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Grow Color Gamut to make signage pop

Toby Saalfeld Ricoh Commercial & Industrial Printing US Director, Color Management

SGIA Expo New Orleans, LA October 10, 2017

Toby Saalfeld is US Director, Color Management for Ricoh Americas Corporation. In this role, he designs color management innovations that focus on the real world needs of commercial print, in-plant, publishing and design environments, with a vision to raise the bar industry-wide with services and products that make color management a worthwhile investment for anyone – from the design stage to final production.

Toby Saalfeld

Working in the production printing industry since 1996, Saalfeld has become a leading authority and expert on real world color management solutions. In 2012, he developed and is now leading Ricoh's Color Elite Team – a group of highly specialized Color Management Experts located throughout the United States. Prior to joining Ricoh in 2009, Saalfeld held positions in engineering, sales, and marketing, and worked at some of the top enterprise companies in the industry, including: Xerox, Konica Minolta, and Hitachi Printing Solutions (both in Europe and the United States). Originally from Düsseldorf, Germany, hometown of the world's largest international print event DRUPA, Saalfeld is now based out of Los Angeles, California. He is an IDEAlliance certified G7 Expert and Color Management Professional Master.

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•  Definition of Gamut •  Industry Standards •  Rendering Intents •  Color Conversion •  Color Accuracy vs. Maximum Gamut •  G7 Methodology •  G7 vs. ICC •  Soft proofing 101 •  Key Takeaways

Agenda

“Color Gamut”... ...describes the entire range of colors available on a particular device such as a monitor, printer, scanner, camera, projector, or other device capable of capturing or producing colors.

Definition of Gamut

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RGB Additive Color Model (Red, Green, Blue mixed together result in white). Typical applications: monitors, scanners, cameras, and projectors.

CMYK Subtractive Color Model (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (Black)) also called process color used in color printing.

SPOT Premixed ink used instead of or in addition to process inks. Requires its own printing place / channel.

Industry Standards

RGB sRGB, AdobeRGB, ProPhoto RGB, ECIRGB, EFIRGB, ...

CMYK SWOP, GRACoL, SNAP, Fogra, ...

SPOT Pantone, HKS, Toyo, DIC, ... (Reflex Blue, Coca Cola Red, McDonald’s Yellow...)

Industry Standards

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Industry Standards

100% RGB green

100% RGB green

(AdobeRGB)

(sRGB)

Industry Standards

RGB CMYK PMS (Spot) Gray

CMYK

Profile Connection Space

Source Profile

Destination Profile

Basic Color Management Workflow (CMYK printer)

Raster Image Processor (RIP)

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Industry Standards

Basic Color Management Workflow (CMYKOG printer)

RGB CMYK PMS (Spot) Gray

CMYK

Profile Connection Space

Source Profile

Destination Profile

Raster Image Processor (RIP)

Industry Standards

RGB CMYK PMS (Spot) Gray

Basic Color Management Workflow (CMYKxxxxxx printer)

CMYKxxxxxx Profile Connection

Space Source Profile

Destination Profile

Raster Image Processor (RIP)

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Source Color Space

Destination Color Space

PCS Profile

Connection Space

Color Conversion

GRACoL

Industry Standards

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GRACoL vs. sRGB

Industry Standards

GRACoL vs. Adobe RGB

Industry Standards

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GRACoL vs. ProPhoto RGB

Industry Standards

GRACoL vs. Epson Stylus Pro 9900 (on Traditional Photo Paper)

Industry Standards

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sRGB vs. Epson Stylus Pro 9900 (on Traditional Photo Paper)

Industry Standards

Adobe RGB vs. Epson Stylus Pro 9900 on (Traditional Photo Paper)

Industry Standards

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Industry Standards - Checkpoint

•  Industry Standards provide a common target for accurate printing

•  Industry standards can limit your device’s gamut •  Select an appropriate color space for your application

•  If industry standard accurate print is not required: Disable RIP’s industry standard simulation to gain maximum gamut

•  Consider implementing two independent workflows •  Max Gamut •  Accuracy to industry spec

“Out of Gamut”... Colors that fall outside of the capturing or reproduction capabilities of a device.

