What is ICC color management curve?

Popular understanding of ICC curve of color management: Many people ask about ICC curve, but they don't understand it very well. Some people even think that beautiful pictures can be printed with ICC curves, but they are not. Let me give you a popular understanding I have learned.

First of all, as we all know, RGB color gamut in computer software is very wide, and computers use computer language; And our printer uses C, M, Y, K or C, M, Y, K, LC, LM, etc. We can call it printer language. Because the color language output by the computer needs to be translated by the translator when it reaches the printer, for example, combined black, we can set black as C: 50 y: 50 m: 50 in PHOTOSHOP software in the computer (for example, this ratio is not necessarily black), then when the computer outputs a combined black language, the printer driver will send a command of C: 50 y: 50 m: 50 to the printer, and the printer will follow the instructions.

Secondly, different materials and different inks will have different reactions. Compared with paper and PP, the chemical reaction of ink on the surface coating is different, that is to say, the amount of ink reaching the surface of these coatings will have different effects, so it is necessary to make a correction when the computer language is converted into the printer language, so that the ICC curve will play a role.

Moreover, the characteristics of different devices make the recognition and implementation of these languages different, such as the first generation Epson sprinkler and the fourth generation sprinkler. The recognition and execution abilities of these instructions and languages are different. Although the ink used is the same as the substrate, different ICC curves should be drawn according to the equipment.

Generation of ICC curve: With the cooperation of color management equipment and software like EYEONE, the production of ICC curve becomes simple and fast. EYEONE prints the standard color block on the substrate by software, and then inputs the color block into the software by spectrophotometer, and compares it with the original color block. The generated deviation value is ICC curve file. Different materials have different curves, and of course different inks also have different curves.

So some manufacturers don't know how to make ICC curves, and they don't understand the significance of ICC curves. They simply mix inferior inks after testing other inks, and they don't provide a perfect color service system. This is a serious irresponsibility to customers! Moreover, because the desktop printer uses fewer kinds of media, some files similar to curves have been used in the printer driver, so the desktop printer does not need the support of curve files, and the results obtained by using curves not made for this device are of course not good.

In large format, devices using third-party RIP software need to transfer ICC curves to RIP software for graphic output of printed media. So we can't ignore ICC curves, and we can't download some curves from the internet to use them indiscriminately.