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ICC Color profiles able to match Pantone, RAL, etc


Im trying to calibrate/adjust my screen color configuration more towards a specific paint color like RAL. Im using Encycolorpedia works great tot determine (what color) and even deltas between specific paints. However my screen doesn't come close to the real life situation, I've received a color wheel and oh my gosh... what a huge difference. So ordering paint online is an absolute no-no.

The big question how to close that gap between Adobe RGB Color and paint-colors like (Sikkens) RAL or Pantone? Something within the ICC profile of the monitor (which is a Samsung)? I know there are color-spiders to calibrate screens, but I really wonder if there's an online database or which corrections or calibrated settings for monitors ?


Solution

  • You cannot do it. And possibly you do not have correct understanding of ICC, colour profiles, and RAL.

    If you want to calibrate your screen, you should have a good screen (I recommend one "hardware calibrated", so you will not lose colours), and a calibration device. So you will have a good calibrated monitor, which display the correct colours. You will use the ICC file to tell the screen (or graphic card) how to handle colours, and to the program, so they know which range of colours they can use.

    A ICC profile just tell a screen how to convert numbers (colours). An AdobeRGB profile will not make your screen to see AdobeRGB colours, it will just transform the colours so that you will have the "numbers" as expected by a 100% precise AdobeRGB screen (which never exist, so it is better to use device specific profiles). If your screen is not 100% AdobeRGB it will display some colours in an unexpected way. Our eyes may adapt colours (so for a single person, this is not a huge problem, but if you are doing a magazine, with 15 graphic editors, the reader want consistency (there is not time to adapt eyes for every image).

    But then you go to Pantone and RAL: there are different kind of colour description (really, forget RGB for such colours: you need spectral distribution). These are for real objects, so they are seen with different lighting conditions (illumination), and an object can be seen in different colours (as RGB), but being of the same colour (as paint/dye).

    And Pantone and RAL have discrete colours (enumerated colours, not homogeneously distributed). And for screens we just use LUT or LUT3D, so simple matrix conversion of received colour numbers to displayed colour numbers). Not a thing a screen can do so quickly (60 time per second, for every pixel).

    Finally: screens are very different technologies as objects. There are some screens which create the same feeling (and also they seems more "opaque"), but this is not a thing we can every reach with standard (or most of good wide-gamut screens). And screens sucks on yellows and yellow greens (now I'm thinking at various RAL used for emergency). Out of reach for most monitors. An interaction with a soft printing is necessary (and you need a [frequently] calibrated printer).

    Note: usually you get drivers for your monitor (look online for your monitor manuals and drivers [and look just at manufacturer website]). They will usually have the "driver", which it is a ICC profile. But this is just a "standard" profile. Monitors will change with time (either cold [at start-up] to hot), but also with long period using it. And different batched may be different (especially if produced in different places, common for very common monitors). If you use their profile, you should get better colours. If you calibrate yourself, you will have much better colours, but as I wrote, it is probably not possible to have good/very good matching colours.