Basic steps for producing consistent color

A color management system is built into Photoshop. To use Photoshop's color management system successfully, you will need to follow some basic steps.

To start managing the color in your workflow:

1. Calibrate your monitor. Use a visual calibration method, like Adobe Gamma (Windows) or Monitor Calibrator (Mac OS), or use third-party software and hardware for more accurate calibration.
2. Specify the color settings when you first launch Photoshop. The color settings in the Photoshop Color Settings dialog box control how the color management system works with RGB, CMYK, and grayscale images.

When first launching Photoshop, an alert will tell you that the color settings will be configured using default settings (Web Graphics Defaults) and ask if you wish to customize the color settings. Do one of the following:

• Click No to accept the default settings. Keep in mind that the default settings might be appropriate for keeping colors consistent when images are viewed on a computer monitor, but may not be optimum for printing images.

Note: Although you don't have to customize the color settings when first launching Photoshop, it's recommended that you do. The choices you make in the Color Settings dialog box influence how the colors in images are displayed.

• For better control of the Photoshop color management system, click Yes to customize the color settings in Photoshop when first launching the program. This opens the Color Settings dialog box. In the Color Settings dialog box, choose a preset option from the Settings menu. If your image is to be printed on a desktop printer or a printing press, choose one of the prepress defaults that's relevant to your geographic location. For example, if you're in the United States, you would choose U.S. Prepress Defaults.
• For the maximum control of the Photoshop color management system, click Yes to customize the color settings in Photoshop when first launching the program. This opens the Color Settings dialog box. In the Color Settings dialog box, select the Advanced Mode option and specify the individual settings.

Note: The Color Settings dialog box is not just accessible the first time you launch Photoshop. You can access the Color Settings dialog box at any time by choosing (Windows) Edit > Color Settings or (Mac OS) Photoshop > Color Settings.

It is important to use the same color settings in other color-managed applications such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe Acrobat® in order to make your color consistent between the applications. Keep in mind that colors will probably not match between color-managed applications and non-color-managed applications. For more information about synchronizing color settings between color-managed Adobe applications, see Keeping color consistent between Photoshop and other Adobe applications.

3. Create or acquire profiles of devices in your workflow, such as your desktop printer. The Photoshop color management system needs to know the behavior of the devices in your workflow in order to properly convert the color values in a document so the devices produce consistent color. Common ways to obtain a profile include:
• Installing the driver for your desktop printer. When you install the printer driver, a profile is usually installed in your computer system. The color management system can access this profile so it will appear as a color management option when you print from Photoshop.
• Creating a profile using a third-party measuring instrument and software. This method can create a more accurate descriptions of the behavior of specific devices.

Note: You should also make separate profiles for every type of paper used with your desktop printer. A glossy paper is capable of displaying a different range of colors than a matte paper. Use a third-party measuring instrument and software to generate custom paper profiles.

4. Incorporate color management into your various workflows. Having a calibrated monitor and profiles is useless unless you know how to utilize them:
• For keeping colors consistent when printing to an inkjet printer, dye sublimation printer, laser printer or any desktop printer, see Producing consistent color with a desktop printer.
• For keeping colors consistent when placed in a layout application like InDesign and sent out to be printed on a printing press, see Producing consistent color when sending images to press.
• For keeping colors consistent when creating images for viewing on the Web or multimedia presentations, see Producing consistent color when creating images for the Web.