In printing and related digital imaging fields, ICC stands for the International Color Consortium.
Understanding the International Color Consortium (ICC)
The International Color Consortium is an organization dedicated to promoting consistent color reproduction across various devices and operating systems.
According to the International Color Consortium (ICC) itself, an ICC profile is defined as "a set of data that characterizes a color input or output device." This means ICC profiles are crucial for describing how a specific device, like a scanner, camera, monitor, or printer, handles color.
Why ICC is Important in Printing
The main goal of the ICC and its standardized profiles is to ensure that colors look as similar as possible throughout the entire digital workflow, from capturing an image to viewing it on a screen and finally printing it.
- Color Consistency: Different devices interpret and reproduce colors differently. An ICC profile acts like a translator, describing the color capabilities (gamut) of a device.
- Accurate Reproduction: By using ICC profiles for your monitor, printer, and the specific paper/ink combination, you can better predict how the final print will look compared to what you see on your screen.
- Standardization: The ICC provides a global standard for color management, allowing different software and hardware from various manufacturers to communicate color information effectively.
ICC Profiles in Practice
When working with printing:
- Your monitor uses an ICC profile to display colors accurately.
- Your image editing software uses profiles to convert colors between different color spaces (like sRGB, Adobe RGB, or ProPhoto RGB).
- Your printer driver uses a specific ICC profile designed for your printer model and the paper/ink you are using to translate the colors into the specific dots of ink placed on the paper.
This color management chain, often built around ICC standards and profiles, helps minimize unexpected color shifts, boosts color accuracy, and ensures a more reliable printing process.
