The Summer 2012 release of ProofPass.com contained industry reference data sets like SWOP and GRACoL and marked the first time ProofPass could reference against L*a*b* reference values. Today, we announce that the most recent incremental release of ProofPass contains the ability to enter your own L*a*b* reference values for any data set created with any color bar. That’s right. No longer are you locked into spectral reference values based upon a single proof scan.
Why have custom reference data sets?
Extended gamut: Not all customers expect you to run to industry standards and, in fact, some of your most unique and profitable work probably occurs when you are not running to industry norms. This might be extended gamut printing or special effects printing utilizing technology like metallic inks.
White point adjustment: Perhaps you are tweaking an industry reference data set based upon your own custom substrate white point. The industry methodologies like those employed by G7 to achieve gray balance are a great way to create a reproducible print condition. The standards many aim for with FORGRA, SWOP and GRACoL assume specific paper whites. If your paper white is different, you need to adjust the entire data set aim point based upon that.
Custom spot color database: Finally, a customer might request specific L*a*b* aim points for their brand and sub-brand colors. There is now a way to enter those L*a*b* aim points into ProofPass for your internal process controls to validate to your client that you are hitting their desired colors.
How custom reference data sets can benefit you
Extended gamut: There are many extended gamut systems and the reasons for choosing one are typically based upon the type of work you need to produce. Most of the systems specify target L*a*b* values for the CMYK and extended ink sets. Using this latest ProofPass update you can now enter these aim points and compare your proofing and press runs to the exact values to which you are aiming.
White point adjustment: There are techniques our customers are utilizing to adjust FOGRA, SWOP and GRACoL data sets for different paper whites. For example, one of our customers recently reprocessed the FOGRA39 data set to more accurately represent their bluish cast paper. Instead of measuring a proof they made with these new aim points, they wanted to enter the actual aim points and now they can.
Custom spot color database: Sure there are color specifier systems out there, but more and more brands large and small are claiming colors as their own. There are plenty of good reasons for this; one of which is the substrates on which these color are produced. As a result, brand owners are moving towards providing L*a*b* aim points for their brand colors and now you can enter those values directly into ProofPass and aim for the exact color your client has specified.
Heck, don’t take our word for it. Sign up now for a free 30-day trial of ProofPass.com and see for yourself why seven years of ongoing development makes us the clear choice for cloud-based color verification and process control.