The matching of colors to a base color, such as a Pantone color, or from one device to another. Color calibration is widely used in print publishing in order to display on screen an accurate representation of the colors that will be printed on paper. Monitors use red, green and blue (RGB) to display the color gamut, while printers use cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) inks. See
TV calibration,
color gamut and
color correction.
The SpectroCalibrator
Light Source's Colortron Color System includes this color calibrator, which is used to accurately determine the color from a sample. Using suction cups, it attaches to the monitor screen to calibrate the monitor so that designers see true representations of the final colors on screen. (Image courtesy of Light Source, Inc.)