Exploring the Development of Color Spaces in Wide-Format Printing

This article provides a basic look at color aims for wide-format printing including the work of the GRACoL® Committee, an Idealliance working group, now part of PRINTING United Alliance, whom has developed some of the most widely used global print standards and specifications used around the world. With roots starting in web offset as SWOP® and GRACoL, and now as the Print Properties Committee (PPC) as it continues to develop leading specifications, tools and standards for our industry with input from leading experts across all print. 

GRACoL 2013, also commonly known as Characterized Reference Print Condition (CRPC) 6, is part of the international publicly available standard ISO 15339 standard, a series of seven reference print conditions created with G7® for consistent hue angles and appearance across print applications, as specified as part of the ISO 15339-2 standard. 

Download the official ISO GRACoL 2013 profile, dataset, and other CRPC’s here. 

Beyond the GRACOL 2013 dataset and print condition, ISO/PAS 15339 also incorporates a larger gamut profile, CRPC 7, which provides significantly more gamut than the commercial print and packaging focused CRPC6. CRPC 7, with the utilization of G7®, still maintains the same consistent, near neutral appearance of CRPC6, along with all the other 7 CRPCs contained within ISO 15339. It also provides an opportunity for larger gamut devices to extend their color and leverage the abilities of their print technology. 

Please note PRINTWide® is not intended to be utilized as a target print color space and was designed to encompass the gamut of virtually all inks or colorants for maximum gamut perseveration for file workflows and transfers. The colorants utilized within PrintWide, may be unachievable when utilized for output for that reason. Learn more about PrintWide® here at Idealliance.org.

Read the full article here.