When you work with an image that has an embedded ColorSync or ICC profile, ColorSync identifies the colors that your monitor or printer can reproduce by examining their ColorSync profile. It compares their capabilities with those of the system used to create the image (as described in the embedded profile), and then picks appropriate, matching colors. For example, your monitor may be able to display a vivid red, but your printer inks may not be able to produce that color. ColorSync determines the “next best” color for your printer to use.
ColorSync performs color matching by comparing each profile to an independent color standard. ColorSync uses the CIE color standard, which describes colors in terms of how they are perceived by the human eye under specific lighting conditions. (CIE stands for the Commission International de l’Eclairage, the International Commission on Illumination, which created the standard in 1931.)
Setting up ColorSync
To take advantage of ColorSync, you need to obtain profiles for each of your imaging devices, such as your monitor, scanner, and color printer. ColorSync profiles are usually automatically installed when you install the software for a
You also need to set a ColorSync System Profile for the Mac OS. The ColorSync System Profile is used by ColorSync to determine the color range of your monitor. ColorSync compares this information with the profiles of your other devices to make sure that colors are consistent with what you see on your monitor.
Additionally, the System Profile is used as a default profile if a document you are working on doesn’t have any ColorSync information saved within it. This can occur if the document was created without ColorSync installed. By using the System Profile as a default, ColorSync ensures that colors are consistent with what you currently see on your monitor.
Using ColorSync | 103 |
