Labels:text | paper | letter | screenshot | handwriting | book OCR: Step 1: Calibrate Your Monitor Color Theory 101 Before tackling the specifics of monitor calibration, let's consider a few general points about color and color reproduction. To begin with, keep this crucial rule in mind: Color Colors that can be perceived by perception is subjective - i.e ., everyone sees color somewhat differently. Color, it's also the human eye G worth noting, isn't an object; it's a property of light, an object's reflection of a particular portion of the visible spectrum. It's affected by the light in your surroundings, especially when perceived on the printed page. For example, when viewing printed materials under an artificial light source such as a fluorescent light, which has a bluish tint, the materials Printable colors (CMYK mode) will appear bluer. R There are basically two kinds of color rendering or reproduction: additive (the process used by monitors) and subtractive (the process used in print). With additive color (RGB), Colors that can be displayed on red, green and blue lights from the monitor are added together in varying degrees to cre- an RGB monitor ate other colors. With subtractive color (CMYK), four colorants - cyan, magenta, yellow and black - that subtract, or absorb, components of white light are mixed. Changing the Exact science? Think again amounts of colored lights (additive) or the amounts of colorants (subtractive) gives us a As we said, color matching during the reproduction process is not an exact science. wide range, or gamut, of colors. Monitors (RGB) can normally render millions of colors; Not only is color perception subjective, but monitors, printers, lighting, print surfaces printers (CMYK) thousands. PhotoDisc images are provided in RGB to give you this wider and other outside influences conspire to make the perfect match an elusive, slick beast. gamut to work with. Calibrating your monitor is the first step you can take to improve print predictability. 8 9
