ICC profiles contain color information for a particular device or viewing condition. This information ensures that the colors you print will match the colors you intended in your design. ICC profiles are essential to your printing workflow because they help ensure that the colors you print are accurate.

A color profile is a set of data that describes a color space or gamut. Different gamuts display different ranges of color. Some computers display a wide range of colors, while others are quite limited in what they can display. Every device (phone, computer, scanner, etc.) has a color profile that defines the colors it can display or print.

A helpful analogy when trying to understand ICC profiles is to think of them as clothing sizes. They don't fit all sizes of clothing, just as your colors don't fit every single destination, whether it's a monitor or a printer. These destinations won't be able to accommodate your color range and reproduce everything that makes your artwork special. This is why you need color conversion. Printing files without a full understanding and proper use of ICC profiles will result in this type of mismatch. One color profile won't produce the same results as another, just like the same pair of pants won't fit everyone.

Why are ICC profiles needed?

Printers use different color profiles depending on their capabilities, which are defined by ink and paper type. Some profiles have a wider range of greens or blues, while others are better at reproducing reds and yellows. Gamuts range from the RGB spectrum of digital devices to the CMYK spectrum of printers.
Computers can't display all the colors the eye can see, and the gamut can vary from screen to screen. Printers can't print every shade of color, either. Take this photo of a sunset:

Who needs accurate color profiles?

ICC profiles are needed by anyone using different devices to view the same file. Without them, your colors and images will change between digital devices and printers. Here are a few examples:
Say you want to print a photo from your trip to Greece, capturing the cliffside houses and blue rooftops without sacrificing a single pixel of color.
Or maybe you're a digital artist creating the next great comic book superhero. In that case, you want to make sure your character's outfit is consistent for digital readers as well as die-hard print fans.
Or maybe you're a marketing manager and your company's logo is the perfect shade of sky blue. A lot of resources went into brainstorming, designing, and creating brand guidelines, and maintaining consistency could be the difference between record sales and an unimpressive quarter.

Whatever the scenario, the right color profile ensures that your colors stay your colors as your file moves across devices. In our many years in the printing business, we've seen how badly mishandled ICC profiles can affect the final result. Don't be a victim!

How can I change my ICC profile?

Different devices have different tools for changing ICC profiles. However, to ensure the most accurate color conversion from one ICC profile to another, the use of a color management tool such as xColor is essential. Color management tools use DeviceLink technology to link between profiles, saving the designer valuable time compared to manually converting to a new profile.

What can go wrong if ICC profiles are overlooked?

As in the image above, not using a color management tool to convert your file to the correct ICC profile will result in inconsistencies. Ignoring color profiles doesn't just change your colors, it also reduces the vibrancy of the original file.

Our color management tool, xColor, makes sure that doesn't happen. And because xColor is cloud-based, the color profiles you need are available anytime, anywhere. We built xColor to help you stay true to your colors!

 

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FAQ  

Q. What is a Color Management System?
A. A system that converts data encoded for one device (e.g. scanner RGB) to data encoded for another device (e.g. printer CMYK) in such a way that it will reproduce the same colors when printed as when scanned. Where exact color matching is not possible, the result should be a pleasing approximation of the original colors. In general, the term color management system is usually reserved for those systems that use the internationally accepted CIE color measurement system as a reference.

Q. What is an ICC profile?
A. ICC profiles help you achieve accurate color reproduction when you input images from a scanner or camera and display them on a monitor or print them. They define the relationship between the digital values that your device receives or sends and a standard color space defined by ICC, which is based on a measurement system defined internationally by the CIE. So if you have a profile for each of your scanner, camera, display, and printer, the fact that they refer to a standard color space allows you to combine them so that you get the correct color when you receive images from the scanner or camera and when you print or display them.

An ICC profile is a profile that conforms to the ICC specification. By conforming to this specification, profiles can be shared and interpreted correctly by other users. The two main types of profiles are source (input) and destination (output) profiles, and are essentially tables of data that relate the device coordinates to those of the standard color space defined by ICC. Each profile defines different relationships (called rendering intents ? see a later question). Special types of profiles (device link and abstract) are defined for specific workflow applications.

Q. Who developed the ICC profile specification?
A.ICC is a consortium of companies interested in achieving consistent color across devices. Representatives of the ICC member companies work together to develop and update the specification. Changes to the specification must be approved by a majority of the members.


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