Wide Gamut CMYK for Digital Space

The Idealliance Print Properties and Colorimetric Council* works on standards, specifications, and improvements for the benefit of the graphic communications supply chain. The working group has been instrumental to establishing fundamental color standards and guidelines internationally and now turns to the digital front through the Universal Digital Dataset (UDD). This project is meant to provide a wide gamut CMYK space for translation as well as an input or target print space for digital print. For many digital print devices, standard colorspaces such as those based on ISO 12647-2 (like GRACoL^®) are too small, and do not use the range of colors available on the device.

This UDD will allow digital and wide format users to select this colorspace when printing, to maintain the full colorspace of their printer while at the same time retaining consistency with G7^® shared neutral appearance. UDD will advance working with files that may go to a range of printing devices by providing a large translation space using shared neutral appearance that is similar to other G7 colorspaces. The project has been underway for about a year and final candidates are in development for testing—with release planned for early October.  If you would like to learn more go to GRACoL.org.

*The Print Properties and Colorimetric Council (PPC) is a volunteer group composed of Idealliance members from all partners in the graphic communications supply chain from creation to production to distribution. Calls are held monthly, with several live meetings each year. Some of the projects that have come from PPC are the IT8.7/5, SCTV, GRACoL 2013, ECG characterization targets, CMYK and ECG Control Strips, PQX, PRX, and many other projects. PPC works closely with CGATS on print standards and specifications that are used on an international level, feeding into ISO TC130. If you are interested in joining to see what is on the horizon for you and the industry please email ppc@idealliance.org.