Colorimetry and Its Applications 1

Colorimetry and Its

Applications
R. Chung, Professor

Colorimetry has become more and more useful in graphic arts

imaging for color specifications, process control, quality assurance
and conformity assessment.!
(Rev._2015b)!

Topics
  Light, object, and color vision

  Tristimulus integration is the process of computing

color based on spectral data.
–  1931 CIEXYZ color space
–  1976 CIELAB color space

  Color matching and color difference

–  Invariant match
–  Metameric match

  Colorimetry applications

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 2

Light and Color

  Light exists as a form of energy.

  Color is a visual sensation.

  Visual sensation requires

–  Light
–  Object
–  Observer

Brain
Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Human Color Vision

  Color perception is complex.
–  Even if we standardize the lighting condition, the color of the
same object may be perceived differently by two people.
-  Perception is influenced by age, sex, cultural experiences

  CIE colorimetry standardizes how we measure

color.
–  Color measurement may be able to predict color perception.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 3

Color Vision Tests

  Ishihara s test for color blindness

  Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Color Vision Deficiency

  Anomalous trichromats

normal deutan" tritan"

  Statistics
–  7% of male population have color vision defects
–  Less than 0.5% of female population have color vision defects

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 4

Standard Observer
  In 1931, CIE defined a set of mathematical
functions which describe the sensitivity of the eye.
–  Based on two independent color matching experiments by
Wright and Guild
-  To quantify how spectrum colors are matched rather than to specify
a color sensation

  Three imaginary primaries

(R, G, B) were used in the
color matching
experiments.!
!

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

1931 2o Standard Observer

  The amount of tristimulus values required to match
the equal-energy spectrum

Mathematics is used 2.5

-
to transform color 2.0
z

matching functions
tristimulus values

1.5 -
(x-bar, y-bar, z-bar) - x
y
without negative 1.0

portion.! 0.5

0
400 500 600 700
wavelength (λ)

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 5

Rods & Cones Distribution

  Color vision is centered around 2-degree fovea
where cones are heavily concentrated.

Source: Leo Hurvich!

Professor of Psychology!
Univ. of Pennsylvania !

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

10

Supplementary Observer
  A CIE 10o standard observer was established in
1964.
–  Larger visual field was used for color matching.
-  Suitable for paint, textile, and plastics applications

Thumb up
4 degrees
2"

28"

Arm length

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 6

11

Spectral Power Distribution

  SPD is measured by a spectroradiometer.
–  Color temperature describes the hue of the light source.
-  Lamps with D50 color temperature can be different in spectral
energy distribution.
–  A potential problem of metamerism
–  CRI describes its color rendering capability.
-  How complete spectral energies are across the visible spectrum

250 120
Illuminant A Illuminant D50
200 100

80
150
P P 60
100
40
50
20

0 0
390

410

430

450

470

490

510

530

550

570

590

610

630

650

670

690
700

390

410

430

450

470

490

510

530

550

570

590

610

630

650

670

690
700
Wavelenght (nm) Wavelenght (nm)

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

12

CIE Standard Illuminants

  SPD of F2 at 5 nm intervals (blue) shows spikes on
top of the continuous emission.
–  SPD of F2 at 10 nm intervals (red line) does not have sufficient
resolution to show the spikes.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 7

13

Object Color
  Measured by a spectrophotometer
–  A spectrophotometer measures the reflectance of a sample at
many points across the visible spectrum.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

14

Spectrophotometer
  Instrument design parameters
–  Illumination source
-  M0, M1, M2, M3
–  Geometry
-  0 / 45
–  Measuring diffuse reflectance
-  Integrating sphere
–  Specular component included or excluded
–  Monochrometer
-  Grating
-  Interference filters
–  Measurement spot size

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 8

15

Tristimulus Integration
  ISO 13655 (2009)
–  R(λ) is the reflectance factor at
λ.
–  WX(λ) is the weighting factor at
λ for tristimulus value X.
–  WY(λ) is the weighting factor at
λ for tristimulus value Y.
–  WZ(λ) is the weighting factor at
λ for tristimulus value Z.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

