Experiencing colour

As work ow technology advances, it is still the human-touch that drives profitability in print, learns Digital Printer editor Chris Brock.

“People want to hold this print project in their hands and they want to feel it.” – Michael Tissot, senior application consultant, Dalim Software

In the commercial print environment, colour management is not simply a matter of aesthetics or quality control – it is a strategic tool in the production work ow that can reduce costs, increase efficiency, and support brand consistency.

Like everywhere else, the technology behind colour management has changed rapidly over the years, and seems to be accelerating with the latest advancements in AI and automation. But some vital elements are the same today as they were a century ago. Today, modern colour management lies at the intersection of advanced tech and the indelibly human qualities of emotion and perception, and it demands a new kind of craftsmanship that blends technology, strategy, and intuition to deliver pro table, high-impact print

Where colour management begins

Modern colour workflows begin long before ink touches paper. Software, such as Dalim ES and Twist automatically check incoming les for proper ICC pro les and embedded colour information. Automated preflighting tools ag issues before they hit production, saving valuable operator time and avoiding costly reprints.

“You need to check that the incoming les have the right colour pro les, and that everything is de ned properly for your production environment, so doing preflights automatically in this respect is a huge bene t of colour management software,” says Michael Tissot, senior application consultant at workflow specialist Dalim Software. “You don’t want to have any issues later in the process, so an incoming preflight is very important.”

Colour servers then take over, handling complex colour conversions and ensuring that les are optimised for the intended output process. Profiles are applied to convert RGB to CMYK, often using intermediate colour spaces or device link pro les to ensure greater consistency and fidelity.

The profit potential of smart colour

Two of the most cost-saving aspects of colour management are UCR (Under Colour Removal) and GCR (Gray Component Replacement). These processes reduce the amount of cyan, magenta, and yellow ink used in areas where less costly black can provide the same tonal value. It cuts down on the amount of ink used, but this is not just about financial savings – it also stabilises the printing process and improves drying times. In other words, the substrate does not end up carrying the burden of too much ink.

“You have your four channels, but you reduce the amount of magenta, yellow, and cyan by replacing it with pure black colour,” explains Mr Tissot. “That means you print less C, M, and Y which are normally much more expensive than black. And because you print one colour instead of three colours, you can save money. And of course, it helps the printer have a much more stable printing process because they don’t have as much colour on the paper.”

The result is a leaner, faster, more predictable process. Then it is a matter of proofing, which can either been carried out with a hard proof on substrate, or with a soft proof on a monitor. Monitor proofing has further streamlined workflows, enabling operators to compare pre- and post-conversion les visually or even pixel by-pixel, without consuming materials. However, both soft and hard proofing come with their own challenges.

Beyond technology: The emotion of colour

Despite advances in AI and automation, colour remains an inherently human experience. Subtle shifts in tone can alter the feel of an image, evoke emotion, or change the perceived quality of a product. Algorithms can match values, but they can not replicate emotional resonance.

“Colour is still a subjective thing. The way colour appears to you has nothing to do with an algorithm,” says Mr Tissot. “Technology can support this of course, and it can save time in preparation of the print job, and in streamlining the process. But in the end. people want to hold this print project in their hands, and they want to feel it.”

Workflow and colour management technology has reduced much of the effort and time involved in printing. Yet, proofing decisions are still often made by eye, especially for bespoke jobs like packaging, branding, or high-end commercial print where emotional impact is critical. The final check still relies on the instincts of experienced professionals, a human aspect that will never be replaced – especially considering all the inconsistencies across devices.

Finding consistency

Colour management tools, such as those from Dalim, aim to provide consistency where there is very little. If an example of this was needed, one only needs to turn to the vast array of digital displays available to designers – and the general public – the majority of which do not meet industry standards for how they display colour and vary wildly in gamut and calibration. As commercial print is moving increasingly online in areas such as web-to-print, and is more widely available to professionals and amateurs alike than ever before, it makes colour and consistency difficult to manage across devices.

Dalim ES Fusion

“Unless you have a high-end monitor that meets standards such as those de ned by ISO or the ICC, nobody can say how your monitor will display your colours, which is a big challenge for printers,” says Mr Tissot. “And then we have spot colours and other special treatments which cannot be reproduced on a monitor today. Maybe in the future we will have the technology to reproduce things like this, but today it’s a big challenge, especially when they are completely outside of any gamut.”

Still, there is optimism. Wider-gamut displays, improved pro ling tools, and smarter AI are enhancing what is possible. And with these enhancements, more than ever, will be the demand for a human to ensure consistency in output – and emotional impact.

Emotion, technology, and flow

As traditional analogue processes fade, the new craft of colour management is rooted in understanding the language of work ows, presets, and pro les. Colour professionals today are part coder, part designer, part technician. They understand the technicalities of the job, how to get the different systems to talk to each other, and ultimately, what looks impactful and correct – and what does not.

“If I have a standard process, we can replace the need for human intervention,” said Alexander Strobel, senior application consultant at Dalim Software. “So, for example, if I have the same PDF le every time with the same images you can have a de ned process from the beginning to the end, and everyone can trust it because the settings are already in there. This can be stored as preset for this customer or job, a preset for the next customer and so on. But each new job still needs to be set up by skilled professionals, depending on a wide variety of variables, including inks, substrates, colour pro les, le formats and so on.”

Dalim’s framework-based approach to software gives clients the flexibility to build custom workflows around their specific needs and the needs of their customer. This enables printers to balance speed and personalisation, automation, and artistry, to deliver results that are unique to their way of working, which tackle their own specific challenges, and which can become a kind of signature that is their very own.

From consistency to connection

“If I have a standard process, we can
replace the need for human intervention.” – Alexander Strobel. senior application consultant, DALIM Software

The evolution of colour management is not a story of machines replacing people. It’s a story of collaboration – between software and experience, between automation and intuition. Profitability in print comes not just from consistency and speed, but from producing work that connects. Work that is emotionally resonant, technically excellent, and commercially successful.

At its heart lies the importance of relationships – with the client, with the craft, and with the final product. In an age of instant output and web to-print workflows, that connection is what distinguishes good print from great.