CMYK 2.0: A Cooperative Workflow for Photographers, Designers, and Printers

285 Pages·2008·28.162 MB·English

by  McCleary, Rick

CMYK 2.0
A Cooperative Workfl ow for Photographers, Designers, and Printers
RICK McCLEARY
CMYK 2.0: A Cooperative Workfl ow for
Photographers, Designers, and Printers
Rick McCleary
Peachpit Press
1249 Eighth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
510/524-2178
510/524-2221 (fax)
Find us on the Web at www.peachpit.com
To report errors, please send a note to [email protected]
Peachpit Press is a division of Pearson Education
Copyright © 2009 by Rick McCleary
All photography © Rick McCleary
Editor: Ted Waitt
Production Editor: Lisa Brazieal
Technical Editor: Kevin DePalmer
Interior Design: Mimi Heft
Compositor: WolfsonDesign
Copyeditor: Liz Welch
Indexer: James Minkin
Cover Design: Mimi Heft
Cover Image: Rick McCleary
Notice of Rights
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission
of the publisher. For information on getting permission reprints and excerpts, contact
[email protected].
Notice of Liability
Th e information in this book is distributed on an “As Is” basis without warranty. While every precaution has
been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any
person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the
instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.
Trademarks
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trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim,
the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services
identifi ed throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefi t of such companies
with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended
to convey endorsement or other affi liation with this book.
ISBN-13 978-0-321-57346-9
ISBN-10 0-321-57346-3
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed and bound in the United States of America
Acknowledgements
In the beginning were Rusty Koontz and Steve Uzzell. Th anks to them, this
book project began. Rusty was enthusiastically open to the idea that off set
printing can actually be quantifi ed and controlled, and he off ered the use of
his presses to prove the point. Steve suggested (and nudged, and pressed) that
this information should really be shared with “the rest of us” in a book. When
I laughed, he said, “No. Really. Write a book.” I owe them both.
Peter Krogh spent many hours on the phone showing me the big picture not
only on how to write a book, but more importantly, on how to put ideas “out
there.” Th anks to him, this ball got rolling.
Kevin DePalmer has been involved with this project from its earliest begin-
nings. He taught me much of what I know about color management and has
been my trusted technical editor each step of the way. When I got off track, I’d
inevitably receive a call from Kevin saying, “Dude. Do you really want to say
this?” Th anks to him, this book stayed on course.
Nick Duchon dropped in on my writing process at the most random moments, but
his clarity of thought and depth of analysis proved to be some of the most valu-
able of this entire process. Th anks to him, the ideas are a little bit sharper.
Richard Anderson off ered steady and consistent encouragement. I continue to
value his perspective and generosity. Th anks to him, I sustained focus and energy
over the long haul.
Th e team at Peachpit Press has been wonderfully positive and supportive. Nancy
Ruenzel had the confi dence in me to give this book the go-ahead. Mimi Heft
turned a bunch of chaotic Word documents into a beautiful design. Lisa Brazieal
kept us all on schedule with great humor and patience. And fi nally, but most
importantly, Ted Waitt was my editor, par excellence. His insightful comments,
his shepherding spirit, and his wry wit made writing this book bearable. Th anks
to everyone at Peachpit, what seemed impossible became possible.
My kids, Aaron and Lauren, gave me the space to disappear and cheered me
on with cries of “Winning babies!” and “You can do it, big guy!” I thank them
both for their constant love and encouragement.
And, to Berthica, who can now say she’s married to a published author, I give
my biggest thanks and endless love. She kept me going with food and fl owers;
revisions and edits; laughter and lightness.
…oh, and thanks to Gary Barnes, of course.

CO N T E N TS
INTRODUCTION
xiii
Driver’s manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiii
“What’s wrong with my color?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiii
CHAPTER 1
THE MINDSET
3
The state of the art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
The paradox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Looking for answers in all the wrong places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The digital imaging revolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
A brief history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
The fallout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
False fl uency: the siren’s song of digital technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
It’s all make-believe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
The day craft died . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
So, where does this leave us? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
The way forward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
A light on the horizon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
The more things change, the more they stay the same . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Understand your role in the digital age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Be a Guardian of the Color . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Understand the reality behind the make-believe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Understand the entire process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Be tolerant of the evolution of digital tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
And fi nally, respect the revolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
A note about happiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
+ v
CHAPTER 2
THE BIG PICTURE
27
Words of wisdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Trust me, I know what I’m doing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
RGB-to-CMYK is a team sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Rebuilding the foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Process control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Take the fi rst step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
vi + CMYK 2.0 + CONTENTS
CHAPTER 3
THE TOOLS
47
How close is close enough? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
It’s more than just the monitor… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Intelligently integrating the tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
The image viewing environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Color of light: the common variable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
The lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Working environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Print viewing area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
The monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Calibrate the monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Profi le the monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Visually confi rm calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Maintaining the accuracy of your monitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Monitor calibration tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
The proof printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Proofs, pretty pictures, and liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Four kinds of prints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
The proofi ng system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
The Info panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
CHAPTER 4
THE COLOR MANAGEMENT PRIMER
83
Driver or mechanic? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
The executive summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
CONTENTS + vii
How color management works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Numbers = words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Color spaces = languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Profi les = identities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Same RGB triplet, different colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Universal color space = universal set of ideas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Conversion: the basic mechanics of color management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Managing gamut: judgment day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Rendering intents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Color spaces: which one? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
The Achilles heel of CMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108
Be deliberate, be aware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
What to do with untagged fi les . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Assign vs. Convert: don’t confuse them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113
It’s a fragile system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Fifty switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
The mechanics of the CMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Color Settings: Adobe Creative Suite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Which color space am I in? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
How do I convert? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
What if I receive an untagged fi le? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Context, collaboration, process control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
CHAPTER 5
THE CMYK PRIMER
123
Images on paper in CMYK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
It’s just dots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .127
All colors from four colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Dots and color together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
viii + CMYK 2.0 + CONTENTS
Putting dots on paper: how an offset press works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
A virtual fi eld trip to the print shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .133
The mechanics of RGB-to-CMYK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Under the hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .141
Managing gamut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
CMYK and color management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149
Converting to CMYK: Two paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .151
ICC profi le–based conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .153
Custom CMYK–based conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Is one better than the other? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Why not the best? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Collaborate in any case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Collaborative responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
The future of CMYK printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160
CONTENTS + ix