16

Measuring Tristimulus Values

  Spectro-colorimeter
–  Computationally derived with spectral data
-  ANSI CGATS.5 - 1993
-  Suitable for critical color communication

  Filter-colorimeter
–  Derived by means of optical integration with the light-filter-
detector combination
-  Spectral data are not used

  Learn to use the Excel spreadsheet to compute

color based on spectral data.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 9

17

Densitometer vs. Colorimeter

Densitometer Spectro-colorimeter
Unit density XYZ, Yxy, CIELAB
Difference none ∆E
(Single number)
Spectral match to peak absorp- match the 1931 CIE
response tion of process inks standard observer
Geometry 0/45 0/45, integrating
Color anomalous color-normal
perception trichromat observer
Dark shade good okay
discrimin.
Light shade poor good
discrimin.
Standardization ANSI status T CIE
Applications process control for color specification
CMYK printing only process control
quality assurance
Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

18

Color Space Models

  CIE Chromaticity coordinates, Yxy
–  Y is the lightness of the color
–  x represents fractional redness
–  y represents fractional greenness
-  z or (1-x-y) is the fractional blueness

• x= X
X+Y+Z

• y= Y
X+Y+Z y

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 10

19

Chromaticity Diagram
  Spectrum colors form a horse shoe shaped locus.
–  Dominant wavelength
–  Purity

525 nm Dominate
wavelength
575 nm

700 nm
500 nm o C1
Ill. D65
y
400 nm
x

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

20

CIE Color Naming

  Different wavelength region represents color
names of different hues.
0.9
525

0.8 CIE spectrum locus

0.7 550

Green
0.6 Yellowish
green
500
Greenish 575
0.5 yellow
y Bluish Yellow

0.4 green Orange

Reddish
White orange
0.3 Greenish 600
blue Pink Red 700
Purplish
0.2 red
Blue Reddish
Purple purple
0.1 475

450
400
0.0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
x
Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission
Colorimetry and Its Applications 11

21

Color Gamut Comparison

  A printer s CMYK color gamut is different from a
monitor s RGB color gamut.
0.9
525

0.8 CIE spectrum locus

0.7 550

0.6
500 575
0.5
G Y
y
0.4
R
Printer
0.3 600
700
C
0.2 M
Monitor

0.1 475
B
450
400
0.0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
x
Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

22

Uniform Color Space

  MacAdam ellipses
–  Equal visual difference should be plotted with equal distance.
-  Chromaticity diagram
-  did not do well.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 12

23

1976 CIELAB Color Space

  Opponent color theory
–  L* is lightness
L*
–  a* is redness or greenness
-  Redness (if a* is positive)
-  Greenness (if a* is negative) White
Yellow
–  b* is yellowness or blueness
+b*
-  Yellowness (if b* is positive) Green -a* +a* Red
-  Blueness (if b* is negative) -b*
Blue

Black

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

24

XYZ-to-Lab Formulas
  ISO 13655

L* = 116[f(Y/Yn) – 16!
!
a* = 500[f(X/Xn) – f(Y/Yn)]!
!
b* = 200[f(Y/Yn) – f(Z/Zn)]!
!
X, Y, Z are the tristimulus values!
Xn, Yn, Zn are the white point !

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 13

25

Process Inks
  Real inks have incomplete reflection and
absorption.
–  CIELAB is used to specify the ink color.
-  Sample preparation
-  Measurement conditions

100
Ink CIELAB (D50/2)
80
yellow Patch L* a* b*
Cyan 60.5 -44 -41.1
% Reflectance

60 cyan

40 magenta Magenta 55.7 63.2 0.3

20
Yellow 88.7 3.2 96.3
Black 10 0.4 3.8
400 500 600 700
wavelength (λ)

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

26

CIE LCh Color Space

  The vector equivalent of the CIELAB color space
–  Metric chroma

C* = a*2 + b*2
–  Hue angle +b*

h = tan-1 b* •
a* C*
ho
-a* +a*

-b*

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 14

27

Hue Angle Calculations

  Given a* (cell D17) and b* (cell E17)
–  Hue angle in radian (cell H17)
-  =IF(ATAN2(D17, E17)>=0,ATAN2(D17,E17),
-  2*PI()+ATAN2(D17,E17))
–  Hue angle in degrees=DEGREES(H17)