Rendering Intents

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sRGB vs. Epson Stylus Pro 9900 (on Traditional Photo Paper)

Rendering Intents

Rendering Intents

RGB CMYK PMS (Spot) Gray

CMYK

RIP

Basic Color Management Workflow (CMYK printer)

Profile Connection Space

Source Profile

Destination Profile

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Rendering Intents - Colorimetric

Keeps in-gamut colors accurate Moves out of gamut colors to the edge of the target gamut Absolute Colorimetric retains source white point (new white point is usually not white) Relative Colorimetric moves source white point (new white point is paper white)

AdobeRGB to GRACoL

. .

. . .

Rendering Intents - Perceptual

Moves ALL colors Color shifts are proportional Keeps gradients well Not accurate Can result in desaturated images depending on the difference between the source and target gamuts

AdobeRGB to GRACoL

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Rendering Intents - Saturation

GRACoL to Epson Stylus 9900 on Traditional Photo Paper

Moves ALL colors Not accurate Color shifts are proportional Used to convert from small gamut to larger target gamut Keeps colors as saturated as Possible while preserving Relationship between colors

Rendering Intents - Checkpoint

•  Know the color (gamut) capabilities of all of your devices •  Be aware of potential “Out of Gamut” colors

•  Chose between maximum gamut and accuracy

•  Colorimetric (relative/absolute) rendering intent for accuracy

•  Saturation/Presentation rendering intent for max gamut

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RGB <> CMYK

Color Conversion

RGB - CMYK

Color Conversion

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Closed Loop

Color Management

Color Conversion

Color Conversion

Profile Connection Space (Translator)

Open Loop

Color Management

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RBG CMYK L*a*b*

Color Conversion

CMYK CMYK L*a*b*

Color Conversion

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CMYK L*a*b* RBG

Color Conversion

L*a*b* RBG RBG

Color Conversion

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Color Conversion - Checkpoint

•  Color Conversion is unavoidable!

•  A simple settings mistake can ruin a whole job

•  Ensure all devices in your workflow are profiled and calibrated

•  Custom profiles yield most accuracy and device color gamut

•  Know when to disable ICC color management on printer (only for maximum gamut applications without accuracy requirements)

No Color Management

Calibration and profiling

Traditional calibration

only

Color Conversion - Checkpoint

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What is G7?

What is G7?

Method of Calibration!

What is G7?

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What is G7?

+ + = 50 40 40 50

+ + =

+ += 50

50

50 40

40 40

G7 Calibration

50

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G7 vs. ICC Color Management

•  G7 = Calibration = Consistency •  Eliminates Color Cast •  Visually pleasing outcome •  Does not clip gamut of device

•  ICC (Colorimetric) + Calibration = Consistency + Accuracy •  Accurate to source/output profile combination •  Limited to lowest common denominator gamut

G7 - Checkpoint

•  G7 alone is not sufficient to print to an industry specification

•  G7 “neutralizes” CMY gray and as a result eliminates color cast

•  Perfect option for maximum gamut printing on large gamut devices

•  G7 is compatible with all CMYK printing processes

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Soft Proofing

Soft Proofing

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Soft Proofing

Soft Proofing

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Adobe RGB vs. Epson Stylus Pro 9900 on (Traditional Photo Paper)

Soft Proofing

Soft Proofing

Mandatory steps:

•  Create ICC profile of your printer (for each substrate) •  Profile and calibrate your monitor •  Adjust brightness of your monitor to ambient lighting •  Import profile(s) into your design application •  Select profiles in proof setup

Additional recommended steps:

•  Use a light booth to view the printed material in comparison to your monitor •  Dim ambient light as much as possible •  Use a hood around your monitor if ambient light can’t be controlled •  Work in a color distraction free environment (color neutral desk, walls,

clothing)

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Soft proofing - Checkpoint

•  Monitor gamuts are typically larger than printer gamuts

•  You can simulate the printed output on your monitor, but not the other way around

•  Perform a paper white to monitor brightness check

•  Ensure you set the proper expectations

•  Higher accuracy requirements means more dedication: •  custom ICC profiles •  frequent calibrations (monitor and printer) •  Suitable environment

Key Takeaways

•  Know the objective: Max Gamut vs. Accuracy (Pick one!)

•  Know our equipment: The tool is only as good as the user •  Hire a coach to maximize ROI of your equipment

•  Set appropriate expectations for yourself and with your customers

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•  Can include any device from any manufacturer! •  Receive coaching on industry best practices!

•  Maximize the ROI of equipment you already own!

•  Learn how to communicate color effectively!

•  Minimize color miscommunication with clients!

•  Come see me on the Ricoh booth (1351)!

Ricoh Professional Color Management

Thank you!

Questions and Answers