The “Green” Evaluation of Hallmark’s Color Reproduction System Scot R. Fernandez Senior Creative Technology Specialist Creative Technologies
Hallmark Cards Corporate Headquarters - Located in Kansas City Hallmark has 18,000 full-time Employees world-wide, around 4,000 In Kansas City. In 2006, Hallmark reported consolidated net revenues of $4.1 billion.
Begins with Creativity… Hallmark's Creative Division is one of the largest in the country. It consists of around 800 artists, designers, stylists, writers, editors, and photographers. Hallmark’s Color Reproduction Challenge
Creative Division creates 20,000 new designs per year. Manufacturing executes over 100,000 different designs/year. Results in over 4 Billion printed cards annually. Hallmark’s Color Reproduction Challenge
- Enterprise-wide CMS - Device Independent Color - True RGB Workflow - Proprietary Color Separation - Wide-gamut Process Inks - Robust Process Control - Leadership, Technical Support - Compromise 2007 ISCC Annual Meeting Delivering the Vision for Desktop Color Reproduction Delivering the Vision for Desktop Color Reproduction Lab Profile Connection Space RGB to Lab Scanner Profile RGB to Lab Display Profile Lab to CMYK Press Profile Lab to CMYK Proof Profile RGB Reference Space Design Edits RGB to Lab Ref. Profile
Eliminating the need for Spot Colors
Color Reproduction Challenge CMYK Color Gamut Limitation CMYK is limited compared to common design color communication tools. Using spot colors to produce the product leadership desired by our Creative staff would be too costly.
Multi-Color, Process Inks Lithography Uncoated Example Hallmark was a pioneer in developing, wide- gamut, multi-process ink systems, and high- end color separations Over 45 years ago, Hallmark developed a proprietary 6 color ink set that included a fluorescent Pink, Light Cyan, and a stronger set of CMYK
Eliminating the need for Spot Colors
Pantone vs. 4C & 6C AM Color Gamuts
Creative Color Intent Creative Color Intent Production 4 Color Production 4 Color Color Gamut Comparison
Hmk 6 Color Reproduction Hmk 6 Color Reproduction Creative Color Intent Creative Color Intent Color Gamut Comparison
Competitor Color Competitor Color Hmk 6 Color Reproduction Hmk 6 Color Reproduction
Impact of Stochastic Screening
Stochastic expands gamut Absorbs light efficiently Wider color gamut Less color contamination from paper More consistent color during the run
Stochastic expands gamut
AM Gamut Volume Comparison FM Gamut Volume Comparison
HSB Editing/RGB Workflow Terminology & Tools
Color Reproduction Vision Repurpose our creative content, most efficiently, across our varying ink-on-paper product workflows, while maintaining Hallmark quality expectations.
Traditional Ink-On-Paper Production Workflow Capture Design Proof Color Corrections $$$ Print
Risk of Poor Color Coordination Traditional CMYK Workflow…
- Enterprise-wide CMS - Device Independent Color - True RGB Workflow - Proprietary Color Separation - Wide-gamut Process Inks - Robust Process Control - Leadership, Technical Support - Compromise RGB Workflow/HSB Editing Delivering the Vision for Desktop Color Reproduction Delivering the Vision for Desktop Color Reproduction Lab Profile Connection Space RGB to Lab Scanner Profile RGB to Lab Display Profile Lab to CMYK Press Profile Lab to CMYK Proof Profile RGB Reference Space Design Edits RGB to Lab Ref. Profile
General Requirements: - No CMYK color corrections - Design and edit in RGB space - Great Color Separations - Smooth transitions - Reach the ends of ink-space - Match original color intent - Approve final color at design time RGB Workflow/HSB Editing Push-Button-Color
Device Independent RGB Workflow Lab Profile Connection Space RGB to Lab Scanner Profile RGB to Lab Display Profile Lab to CMYK Press Profile Lab to CMYK Proof Profile RGB Reference Space Design Edits RGB to Lab Ref. Profile
Working or Reference RGB Space Theoretical Hallmark Working RGB Space
Working RGB Space Adobe 98 Hallmark Working RGB Space Widest Ink-on-Paper Color Gamut
2007 Working RGB Space for Monitor Proofing Hmk 07 Hallmark Working RGB Space Widest Ink-on-Paper Color Gamut
Designer Workflow Change HSB Editing Terminology & Tools
Color Separations 5-Color off-the-shelf software example RGB Source Image Best rated profile software - 5 Color Separation
Proprietary Color Separations 5-Color Hallmark separation example RGB Source Image Hallmark Internal Profile 5-Color Separation
Standard Color Language - HSB Hallmark HSB Color Charts
All Lettering and Vector Graphics selected as process independent RGB Colors
All Final Color Approvals completed via Monitor Proofing at Design-Time
RGB Workflow Proofing Evolution
Color Corrections & Proofs Cromalin® Color-Art 3.5 Digital press Inkjet LCD 0 Early Days of Desktop Publishing
Color Corrections & Proofs Cromalin® Color-Art 3.5 Digital press Inkjet LCD 0 4 hrs/Design X 20K Designs = hrs color correction labor / Design RGB Workflow
Cost Per Proof (consumables & operator labor) Cromalin® Color-Art $65 Digital press Inkjet $50 $8 $2 LCD Free
Results
100% RGB Workflow - creative content is efficiently repurposed to gravure, flexo, litho
Lots of Process Controls - Print to Numbers, Standard Inks, paper, Lab balanced gray
The Retailers and Customers Love it! …from concept to store shelf much faster…
Summary Supports Business Transformation: Simplifies Work Processes Increases Speed & Flexibility Reduces Cost Benefits For Enterprise Color Management: Reduced Color Approvals User friendly/consistent/quality Enables Designer control color Fewer steps in the workflow Less color expertise required Reduced Color Approvals User friendly/consistent/quality Enables Designer control color Fewer steps in the workflow Less color expertise required Enables 100% Digital Workflow Go direct from Design to print Eliminate color correction times Eliminate shipping cycle times Approve color anywhere Enables 100% Digital Workflow Go direct from Design to print Eliminate color correction times Eliminate shipping cycle times Approve color anywhere Reduced Consumables & Labor Cost Savings (consumables) > $ hundreds of thousands Cost Savings (labor) > $ several million Reduced Consumables & Labor Cost Savings (consumables) > $ hundreds of thousands Cost Savings (labor) > $ several million
Future Green Efforts Virtual Secondary Process Proofing
Typical communication tool for emboss.
The “Green” Evaluation of Hallmark’s Color Reproduction System Scot R. Fernandez Senior Creative Technology Specialist Creative Technologies