What is Color Management?
“Color management” is a process where the color characteristics for every device in the imaging chain is known precisely and utilized in color reproduction. It often occurs behind the scenes and doesn’t require any intervention, but when color problems arise, understanding this process can be critical.
What is G7 Calibration?
G7 is a method for matching color across multiple printing devices, such as printing presses and proofing systems. It can be applied to any printer that has a calibration process (usually involving adjusting color “curves” in a RIP) that allows control over CMYK inks. These would include web presses, sheet-fed presses, proofing systems, inkjet printers being driven by RIPs. The goal of G7 is to provide visually consistent, repeatable color between different devices (like proofers and printers) as well as different presses, and even different facilities. The emphasis in this specification is on gray balance. Since human vision sees differences in gray more readily than more saturated colors, this specification is more likely to result in successful visual “matching” than merely matching solid ink densities which is typically done for more traditional processes.
The G in G7 stands for Grayscale, and the 7 stands for seven colors: cyan, magenta, yellow and black – the subtractive colors used in printing, and red, green, and blue – the additive colors used in proofing.
