Color management | 249
Color management lets you do the following:
• reproduce colors consistently across your digital imaging workflow, especially when opening documents
that were created in other applications
• reproduce colors consistently when sharing files with others
• preview, or “soft-proof”, colors before they are printed
• reduce the need to adjust and correct images when sending images to different destinations
A color management system does not offer identical color matching (this is not technically possible), but it
greatly improves the color representation.
Is my monitor displaying the right colors?
How you perceive the color that your monitor displays is another important factor in managing color
consistency. Your perception is influenced by the environment in which you are viewing the images. Here
are some ways to neutralize your viewing environment.
• Ensure that your room has a consistent flow of light. For example, if the room is filled with sunlight, use
a shade, or if possible, work in a room without windows.
• To ensure accuracy in perceiving colors, some graphics professionals work in windowless rooms with
gray or neutral walls and ceilings. If these conditions do not match the room you work in, you can
invest in a monitor hood, or you can create one by using black cardboard and tape.
• Don’t wear bright clothing that can clash with the display of colors on the monitor. For example,
wearing a white shirt reflects on the monitor and alters your perception of color.
• Set the monitor background to a neutral color, such as gray, or apply a grayscale image. Avoid using
colorful wallpapers and screensavers.
Calibration and profiling of the monitor, also known as characterization, are also important steps for
ensuring color accuracy. Calibration helps ensure consistency in the colors that are displayed on the
monitor. After calibration, you can create a color profile of the monitor, which contains the details of how
the monitor interprets colors. The profile is then shared with other devices. Calibration and profiling work
together to achieve color accuracy: If a monitor is incorrectly calibrated, its color profile is not useful.
However, calibration and profiling are complex and usually require a special calibration device and
specialized software. Furthermore, improper calibration may do more harm than good. You can find
additional information about monitor calibration and custom color profiles by researching color-
management techniques and products. You can also refer to the documentation that was provided with
your operating system or monitor.
Should I assign or convert color profiles?
In deciding whether to assign or convert a color profile, you should first consider the results that each
action produces. When you assign a color profile in Corel Painter, the color values, or numbers, in the
document do not change. Instead, the application simply uses the color profile to interpret the colors in
an image. However, when you convert a color profile, the color values in the document change. Instead
of assigning a color profile, the application translates one color profile to another. Converting a color
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