Color Matching

After scanning or photographing your original work of art, local color correction is usually required in order to provide an exact color match to the original. The reason is that digital cameras and scanner "read" the pigments used by artists differently than the human eye. Essentially the "color gamut" of the human eye is far wider than any digital instrument currently available. Therefore it is not very often that a scan or digital image can be printed as a giclee without some local color correction. Additionally each type of paper or canvas has its own inherent color gamut that must also be accounted for in order to produce an accurate reproduction.

Local corrections are usually necessary to adjust certain pigments that are used by the artist. The only possibility of matching these areas of the digital image to the original color tone is to isolate these areas and correct them via the use of layers in Photoshop. Layers are generally created using masks and saving them as separate parts of the original file that can be adjusted independent of all other regions of the image. There can be as many as 20 or more layers in difficult images and as few as one.

During the process of color matching it is possible that 8 or more test prints will be produced to achieve as close as possible color matching. The final test print will be the proof that we present to you for final approval before printing.

Color matching process

Exact color matching may be achieved when the original piece of art work or a hard copy image representing the exact colors is available. One color or exposure correction is included in the print price. For exact color matching a $55/hr rate, charged in 15 minute increments after the first half hour will be charged. Color matching is generally required for a good match. We will forgo color matching at your request. In this case there will be no guarantee that colors will match and no refunds for color differences. Often forgoing color matching will give adequate color representation. If you are concerned about precise color matching we highly recommend that you budget for two hours of color matching when an image is submitted. Often it takes less time, sometimes it takes more.

Money saving tip

Do the color matching yourself. Here are the steps:

  • Calibrate your monitor to the sRGB color space. This way the colors you see on your monitor are the same colors we see on our monitors.
  • Ask us to send the custom profiles for the papers we stock.
  • Then adjust the colors to match your original.

The calibration is the key step and the rest is simply matching colors through adjustments in Photoshop. We recommend using layers and adjustment techniques that don't affect the original image. Always save your original image file separate from the adjusted file. If you have questions regarding calibration there is ample information on the web via a Google search. If you have questions regarding the use of our custom profiles, please call.

Color matching Guarantee

We do not guarantee precise color matching. The closest you can come to a guarantee is by having us do a proof print that you can look at and approve prior to final printing. Once the proof is approved we will print the final image. If the colors need more work we will perform additional color correction at $50/hr and send another proof print for your approval. The cost for sending a proof is $15 plus shipping. For smaller pieces it is sometimes more efficient to consider the first order your proof. If you do not want a proof, the final print will be made and there will be no refund or exchange based on color differences.

Further thoughts on color matching

We have found that after a relatively few # of images have been color corrected by us, the job gets faster and easier. Each artist tends to have a specific palette of colors or general method of using color. After processing a few images the same or similar adjustments are often used to achieve desired results.