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

28

Munsell Color Space

  Based on visual judgment
–  Hue
–  Value
–  Chroma

Notation: 5R 5/10

Hue Value Chroma

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 15

29

Device Dependent Color

  Computer graphics color space
–  RGB

  Designers color space

–  Swatchbook

  Printer color space

–  CMYK

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

30

Device Independent Color

  Act as a reference color (profile connection) space
in color management systems

Focoltone

Trumatch RGB1

CIE
Pantone Reference RGB2
Color Space

SWOP HSL

CMYK

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 16

31

Color Matching
  Invariant (or spectral) match
–  When two colors have the same spectrophotometric curves
(SPC), they will have the same tristimulus values.
-  Their match is invariant

-  If (SPC)1 = (SPC)2, then (XYZ)1 = (XYZ)2

–  Can you think of examples of spectral match?

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

32

Color Matching
  Metameric (conditional) match
–  When two colors have different spectrophotometric curves, but
have the same tristimulus values
-  The color match is conditional.
-  The two objects are metamers.

-  (XYZ)1 = (XYZ)2, but (SPC)1 ≠ (SPC)2

  Can you think of examples of metameric match?

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 17

33

Color Difference
  For any two colors,
–  C 1: L 1*, a 1*, b 1*
–  C 2: L 2*, a 2*, b 2* L*
–  ∆E*ab is the total color difference
• C1
*2 * *2 * *2 ∆E
ΔE = L*
1 - L2 + a1 - a2 + b1 - b2
b*
C2
•
–  ∆E00 is based on more a*
Complicated formulas.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

34

Color Difference
  ∆L*, ∆a* and ∆b* expressed as human visual
sensation
–  Between a sample and a reference
–  (sample-reference)

When The Sample is

∆L* is '+' Lighter
∆L* is '-' Darker
∆a* is '+' Redder or less green
∆a* is '-' Less red or greener
∆b* is '+' Yellower or less bluer
∆b* is '-' Less yellow or bluer
Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission
Colorimetry and Its Applications 18

35

Color Difference as a Number

  Spot colors and trademark colors need to be
matched closely.
–  Small color difference is allowed

∆E Perception Interpretation
<1 No difference Excellent match
1~2 Just noticeable Good match
4~6 Noticeable Fair match
>9 Strong difference Poor match

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

36

Acceptability! Perceptibility!
  ∆E Magnitude, ∆E
Perceptibility, Instrument error 0 No difference
Just noticeable
and Ink verification 2

Acceptability 4
Printing tolerances Noticeable
-- single ink 6
Printing tolerances
-- process inks 8

10 Strong difference

12

14 As interpreted as a simple field

Color image
reproduction analysis 16
-- original vs. repro
18
Colorimetry and Its Applications 19

37

Color Tolerance as a Volume

  Three color tolerancing models
–  ∆L*, ∆a*, and ∆b* form a rectangular box.
–  ∆L*, ∆C*, and ∆hab* form a wedge.
–  CMC takes on an ellipsoidal-shaped volume.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

38

CMC Tolerancing
  The eye is better at detecting
hue differences in the orange
than in the green.

  The eye is more sensitive to

low chroma difference than
high chroma difference.

  The eye has greater

acceptance for shifts in the
lightness (l) than in the
chromaticity (c) dimension.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 20

39

Colorimetry Application
  Material specifications
–  How inks are specified and compared

  Process characterization
–  How color gamut, color variations, and RGB-to-CMYK
conversion are specified

  Color matching and image reproduction

–  ∆E matters to color matching.
–  ∆E does not matter to pleasing pictorial color image
reproduction.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

40

Material Specifications
  Colorimetric properties of halftone tints
–  Cyan screen tints

  Colorimetric differences
–  Rubine ink & rhodamine ink

  Colorimetric specifications
–  Standardized printing inks for offset lithography
-  ISO 2846

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 21

41

Colorimetric Properties
  Cyan halftone tints
–  Four levels of dot area coverage
-  25%, 50%, 75%, & solid
70 C25
C50
60 C75
C100
50
— TheirSPCs are non-crossing! max. absorption!

