Trevor Berman's List: computer upkeep

http://www.gballard.net/psd/cmstheory.html

The 'calibrated' monitor ONLY allows a color-managed application like Photoshop to PROOF the SourceFile faithfully on the monitor through a SourceProfile-to-MonitorProfile Conversion. Photoshop is always displaying through this Source-to-Monitor profile Conversion (we cannot turn it off).

The monitor profile has nothing to do with how the file prints.

The good printer profile ONLY allows a color-managed application like Photoshop to PROOF the SourceFile faithfully on paper through a SourceProfile-to-PrintProfile Conversion. This Source-to-Printer profile Conversion is setup in the printer utility.

The printer profile has nothing to do with how the file displays in Photoshop.

Both printer and monitor profiles are independent of the Source File (hopefully).

My point is, think of color management merely as:

1) Honoring a source space profile, and

2) Converting to a target (proofing) space profile (monitor, or desktop print, or press CMYK print).

RULE #1: Calibrate our monitor to a good 2.2 gamma, 6500/D65 profile.

RULE #2: Honor the source file's embedded profile (or color space).

RULE #3: Convert to the good Target Profile.