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Color Management Systems

Color management is the process of ensuring consistent color across peripheral devices and across operating-system platforms. Members of the computer and publishing industries developed color management systems (CMSs) to convert colors from the color space of one device to the color space of another device. A color management system gives the user the ability to perform color matching, to see in advance which colors cannot be accurately reproduced on a specific device, to simulate the range of colors of one device on another, and to calibrate peripheral devices using a device profile and a calibration application.

A color management system includes:

• Collections of color characteristics. These collections are given various names, such as color tags, precision transforms, or profiles.

• A color management module (CMM). This is a mathematical engine that performs the color matching among, and transformation between, collections of color characteristics.

• A system component for invoking color matching. ColorSync is Apple’s implementation of the ICC specification, providing system-level color management of images, documents, and devices.

Contents:

The Color Matching Problem
Profiles
Color Management Modules
ColorSync

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