Color – Do You See What I See?

Do You See What I See? Sun Chemical Steve Miller

April 21-22, 2010 ď‚Ť San Antonio, TX

how does managing color help us increase revenue?

• To accurately communicate color within an organization.

• To accurately communicate color to customers.

• To insure color consistency in manufacturing processes.

• To guarantee customers accurate color reproduction regardless of geographic location

color technology - why do we need it?

What is the best tool for color control?

color technology - why do we need it?

What is the best tool for color control? • Human Eye

color technology - why do we need it?

What is the best tool for color control? • Human Eye • Densitometer

color technology - why do we need it?

What is the best tool for color control?

• Human Eye • Densitometer • Spectrophotometer

color technology - why do we need it?

What is the best tool for color control?

• Human Eye • Densitometer • Spectrophotometer

All of the above!

color technology - why do we need it?

So what about us?

• What part do our eyes play in the world of color?

• How can we test our visual system?

• Do we all see the same?

• How can we know?

color technology - why do we need it?

COLOR RESPONSE The Survey Says...

• The seven factors of how and why we respond to color • INHERITED • LEARNED • GEOGRAPHICAL FACTORS • REGIONAL • CLIMATE • LIGHT • INCOME LEVEL

Correct color response equals revenue and translates into responses to: • Direct mail • POP displays

color technology - why do we need it?

HOW MANY COLORS DO YOU THINK WE CAN SEE?

• 100?

• 1,000?

• 100,000?

• 1,000,000?

• 5,000,000?

• MORE THAN 5,000,000!!!

limitations of the human eye…

Just how good are our eyes…

Lets “see”

Look at the ‘X’

x

x

limitations of the human eye…

• Retinal Fatigue – Brief eposure to strong colors leaves an afterimage.

– Considerable rest is required to refresh the eye’s.

20

limitations of the human eye…

• Retinal Fatigue • Poor Color Memory – A colorist knows that two objects must be viewed simultaneously in order to fully judge their differences.

Different Grays?

No, Same Gray!

Same oranges?

Same Oranges!

limitations of the human eye…

• Retinal Fatigue • Poor Color Memory • Background Effects -

34

35

36

37

limitations of the human eye…

• • • •

Retinal Fatigue Poor Color Memory Background Effects Colorblindness – One male in 13 suffers from red / green colorblindness. Females do better statistically... one in 300 suffers the same genetic deficiency.

limitations of the human eye…

• • • • •

Retinal Fatigue Poor Color Memory Background Effects Colorblindness Lighting conditions – ‘Light is color’; failure to adopt good viewing habits often results in bad color decisions.

color communication

Let’s “Talk” Color

42

L

B

I

N

F

A

D

H

J

M

C

G

P

K

E

O

L

limitations of the human eye…

• • • • • •

Retinal Fatigue Poor Color Memory Background Effects Colorblindness Lighting conditions Recordability – Stress, time of day, fatigue, ambient conditions... all will affect the way in which we see color.

limitations of the human eye…

• • • • • • •

Retinal Fatigue Poor Color Memory Background Effects Colorblindness Lighting conditions Recordability Age – Yes friends... as we age our visual response changes.

mind games‌ Red

Quick!!!

Look at the box on the right and say the COLORS the words are printed in.

yellow green blue red blue yellow green blue

mind games…

Not so easy, is it?

• Most likely you started to read the words (red, •

•

yellow…) rather than the colors they’re displayed in (blue, green…).

You’ve just experienced “interference”. When you look at these words, you see both their color and meaning.

Because those two pieces of evidence are in conflict you have to make a choice, and experience says that word meaning is more important than color.

Interference occurs when you try to pay attention only to the color.

Why should you care about this?

• Color is a critical part of any companies brand. • It is important to your message and your brand that

color is managed properly throughout the entire color chain.

Color theory

Let’s Now Discuss Color Theory...

• Color is explained by 2 theories: • Additive Color Theory • Subtractive Color Theory

Color theory

Additive Color Theory • RED + GREEN + BLUE = WHITE • Example : Color TV or Monitor

Color theory

Subtractive Color Theory • CYAN + MAGENTA + YELLOW = BLACK • Example : Color Printing

Setting Color Tolerances

To Compare...

•Lab

Hunter, 1945

75%

•L*C*H* C.I.E., 1976

85%

•CMC2:1

95%

CMC, 1988

54

Global Shade Library

gsl - needs assessment • • •

In the past each Customer Service Center or In-Plant handled color requests independently Some used computer-aided formulation, most used personal experience.

This Resulted in every color match having a different formula – even for the same color and the same brand owner.

gsl - selecting colors • Pantone starting point – Use the Formula Guide & Electronic Library • Customer requests – Use High Volume Formulas from Large Converters – Use Brand-Owner Standard Product Colors • Ongoing field input – Add New Formulas as They Become Available

gsl - bases and substrates

• Commercial Offset & UV Offset – – – –

Starbrite Opaque Text (80# ) Corniche Matte Text (80# ) Centura Gloss (80# ) Clay Coated Newsback (18#)

gsl - storing colors Select Formula

Store in library

Weigh ink

Generate Spectral Curve

Proof ink

Measure

gsl - population

color matching workflow Color match Request. Std. from Customer

Choose starting formula

Measure color & select formula

Weigh formula

Weigh formula

Mix Formula

Mix Formula

Proof mix

Proof mix

Weigh color addition

Average of 3 times

Decide on color addition

Visual comparison to color standard

No

Is Color OK?

Yes

Color match request. Std. from Customer

Weigh color addition

Average of

Measure mix to color standard

Yes

Go to Production

Is Color OK?

1 or less No

Select correction

define target color > get example

basic recipe – final OK

Tjkl

shade library benefits

•

Benefits

– Improved optimization of color matching resources – Encourages more rationalization of products – Good control of resources – Faster response to color match requests allowing quicker turn on print jobs

key take-aways

1. The human eye can be fooled – we need to use technology to help us manage color!

2. We must be able to accurately manage color across a brand, a pressroom and the globe.

3. Our ability to manage color efficiently, directly translates to revenue and profitability!

Do You See What I See? Sun Chemical Steve Miller

April 21-22, 2010 ď‚Ť San Antonio, TX