A recent update to the ICScolor digital proofing system, Remote Director, addresses the need for brands to dynamically incorporate substrates of all types into their digital proofs to improve color accuracy.
Printers have long understood that “paper is the fifth color.” In other words, substrates profoundly affect color accuracy and brand identity. Remote Director users can build a custom library for substrates using LAB or spectral values in .CxF or ANSI’s .cie format. Users can use a spectrophotometer to measure values on poly/plastics, canvas, paper, paperboard, rubber and more. Stora Enso and Sappi brand papers have provided these measured values for their popular products. These paper values are already part of the Remote Director library, offering an expansive foundation on which to build – with new ones constantly added.
Remote Director users can dynamically switch between substrates in their proofs, allowing for an accurate cost comparison and design decisions earlier in the creative cycle without ordering physical proofs.
“Many projects are proofed with an industry standard such as GRACol, which contains the paper color of the GRACol profile. Showing the actual substrate being used eliminates the need to explain the difference to the buyer. In this era of continued supply fluctuations, knowing which available substrates will achieve your brand standards without blowing your budget is invaluable,” said ICScolor President Dan Caldwell. “We’re are proud to be the only system offering this option of dynamic comparison.”