% Reflectance
40
— The wavelength of the max. !
30
absorption is at 630 nm!
20
•  The SPC of the solid patch is
situated in the bottom.! 10

0
400 450 500 550 600 650 700
Wavelength

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

42

Colorimetric Properties
  Cyan halftone tints

b*!
50!
— Tintshave similar hue angle! 40!

in the a* b* diagram as the" 30!

20!
solid, but differ in metric! 10!

chroma (C*)! 0! a*!

-10!
− When solid IFT increases," -20!
•!

hue shift may result – the" -30!

50% ! •!
•!
-40! •!
mass tone effect.! 100%!
-50!
-50! -40! -30! -20! -10! 0! 10! 20! 30! 40! 50!

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 22

43

Colorimetric Differences
  Two magenta inks
–  Rubine is a reddish magenta ink.
-  Cost cheaper
–  Rhodamine a bluish magenta ink.
-  More expensive

100
Rhodamine
90 Rubine

80
70
60

% Reflectance
50

40
30
20
10
0
400 450 500 550 600 650 700
Wavelength (nm)

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

44

Colorimetric Differences
  Rubine & rhodamine
–  Spectral reflectance in the blue region of SPC
–  Hue angle of the a* b* diagram

100 b*
Rhodamine 80
90 Rubine
60
80
70 40
(Yellowish)!
60
% Reflectance

20
Rubine
50 •
0 a*
40
•
30 -20 Rhodamine

20
-40
10 (Bluish)!
-60
0
400 450 500 550 600 650 700
-80
Wavelength (nm) -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 23

45

Colorimetric Specifications
  ISO 2846—Standardized printing inks for offset
lithography
–  C, M, Y, K
–  A single set of color coordinates could adequately represent
standard inks around the world.
-  Endorsed by ink associations from Europe, America, and Japan

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

46

ISO 2846-1 (2006)

  Sample preparation
–  Should be made on the reference substrate
-  APCO II/II
–  The nominal ink film thickness for web heat-set ink is 1 mm.
-  0.7-1.3 mm for cyan, magenta, and yellow
-  0.9-1.3 mm for black

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 24

47

ISO 2846-1 (2006)

  Specification for color and transparency of printing
inks
–  Sheet-fed and heat-set web offset

  Colorimetric conditions
–  D50 illuminant / 2o observer

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

48

ISO 2846-1 (2006)

  Example of conformance
–  Ink 1

10
  Example of non-conformance ∆E
–  Ink 2—Deviation of ink color 8

–  Ink 3 —correct in ink color, not in 2

6
pigment concentration
4
1 3
2
tolerance
range
0
0.5 1.0 1.5
Ink film thickness (µm)

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 25

49

Process Characterization
  Color gamut comparison
–  Monitor color gamut
–  Printer color gamut

  Color variations
–  Spatial uniformity within the sheet
–  Temporal consistency from sheet-to-sheet
–  XYZ-based TVI assessment

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

50

Monitor Color gamut

  Ambient lighting influences monitor color gamut.
0.9
525

0.8 CIE spectrum locus

0.7 550

0.6
500 575
0.5
G Y
y
0.4 Dim
Light
R
0.3 W 600
700
C Dark
0.2 M

0.1 475
B
450
400
0.0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8
x

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 26

51

Monitor Color Gamut

  Ambient lighting also influences lightness range of
the monitor.
–  High ambient lighting
-  Adds flare in the black point
-  Reduces lightness range

Dark Hard copy has brighter

Dim white point!
Light
Hard copy

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
(black) (white)
Y

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

52

Printer Color Gamut

  Chromaticity / a*b* diagram can be deceiving.
–  Expressed in two dimensions without lightness

1.0

Increased density
100
525
0.8 CIE Spectrum Locus

550

50
G
0.6
Increased
decreased density
y
500 Y
575
density
b*

0.4
0
Decreased
density R 600
-100 -50 0 50 100
700
C M
0.2 -50
475
B
450
400 CIELAB a*b*
0.0
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 -100
x a*

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 27

53

Printer Color Gamut Slice

  Chromaticity at constant lightness plane requires
special test targets.
100

80

60

40

20

0 a*
-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 80 100
-20

-40

-60

-80

-100

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

54

Color Variation Rules

  All imaging processes have color variations.
–  Some processes have more variations than other processes.

