3D Simulation of prints for improved soft proofing

A display tool has been developed to perform simulation and three-dimensional rendering of prints in the quest towards achieving improved soft proofing capabilities. It was desired through this 3D simulation that the gloss and surface properties of hard-copy prints be represented on a display, which are absent in current 2D soft proofing workflows. The procedure is described along with the relevant historical work. The major components of the workflow are identified as: the gloss prediction model, and the representation of this gloss on a display using computer graphics rendering techniques. Psychophysical experiments were carried out to evaluate the usefulness of this 3D simulation over current 2D soft proofing technique

Proof-to-Print Match: Effectiveness of Substrate-Corrected Colorimetric Aims in Soft Proofing

Soft proofing is an effective solution for clients and printers that decreases production cost and cycle time. However, print buyers are increasingly specifying brighter papers, which contain optical brightening agents (OBAs). One potential concern facing adopters of soft proofing systems is that they fail to consider the influence of OBA when rendering color images. Proofing systems are largely based on existing published specifications and their ICC profiles. These specifications and ICC profiles -- such as SWOP 3 and GRACoL 2006-- do not account for the influence of OBA-loaded printing papers, and therefore could cause a mismatch between the soft proof and the final print. To improve the soft proofing performance, it is important to account for the influence of OBA in printed color and in soft proofing. This research project investigated the use of the substrate-corrected colorimetric aims (SCCA) as the source ICC profile to improve proofing color accuracy. By conducting psychometric experiments and analyzing with Chi-Square statistic, the research concludes that (a) OBA causes the mismatch between the default soft proof and the OBA-loaded print; (b) source ICC profiles, built from both a fully characterized dataset and an SCCA solution, can improve color match between the soft proof and the OBA-loaded print; and (c) color match between the soft proof and the print is image-dependent

A Colorimetric investigation of soft proofing

The color proof has become one of the most important tools for quality control in the printing industry today3. Customers, publishers, separators, and printers depend upon its accuracy for indicating the quality of separations. The color proof is the most practical method for communicating how the color should appear and is easy to understand and use for comparison. The analog color proof is compared to the original to determine if the desired result has been achieved. The proof is sent to the customer to indicate how the image will appear when printed. If this proof is accepted, it is sent to the press room to indicate what is expected in the final reproduction. The color proof visually simulates how a set of films will print on the final production press with the production inks and stock. However, all too often, what is seen on the proof is not what the customer receives

Matching Printed Color Images under the Influence of OBA Using a Soft Proofing System

Soft proofing is a solution for print buyers and printers who want to decrease production cost and cycle time. When print buyers are increasingly specifying brightened papers, the use of the standard printer ICC profile, e.g., SWOP 3 and GRACoL 2006, as the source color space in the ICC-based color proofing workflow, no longer suffice. This is because the proof looks yellowish in comparison to the brightened print with a bluish white point that print buyers desire. To overcome the mismatch between the soft proof and the brightened print, this research builds a number of source ICC profiles, including profiles built using the substrate-corrected colorimetric aims (SCCA), and profiles built using full dataset. By conducting psychometric tests in a soft proofing environment, the results indicate that (1) the soft proof to brightened print match depends on the source ICC profile; (2) source ICC profiles, built from a fully characterized dataset or the substrate-corrected dataset, improve color match between the soft proof and the brightened print; and (3) the degree of color match between the soft proof and the print is image-dependent

What You See Isn\u27t Always What You Get: An Evaluation of Color Differences Across Different Devices

The objective of this thesis was to examine color differences between different digital devices such as, phones, tablets, and monitors. New technology has always been the catalyst for growth and change within the printing industry. With gadgets like the iPhone and the iPad becoming increasingly more popular in the recent years, printers have yet another technological advancement to consider. Soft proofing strategies use color management technology that allows the client to view their proof on a monitor as a duplication of how the finished product will appear on a printed piece of paper. A possible problem can occur if clients are not using a calibrated monitor to view proofs.. Today\u27s generation is obsessed with new technology and more importantly convenience. As the printing industry continues to evolve it is critical to consider the devices that clients are using to view proofs and the possible color differences that exist between those devices. Within this thesis the following questions were the basis of the research: * Do color differences exist between the phones, tablets, and monitors? * If color differences are present, what is the Delta-E value compared to the standard? * Do specific colors produce higher Delta-E values? * Are certain brand devices more color accurate than others

