Color matching help

[jerryreed]

I am a giclée maker, and my primary responsibility to the artist is to match the color of a known art piece. To make my business profitable, it is helpful to move as quickly to an exact color match as possible. In pursuit of this end, I have been investigating the utility of a tool that I current utilize, but imagine could be used still further with the effect of speeding up my workflow.

The GreTag MacBeth Color Checker, publishes for each of the squares that make up the GT CC luminance and color value stated in the LAB Mode.

Since it is part of my practice to utilize the CC to set the exposure and to neutralize the possibility of color casts, utilizing the GT CC, the card is included in every job as a reference.

I am looking to learn if anyone has worked out a way to use COLOR BALANCE or CURVES adjustment layers to match the Lab values to those found in a photo of the GT CC. If I were able to develop a workflow that would consistently provide very close matching, it seems that would speed up my workflow.

If anyone wishes to offer color matching suggestions that are not directly in response to the question that I have posed please feel free to jump in.

Thanks in advance,

Jerry Reed

 

[TRSmith]

Hey Jerry. Are you shooting flat art on a copy stand or other copy setup? You mention reproducing client artwork--is it more than just printing digital files belonging to clients?

If you're doing copy work, then it would seem to me that having a rock solid and finely tuned lighting setup would be a key component to consistency of color.

 

[jerryreed]

TR,

I am a giclee maker, who makes digital files from original art, usually oil paintings. I use a vertical sliding easel, allowing for art up to 6 by 8 feet to be shot in sections and re-attached in Photoshop. To achieve parallel between the Sinar 54 H and the easel, I use a Zig-Align and for lighting I use Broncolor. I find that the Sinar 54 H, a 16-shot back works nicely with the Broncolor lighting, and provides equal exposures and color temperature for each of the 16 shots.

To achieve image registration of the 16 shots, as you say, requires a steady camera platform, I utilize a FOBA camera stand for this purpose.

I am able to achieve excellent color. I would like to achieve some efficiencies in the workflow needed to achieve excellent color.

Where are located in Maine? I built a home in Cape Elizabeth and lived there for 5 wonderful years.

Jerry

 

[TRSmith]

I'm in a very small town in Central Maine. About 50 miles west of Acadia.

Your copy setup sounds fairly advanced. I'm guessing there are others on this forum that might be better able to offer suggestions for your workflow.

And, is it still called "giclee"? I haven't heard that for awhile, perhaps it's more common for art reproduction?

 

[jerryreed]

There is this distinction in my mind, images printed from one's original files, such as my personal work with architectural abstracts, that I would call "archival pigment prints", prints made on the same printer but of another's original art (say a painter's art) that I call a giclée.

Jerry