  Sources of variability
–  Uniformity within the sheet
–  Sheet-to-sheet
–  Run-to-run

  Assignable variations can be corrected for; random

variations cannot.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 28

55

Uniformity within the Sheet

  Spot color by flexo (30 measurements across)
52_Brown Sample - Average 75_Red Sample - Average
Location # L* a* b* ∆L* ∆a* ∆b* ∆E Location # L* a* b* ∆L* ∆a* ∆b* ∆E
1 31.5 11.7 7.9 0.2 -0.1 -0.2 0.3 1 52.4 61.8 39.0 0.2 -0.9 -1.1 1.4
2 31.7 11.8 8.0 0.3 0.0 -0.1 0.4 2 52.3 62.2 39.6 0.0 -0.5 -0.6 0.8
3 31.5 11.8 8.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.2 3 52.3 62.1 39.6 0.0 -0.6 -0.6 0.8
4 31.6 11.7 8.0 0.3 -0.2 0.0 0.3 4 52.2 62.6 40.2 0.0 -0.1 0.0 0.1
5 31.6 11.8 8.0 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 5 51.8 62.7 40.4 -0.5 0.0 0.2 0.5
6 31.6 11.9 8.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.3 6 52.1 63.1 40.7 -0.1 0.4 0.5 0.7
7 30.8 11.8 8.0 -0.5 -0.1 -0.1 0.6 7 52.1 63.2 40.6 -0.2 0.5 0.5 0.7
8 30.9 11.8 8.2 -0.4 0.0 0.1 0.4 8 52.5 62.9 40.1 0.2 0.2 -0.1 0.3
9 31.1 12.0 8.1 -0.2 0.1 0.0 0.2 9 52.8 63.1 40.4 0.5 0.5 0.2 0.7
10 31.2 12.1 8.1 -0.1 0.3 0.0 0.3 10 52.1 61.5 39.1 -0.2 -1.2 -1.1 1.6
11 31.7 12.3 8.2 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.6 11 52.2 63.0 40.6 0.0 0.3 0.4 0.5
12 31.5 11.9 8.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.2 12 52.8 64.0 41.1 0.5 1.4 1.0 1.7
13 31.4 11.8 8.0 0.1 -0.1 0.0 0.1 13 51.8 62.6 39.9 -0.4 -0.1 -0.2 0.5
14 31.6 11.9 8.1 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 14 52.2 62.6 40.0 -0.1 0.0 -0.2 0.2
15 31.0 11.6 8.0 -0.4 -0.2 0.0 0.4 15 52.1 62.5 39.7 -0.2 -0.1 -0.4 0.5
16 31.4 11.7 8.0 0.0 -0.1 -0.1 0.1 16 52.6 62.7 40.0 0.3 0.0 -0.1 0.3
17 31.1 11.7 8.0 -0.3 -0.1 0.0 0.3 17 52.3 62.9 40.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2
18 31.3 11.9 8.0 -0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 18 52.4 62.8 40.0 0.1 0.1 -0.1 0.2
19 31.3 11.9 8.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 19 52.3 62.2 39.7 0.0 -0.5 -0.5 0.7
20 31.4 12.2 8.3 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.4 20 51.8 61.9 39.8 -0.5 -0.8 -0.4 1.0
21 31.9 12.3 8.3 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.8 21 52.3 62.8 40.2 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.2
22 31.4 12.0 8.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 22 52.2 62.8 40.2 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1
23 30.7 11.8 7.8 -0.6 0.0 -0.2 0.6 23 52.0 62.5 40.3 -0.2 -0.2 0.1 0.3
24 31.1 11.7 8.0 -0.2 -0.1 0.0 0.2 24 52.0 62.3 40.3 -0.2 -0.4 0.1 0.5
25 31.1 11.8 8.1 -0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 25 52.2 62.6 40.2 -0.1 -0.1 0.0 0.1
26 31.1 11.8 8.0 -0.3 -0.1 0.0 0.3 26 52.5 63.5 40.9 0.2 0.8 0.8 1.1
27 30.8 11.6 7.9 -0.5 -0.3 -0.1 0.6 27 52.4 63.0 40.6 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.6
28 31.4 11.8 8.0 0.1 -0.1 0.0 0.1 28 52.6 63.0 40.5 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.6
29 31.3 11.7 8.0 -0.1 -0.2 -0.1 0.2 29 52.9 63.5 40.9 0.6 0.8 0.8 1.3
30 31.9 11.7 7.9 0.6 -0.2 -0.1 0.6 30 52.0 62.1 39.8 -0.2 -0.6 -0.3 0.7