An Investigation of Soft Proof to Print Agreement under Bright Surround

Color quality is a vital concern in the printing industry. The ability of an LCD monitor to accurately and consistently predict the color of a printed work is often in doubt. According to Chung (2005), color reproduction technology is different for soft proofing and hard proofing which could lead a layman to believe that the two technologies may not produce the same result. Nevertheless, it is still possible for both reproduction technologies to achieve a metameric match which gives the same perceived color sensation between display and print. ISO/CD 14681 provides guidelines for creating the conditions required to perform soft proofing. This standard builds on ISO 12646 requirements for monitors and introduces a new softproofing environment (lightbooth with integrated monitor) to better meet the needs of industrial users. The ISO 14681 integrated viewing environment removes one important obstacle to achieving print to softproof match, i.e., the problem of simultaneous color contrast inherent in using a dim monitor surround with a bright paper viewing condition for soft proofing. Thus, the first objective of this research was to assess print to softproof visual match in the ISO 14681 integrated viewing environment. Nevertheless, even in this environment, inconsistency between paper white and monitor white remains as the next major obstacle to achieving consistent print to softproof match. Thus, a second objective of this research is to develop a methodology for matching the monitor\u27s white point to the white point of the paper viewed in an ISO 14681 integrated viewing environment. The methodology for fulfilling these objectives began with the creation of the hardware/software environment required to support experimentation. This environment consisted of a 24-inch EIZO CG242W display conforming to ISO 12646 and an integrated viewing environment conforming to the P2 specification in ISO 3664:2009. Two ISO 12647-2 conformed press sheets were prepared and became the reference for the experiment. The researcher next developed a methodology for matching the monitor white point to the white point of the paper under the P2 viewing condition. Finally, a panel of observers was used to compare print to softproof match for four display conditions in a paired comparison experiment. The results of the experiment were highly encouraging. The mismatch between monitor and paper white points, as measured by the sum of the differences in R, G, and B counts between the monitor and the paper, was reduced by nearly 90%. In addition, the paired comparison experiment demonstrated that the use of a custom monitor white point and optimized monitor gamma outperformed the use of standard D65 and D50 white points with the same optimized gamma at a .05 level of significance

Usability of Calibrating Monitor for Soft Proof According to cie cam02 Colour Appearance Model

Colour appearance models describe viewing conditions and enable simulating appearance of colours under different illuminants and illumination levels according to human perception. Since it is possible to predict how colour would look like when different illuminants are used, colour appearance models are incorporated in some monitor profiling software. Owing to these software, tone reproduction curve can be defined by taking into consideration viewing condition in which display is observed. In this work assessment of cie cam02 colour appearance model usage at calibrating lcd monitor for soft proof was tested in order to determine which tone reproduction curve enables better reproduction of colour. Luminance level was kept constant, whereas tone reproduction curves determined by gamma values and by parameters of cie cam02 model were varied. Testing was conducted in case where physical print reference is observed under illuminant which has colour temperature according to iso standard for soft-proofing (d50) and also for illuminants d65. Based on the results of calibrations assessment, subjective and objective assessment of created profiles, as well as on the perceptual test carried out on human observers, differences in image display were defined and conclusions of the adequacy of cam02 usage at monitor calibration for each of the viewing conditions reached

Information system for administrating and distributing color images through internet

The information system for administrating and distributing color images through the Internet ensures the consistent replication of color images, their storage - in an on-line data base - and predictable distribution, by means of a digitally distributed flow, based on Windows platform and POD (Print On Demand) technology. The consistent replication of color images inde-pendently from the parameters of the processing equipment and from the features of the programs composing the technological flow, is ensured by the standard color management sys-tem defined by ICC (International Color Consortium), which is integrated by the Windows operation system and by the POD technology. The latter minimize the noticeable differences between the colors captured, displayed or printed by various replication equipments and/or edited by various graphical applications. The system integrated web application ensures the uploading of the color images in an on-line database and their administration and distribution among the users via the Internet. For the preservation of the data expressed by the color im-ages during their transfer along a digitally distributed flow, the software application includes an original tool ensuring the accurate replication of colors on computer displays or when printing them by means of various color printers or presses. For development and use, this application employs a hardware platform based on PC support and a competitive software platform, based on: the Windows operation system, the .NET. Development medium and the C# programming language. This information system is beneficial for creators and users of color images, the success of the printed or on-line (Internet) publications depending on the sizeable, predictable and accurate replication of colors employed for the visual expression of information in every activity fields of the modern society. The herein introduced information system enables all interested persons to access the information from the on-line database, whenever they want, wherever they are, by means of the digital infrastructure, computer net-works and modern communication technologies.Color management, data bank, web application, Internet, POD, Color space, PCS, CMM, CMS, ICC, CIEXYZ, CIEL*a*b, RGB, CMYK, ICC profile.

The Utah Statesman, October 2, 2012

Weekly student newspaper of Utah State University in Logan.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/newspapers/1110/thumbnail.jp