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Chapter 3: Using color
Color tools
Since no two people see color in exactly the same way, you
need to match your colors to standard colors. There are
several tools to help balance your own perception of color
with measurable color standards.
In your printer
You can print color samples from your printer by selecting
Color Samples from the Tests Menu. The sample prints
using the printer’s Print Quality and Color Correction set-
tings. (See “Adjusting color” on page 61 for more informa-
tion.) The RGB and CMY percentages also print on the
chart for easy reference. Use this multipage color sample
to select colors when using applications that let you set
RGB or CMY palette colors.
In your software
Most software applications have a color chart in the soft-
ware that lets you select and adjust colors from within the
software. However, since your computer screen uses an
additive RGB color process and printers use a subtractive
CMY process, what you see on the screen is often not what
you see when you print. Color management systems seek
to minimize this problem. Still, even with color correction,
there are many colors you can see on your screen, particu-
larly bright blues and greens, which cannot be reproduced
on any four-color printer.
Most software applications let you make some color selec-
tions and adjustments from within the software. Be aware
that changes made in an application override changes
made from the printer operator panel. The “Color Correc-
tion” table on page 61 may help you determine the best
method to reproduce the colors in your software applica-
tions.
If you are using color correction from your software or
operating system, make sure the printer’s Color Correc-
tion menu item is set to CMYK.