Average 31.3 11.8 8.0 ∆E Ave. 0.3 Average 52.3 62.7 40.1 ∆E Ave. 0.6
∆E Max. 0.8 ∆E Max. 1.7
Copyright 2015 RIT – May not
∆E Min. 0.1 be reproduced without permission ∆E Min. 0.1
∆E Range 0.7 ∆E Range 1.7

56

Consistency from Sheet-to-sheet

  Spot color by flexo (30 consecutive sheets)
52_Brown Sample - Average 75_Red Sample - Average
Sample # L* a* b* ∆L* ∆a* ∆b* ∆E Sample # L* a* b* ∆L* ∆a* ∆b* ∆E
1 31.6 11.8 8.2 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 1 52.7 63.2 40.5 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.4
2 31.1 11.4 8.0 -0.3 -0.4 -0.3 0.6 2 52.4 63.5 40.9 -0.1 0.5 0.5 0.7
3 31.6 11.8 8.3 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 3 52.3 63.3 41.2 -0.1 0.3 0.7 0.8
4 31.8 11.8 8.3 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.3 4 52.1 62.6 40.5 -0.4 -0.3 0.0 0.5
5 31.5 11.7 8.2 0.1 -0.1 -0.1 0.1 5 52.4 63.2 40.7 0.0 0.2 0.3 0.4
6 31.0 11.5 8.1 -0.4 -0.3 -0.2 0.5 6 52.3 62.4 40.2 -0.1 -0.5 -0.3 0.6
7 31.5 12.0 8.3 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.2 7 52.5 62.9 40.4 0.1 -0.1 -0.1 0.1
8 31.4 11.8 8.2 -0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 8 52.7 63.5 40.7 0.3 0.5 0.2 0.6
9 31.2 11.5 8.1 -0.2 -0.3 -0.2 0.4 9 52.5 62.7 40.3 0.1 -0.2 -0.2 0.3
10 31.0 11.9 8.3 -0.5 0.1 0.1 0.5 10 52.6 63.0 40.5 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.2
11 32.0 12.1 8.5 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.6 11 52.4 63.4 41.0 0.0 0.5 0.5 0.7
12 31.5 12.1 8.4 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.3 12 52.4 62.6 40.1 -0.1 -0.4 -0.4 0.6
13 31.8 11.7 8.2 0.4 -0.1 0.0 0.4 13 52.0 62.4 40.0 -0.4 -0.5 -0.5 0.8
14 31.5 11.7 8.2 0.0 -0.1 -0.1 0.1 14 52.9 63.2 40.7 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.5
15 31.6 11.7 8.2 0.1 -0.1 -0.1 0.2 15 52.6 62.7 40.0 0.1 -0.3 -0.5 0.6
16 31.4 11.8 8.2 -0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 16 52.8 63.4 40.5 0.4 0.4 0.1 0.6
17 31.3 11.9 8.4 -0.2 0.1 0.1 0.3 17 52.4 62.5 40.1 -0.1 -0.5 -0.4 0.6
18 31.4 11.8 8.2 -0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 18 52.3 62.3 39.9 -0.1 -0.7 -0.6 0.9
19 31.7 12.1 8.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.3 19 52.4 62.7 40.1 0.0 -0.2 -0.4 0.5
20 31.4 11.9 8.3 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 20 52.4 62.6 40.4 0.0 -0.4 -0.1 0.4
21 31.4 11.8 8.3 -0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 21 52.4 63.1 40.7 -0.1 0.1 0.2 0.3
22 31.9 12.1 8.4 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.5 22 52.3 62.7 40.2 -0.2 -0.2 -0.2 0.4
23 31.6 11.9 8.3 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.2 23 52.5 63.7 41.1 0.0 0.8 0.6 1.0
24 31.5 11.6 8.1 0.0 -0.2 -0.1 0.2 24 52.0 62.5 40.3 -0.4 -0.5 -0.2 0.6
25 31.3 11.7 8.1 -0.2 -0.1 -0.1 0.2 25 52.8 63.2 40.6 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.5
26 31.4 11.8 8.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 26 52.7 62.9 40.1 0.2 0.0 -0.4 0.5
27 31.6 11.8 8.1 0.1 0.0 -0.1 0.2 27 52.5 63.6 41.1 0.0 0.6 0.6 0.9
28 31.5 12.0 8.4 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 28 52.6 63.3 40.9 0.1 0.3 0.4 0.5
29 31.2 11.6 8.2 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0.4 29 52.4 62.6 40.2 0.0 -0.3 -0.3 0.4
30 31.3 11.9 8.4 -0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 30 52.1 62.8 40.4 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1 0.4

