ink jet printing systems.
These ink jet systems are ideal
for large size printing require-
ments and are rapidly replacing
the traditional screen printing
process for printing these type
of products.
Scitex is the dominant company in
the high-speed black & white ink
jet printing system market.
Part Eight:
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Scitex and KBA, in a
joint venture, produce
the 74 Karat press to
meets the industrys
demand for short and
medium run four-color
offset quality printing
with a small floor
space footprint. The 74
Karat is a hybrid digi-
tal offset press that
uses direct-to-plate
imaging and a self-cali-
brating inking system.
The Heidelberg Quickmaster
DI revolutionized the hybrid
digital offset printing system
category. The QMDI was the
first such system specifically
designed and engineered for
direct imaging waterless off-
set printing.
The Heidelberg Speedmaster
74 DI four-up sheetfed
press, introduced in 1998,
combines on-press thermal
CTP with four and four-plus
press configurations.
Hybrid digital, direct imag-
ing offset presses cannot do
variable printing.
A
A/D Conversion 37
Absorption 14
Advantages of added color 22
Color Captures Attention 23
Color Enhances Productivity 24
Color Improves Communications 23
Color Sells 23
B
Bzier curve 51
Bit depth 50
Bitmapped images 48
C
CCD 35, 36
Charge-Coupled Device 35
Chester F. Carlson 88
CIEColor Models 30
CMMs 86
CMYK 27, 37, 38, 41, 44, 46, 64, 70
Color and Emotion 18
Color Compression 20
Color Conversion 70
Color Management 79
Calibration 82, 85
Color Predictability 82
IT8 79, 80, 83
Standards 79
Color Mapping 84
Absolute colorimetric mapping 84
Perceptive mapping 84
Relative colorimetric mapping 84
Saturation mapping 84
Color Models 25
Additive color model 26
Color Triangles 29
Color wheel 28, 29
Subtractive color model 27
Color Naming 76
Color Perception 15
Color Picker 64
Color reproduction 39
Color Separation 33
Color temperature 21
Colorimeter 83
Complementary colors 29
Conventional Prepress 5
D
Densitometer 83
Device Profiles 85
Characterization 85
Digital Cameras 36, 37, 55
Digital Color Printing 87, 96
Digital File Output 7
Imposition 7
PostScript Output Device 7
Preflighting 7
RIP 7
Trapping 7
Digital Prepress 6
Digital Printing Markets 91, 95
Dot Gain 45
Downsizing/Downsampling 56
E
Economics of Printing 91
Electromagnetic radiation 12
Electromagnetic Spectrum 12, 13
Electrophotography 88
Electrostatic printing 88
Index
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EPS 59, 65
EPS/DCS 59, 61
F
File Compression 62
Lossless 62
Lossy 62
File to Print Options 8
Computer-to-digital printer 8
Computer-to-film 8
Computer-to-plate 8
Computer-to-press 8
File types 59, 60
Fonts 54
G
Gamut 30, 71, 81, 84
GCR 46
GIF 59
Gray Levels 58
Grayscale 49
H
Halftone 41, 44, 57
Dot shape 41, 43
Dot size 41, 42
Screen Angle 41
Screen frequency 41, 42, 55, 58
Heidelberg 100
Hi-Fi Color 71
I
Indigo 99
Ink Jet Printing 90
Continuous ink jet 90
Drop-on-demand ink jet 90
Ink/Toner on Paper 40
Interpolation 56
J
JPEG 59, 62
K
Kelvin Scale 21
L
Language of Color 16
Brightness 16
Color family 17
Color shades 17, 29
Hue 16, 17
Luminance 16
Saturation 16
LZW 59
M
Munsell Color System 32
N
Newton, Isaac 13, 28
O
Object-oriented images 51
Offset Lithography 9
Optical dot gain 45
P
Pantone 72
Pantone Hexachrome 74
PDF 59
PhotoCD 59, 61
Photomultiplier Tube 34
Index
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PICT 59
Pixels 48, 49, 55, 56
PostScript 43, 54, 59, 65, 66
Primary Colors 28
Print Run Length 92
Print-On-Demand 94
Printing processes 9
Digital 9
Flexography 9
Gravure 9
Offset Lithography 9
Process Color 38, 69
Project Planning 2
GRACoL 2
Project Questions 2
R
Reflection 14
Resolution 48, 55, 56
Resolution Rules 57
Responses to Color 19
Emotional responses 19
Physiological responses 19
Reverse engineering 4
RGB 26, 37, 41, 64, 65
S
Scanners 34, 37
Drum scanners 34
Flatbed scanners 35
Scitex 99
Secondary Colors 28
Selenium 88
Solid Colors 69
Spectrophotometer 83
Stochastic Screening 44, 57
T
Tertiary Colors 28
The Human Eye 11
TIFF 59
TIFF/IT 59
Timelines 8
Turnaround time 2, 91
TrueType 54
Trumatch 75
U
UCA 46
UCR 46
V
Variable Printing 93
Database Publishing 93
Personalization Levels 93
Target Marketing 93
Vector 51, 52, 53
Visible light 12, 13
W
Wavelengths 12, 13, 14, 16
White light 13, 14
Workflow 4, 36
Workflow Segments 4
Workflow variables 4
X
Xerography 9, 88, 89
Xerox 96
Xerox DocuColor 12 98
Xerox DocuColor 40 97
Xerox DocuTech 135 97
Index
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Understanding Color

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Understanding

Six Steps in the Xerography Process

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