How to Adjust Color Management Settings

Color Management is the process of controlling color reproduction through a workflow. There are college-level courses and certification programs on color management and the subject is way too complex to discuss in a single article. The purpose of this article is to make you aware of the process and to understand where color management may be implemented on your computer. Most color management in graphic applications is applied through the use of ICC profiles. An ICC profile is a set of data that characterizes a color device according to standards created by the International Color Consortium (ICC). Profiles contain the color attributes of a unique device and “translate” the differences between the source and target color spaces (to learn more about color, visit the links in Resources below). Profiles can be implemented in a variety of places on your computer system and conflicts between profiles can cause inconsistencies between the color viewed on the monitor and other devices. Here I will outline the steps in order to familiarize you with how color management is implemented on your system.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• PC Computer System
• Digital Color Images

1. 
   Adobe Gamma

   Adobe Gamma is an application that is installed automatically on your computer when you install most windows Adobe Imaging Applications. You can locate the Adobe Gamma application under CONTROL PANEL in all Windows computers. It provides an easy way to implement ICC color profiles on your system so that all applications have the same color management. It does not automatically ship with newer Adobe products, but may be downloaded from the Adobe website. To find out how to use Adobe Gamma, see link in Resources below.

2. 
   Driver Adjustments

   The next place you should check for color management is in the device driver application. You can find your device driver settings in the CONTROL PANEL under DISPLAY. Click on the SETTINGS tab and ADVANCED to view the device driver settings. Each video card will have different controls. On this device driver I can assign a color profile to the desktop and adjust it, but only after I click the COLOR MANAGEMENT tab and ADD the profile. Since I am using Adobe Gamma to manage my display, I do not have a color profile set here, since it could cause “confusion” and inconsistent color. I would have a profile set here if I was not using Adobe Gamma.

3. 
   Device Properties

   Each device may have a separate color profile attached. This profile characterizes the individual device and you may choose to have a profile for each device like a video camera, scanner or digital camera if you find that the device has a particular color characteristic. My QuickCam delivers “warm” tones so I have applied a SRGB color profile to neutralize this tendency.

4. 
   Basic Profiles

   You may not know it, but Windows systems come with basic color profiles allowing you to choose a profile for your device. You can also download additional profiles from ICC or manufacturers of your color devices. There are thousands of color profiles. You can also create your own color profiles using a spectrophotometer, but this is only for experienced users with the correct tools.

5. 
   Software Adjustments

   Your imaging software may also have the capabilities of applying color profiles. This is the color settings screen form Adobe Photoshop Elements which also allows you to apply a profile to your image. Software programs usually only impact the open image, but make sure you do not apply a conflicting profile to one that may be set up for your operating system. You can use color profiles here to adjust a particular image destined for a targeted device.

6. 
   Printer Adjustments

   Finally, you can also attach a color profile to your printer. Windows will automatically choose the best profile, but if you were printing an image for a specific application (e.g. Newspaper) you may want to choose a SWOP or other printer profile. Keep in mind printers operate in a subtractive CMYK color model, unlike your computer screen which is an RGB model. You can change your computer screen to a printer profile to get an idea of how it will look when printed on that device. The bottom line is to keep in mind that color management can be applied at a variety of places in your workflow. Make sure you manage these properly to assure that you will have consistency in capturing, viewing and printing your color images.

Tips & Warnings

• Read about color and color management to gain a deeper understanding of how color management impacts your workflow.
• To keep it simple, apply color management at the system level and keep it turned off at the application and device level.

Resources

• Adobe Photoshop Elements
• ICC Color Profiles
• Technical Color Information
• How to Use Adobe Gamma
• Color HQ Tutorials
• Cambridge Color Tutorials

[StarrySkye]

on 1/1/2009 Great info...thanks for sharing!

[klnygaard]

on 12/30/2008 very informative and helpful

[Rachellewms]

on 12/29/2008 Very Informative! Thanks for providing helpful tips about adjusting color management settings.

[miasavc]

on 12/24/2008 Helpful tips in just perfect time as well i was looking for the information few days back now i got it a save in my favorites. Thank you! 5*****

[taskeinc]

on 12/22/2008 I have a part-time tech support job with a software company and this article, esp. the "imaging software" reference will come in handy ..