USA Printing Standards Update - CM USA Print Standards Update

USA Printing Standards Update - CM USA print specifications SWOP (publication) Uses ISO 2846 inks GRACoL (commercial) Uses ISO (but darker K) FIRST (Flexo) Inks similar to ISO SNAP (newspaper) ? SWOP (publication) Uses ISO 2846 inks GRACoL (commercial) Uses ISO (but darker K) FIRST (Flexo) Inks similar to ISO SNAP (newspaper) ?

USA Printing Standards Update - CM The standards problem (USA) ICC-based users find today’s print specs and standards inadequate Compared to ICC color matching Technically-savvy users will not wait for standards to catch up They’ll use whatever works best for them GRACoL decided to take action ICC-based users find today’s print specs and standards inadequate Compared to ICC color matching Technically-savvy users will not wait for standards to catch up They’ll use whatever works best for them GRACoL decided to take action

USA Printing Standards Update - CM Print standards need to… Catch up with latest user-trends like ICC, CtP, digital proofing, etc. Learn to adapt more quickly to new technologies and expectations Promote themselves better to get wider adoption GRACoL’s answer: Enhanced implementation of ISO Catch up with latest user-trends like ICC, CtP, digital proofing, etc. Learn to adapt more quickly to new technologies and expectations Promote themselves better to get wider adoption GRACoL’s answer: Enhanced implementation of ISO

USA Printing Standards Update - CM Exciting opportunity While up-dating standards, why not design-in some “Shared appearance” between different processes? Similar ink hues Similar gray balance Similar visual lightness and contrast Reduces danger of “accidental re- purposing” - simplifies file exchange While up-dating standards, why not design-in some “Shared appearance” between different processes? Similar ink hues Similar gray balance Similar visual lightness and contrast Reduces danger of “accidental re- purposing” - simplifies file exchange

USA Printing Standards Update - CM Shared appearance testing New SWOP run (September) using GRACoL process Looked very similar to GRACoL sheets, (except contrast, of course) Flexo test run (December) Close match to SWOP and GRACoL sheets First newsprint tests (January) Very encouraging first results New SWOP run (September) using GRACoL process Looked very similar to GRACoL sheets, (except contrast, of course) Flexo test run (December) Close match to SWOP and GRACoL sheets First newsprint tests (January) Very encouraging first results

USA Printing Standards Update - CM SWOP 2006 GRACoL 2006 How Shared Appearance looks Similar overall appearance (within gamut and paper limits)

USA Printing Standards Update - CM GRACoL7 Quick Review

USA Printing Standards Update - CM Gray Balance One of the most vital visual parameters Traditionally defined as the color of a 50% black ink tint, or the color of paper Too ambiguous for reliable “appearance” match New GRACoL7 definition: 50C, 40M, 40Y = a* 0.0, b* -2.0 Other paper colors? Point for discussion One of the most vital visual parameters Traditionally defined as the color of a 50% black ink tint, or the color of paper Too ambiguous for reliable “appearance” match New GRACoL7 definition: 50C, 40M, 40Y = a* 0.0, b* -2.0 Other paper colors? Point for discussion

USA Printing Standards Update - CM “NPDC” (Neutral Print Density Curve)

USA Printing Standards Update - CM NPDC Controls lightness better than TVI curves Mimics typical CtP press Averaged from many “uncalibrated” CtP runs plus FOGRA and Japanese data Close to average of ECI profiles’ NPDC Automatically adapts to different dynamic ranges with constant visual lightness Controls lightness better than TVI curves Mimics typical CtP press Averaged from many “uncalibrated” CtP runs plus FOGRA and Japanese data Close to average of ECI profiles’ NPDC Automatically adapts to different dynamic ranges with constant visual lightness

USA Printing Standards Update - CM Highlight Range (HR) Neutral density (ND) of a mid-tone gray patch minus paper ND HR = 0.54 (constant) Easier to monitor than TVI, but more visually useful K50 vs. C50,M40,Y40 ND? Same? Darker? Lighter? This is a point for debate! Neutral density (ND) of a mid-tone gray patch minus paper ND HR = 0.54 (constant) Easier to monitor than TVI, but more visually useful K50 vs. C50,M40,Y40 ND? Same? Darker? Lighter? This is a point for debate!

USA Printing Standards Update - CM International agreement? ISO should define CMY gray balance? Use same ink colors in all countries? With new 2-color overprint values Aim for “shared appearance” between different print standards? ISO should define CMY gray balance? Use same ink colors in all countries? With new 2-color overprint values Aim for “shared appearance” between different print standards?

USA Printing Standards Update - CM Remaining Questions Gray Balance basis? Paper? K ink? Arbitrary a*b*? Same or different for different-colored stocks? TVI vs NPDC? How to specify both without conflict? K50 vs. C50,M40,Y40? Lighter? Darker? Same? K ink solid? Darken to match industry trends? Gray Balance basis? Paper? K ink? Arbitrary a*b*? Same or different for different-colored stocks? TVI vs NPDC? How to specify both without conflict? K50 vs. C50,M40,Y40? Lighter? Darker? Same? K ink solid? Darken to match industry trends?

USA Printing Standards Update - CM Long-term question How can international printing standards adapt more quickly to new technologies or changing “best practices”?

USA Printing Standards Update - CM Testing the GRACoL7 ideas FOGRA test run Feb Try it yourself Download GRACoL7 beta packet (targets, docs, graphs, etc.) at Answer the questionnaire on PAB list by Elie Khoury and Mike Rodriguez FOGRA test run Feb Try it yourself Download GRACoL7 beta packet (targets, docs, graphs, etc.) at Answer the questionnaire on PAB list by Elie Khoury and Mike Rodriguez

USA Printing Standards Update - CM SWOP 2006 GRACoL 2006 Thank You