Convert color tables to make them printable

Not all printing solutions can reproduce all the colors in a PANTONE color chart. Let's see how Coraye can help you solve this problem.

1) Introduction

The example below allows us to compare, in Gamut Viewer, the colors of the PANTONE TCX color chart with the colors of a sublimation print made on a polyester fabric.

PantoneTCX compared with the gamut of a sublimation print

The illustration shows us that a certain number of colors of the color chart, are outside the gamut. So these colors will not be printable and their use during the creation of the pattern may hold surprises for us at the time of printing.

To better control the colors that will be printed, it may be useful to use, from the design of your creations, color tables using only colors that you will be able to reproduce at the time of production.

The solution is therefore to convert the colors from the PANTONE color chart to adapt them to the gamut of your printing solution.

2) Converting the color table

To perform this conversion, we need to import:

• The color table (for example the PANTONE TCX color chart in one of the formats supported by Coraye)

• The ICC profile of the reference printing system.

• The "Expert" mode must be activated

Select the color table, then drag the profile into the "Profile" area of "Table converter" located in the right column. Then choose the color mode you want to apply.

Click the "Convert" button to create a new color table.

3) Converting the table with a Device N profile

As with CMYK or RGB profiles, it is possible to convert tables using ICC Device N profiles. In our example we will use the GRACoL2013_OGV-7CLR (CMYK + Orange, Green and Violet)

Import the profile into Coraye

Select the table to convert (Pantone C) then drag and drop the 7 colors profile in the "Table converter> Profile" window

Click the "Convert" button to create the new table in the left column.

To display the CMYKNOGV values select 7clr in the drop-down menu.

The new table will contain the values Lab, Lch and 7clr

4) Visualization of the result

Let's compare this new table with the ICC profile of sublimation printing. All the colors in this new color chart are inside the gamut and are therefore printable.

5) Export and use of the color chart

We just have to distribute this new color chart to designers, printers and clients, to integrate it into:

• Creation software such as the ADOBE suite

• Printing software such as RIPs EFI, Caldera, Wasatch, Néo Stampa, etc ...

  Note that a more detailed description on the use of color tables is available in the chapter "Color table".

Colors tables