Color management, a new technology, seeks to perfect color matching. Color man-
agement synchronizes the monitor and the printer by giving the computer feedback
about what colors each device produces. Apple Computer’s ColorSynch software, for
example, requires that color synchronization databases be made available to the
computer’s operating system.
Color management software works by comparing the color gamuts of your monitor
and your printer, which it can do if it has a device profile for each of them. A device
profileis a software database that describes the colors that the device (monitor or
printer) can create. After comparing the two profiles, the color management soft-
ware adjusts the monitor so it only shows colors that the printer can create. This
means that your first print will more closely match the appearance of the monitor
image.
Even with color management, you will probably need to make more than one print
to perfect your image. In this respect, digital printing is like darkroom printing: You
make test prints to come closer to a final print that expresses your idea. However,
with color management, you begin the process much closer to the end result.Printing Without Color Management
Some photo labs do not use color management yet. If your lab doesn’t use it, you
will need shortcuts so you can create finished prints with fewer test prints. The fol-
lowing procedure creates such a shortcut, a reusable software file that adjusts your
monitor to match your printer. Photoshop Elements users do not have access to the
CMYK color space. It is still possible to calibrate a monitor and a printer with
Elements, so follow along:CHAPTER 20 COLOR THEORY 299FIGURE 20.8
Gamut with off-
set printing.