Average 31.5 11.8 8.2 ∆E Ave. 0.3 Average 52.4 62.9 40.5 ∆E Ave. 0.5
(Production ∆E Max. 0.6 (Production ∆E Max. 1.0
center) ∆E Min. 0.0 center) ∆E Min. 0.1
Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission
∆E Range 0.6 ∆E Range 0.9
Colorimetry and Its Applications 29

57

XYZ-based TVI (ISO/TS 10128)

  Magenta and black
#Y − Y &
TVI = 100 % p
t
( − TV Input
Y
$ p − Ys'

Subscripts
  Yellow #Z − Z & p: paper
€ TVI = 100 % p t
( − TV Input t: tint
Z
$ p − Z s'
s: solid

#( X − 0.55Z ) − ( X − 0.55Z ) &

p p t t
€ TVI = 100 % ( − TV Input
%$( X p − 0.55Zp ) − ( X s − 0.55Zs) ('
  Cyan
Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

58

Color Matching
  Spot color printing vs. CMYK printing
–  Avoid out-of-gamut color
–  Small ∆E matters

Pantone swatchbook
is printed by dry
offset using special
formulated inks.

Pantone-to-digital
printing uses a RIP-
based look-up table.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 30

59

Pictorial Color Image

  Pleasingness of the reproduction matters.
–  Minimum ∆E is not important
-  Particularly when ∆E is due to gamut clipping

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

60

Color Image Reproduction

  Color Research & Appl. (Pearson, 1986)
–  Large ∆Es exist between the original and an acceptable
photographic print.
-  Tone reproduction and gamut compression are key factors for
pleasing reproduction

All patches Std. Observer Geometry color temp.

statistics in Macbeth from 1931 to 0/45 to difference
colorchecker 1964 sphere by 400oK
Average 15.9 1.4 3.2 3.1
Std. dev. 6.8 1.6 3.3 2.3
Min. 4.4 0 0.2 0.5
Max. 31.7 4.7 12.3 8.4
Range 27.3 4.7 12.1 7.9

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

Colorimetry and Its Applications 31

61

Summary
  Color is a visual sensation.
–  Light, object, and human vision are involved.

  Color can be measured by numbers.

–  CIELAB color space is the language for color specifications.

  Colorimetry has multiple uses in graphic arts

imaging practices.

  Colorimetry cannot judge pleasingness.

–  Only the human color perception can
–  Psychometric is a branch of statistics that studies human sensory
responses, e.g., pleasingness of pictorial color reproduction.

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission

62

References
  ISO/DIS 13655 (2009) Graphic technology —
Spectral measurement and colorimetric
computation for graphic arts images

  Cheydleur and O’Connor (2011), The M Factor…

What Does It Mean?

Copyright 2015 RIT – May not be reproduced without permission