Page 64 - Print21 March-April 2020

Colour science
G7 to brighten local colour
One printing file to output the same colour standard on any substrate material from any type of output device – the nirvana of printing in a multi-media landscape – is a step closer as David Crowther, the Colour Doctor, takes on Idealliance’s G7 methodology in the region.
“Printers have put up with bad colour for ages when they
don’t have to. G7 colour standards can be so easily applied and will definitely
change the way a printer operates,” says David Crowther, as he picks up the gauntlet to bring increased international standards to the local printing industry. The Colour Doctor has taken on the role of representing Idealliance, the US-based not-for-profit graphics organisation, in Australia, following Jason Hall, the former incumbent, moving on.
“It is becoming more important than ever for printers to meet global colour standards. More and more global brands are mandating G7 certified colour to ensure that the same colour is reproduced anywhere in the world, by any process and in all formats such as advertising, signage, catalogues, packaging, corporate livery.”
Crowther is expanding his already considerable portfolio of colour sciences and technology that includes colour management consulting, ISO 12647 implementation and certification, colour quality management, digital colour management and technical support, ICC profiling for all devices, and Mellow Colour. The additional G7 colour technology
opens up the local industry to the value
of US-based corporations that want to be sure they are getting product, especially packaging, printed to their corporate
colours. Crowther says incorporating G7
in their workflow provides a significant business advantage to printers. “There’s an old printing saying that if you get the greys are right then the colour will be too. Getting the grey balance right is the crux of good colour,” he said.
US vs Europe
Until now the Australian industry has been a battleground between the European TVI (tone value increase) formats of German-based Fogra along with the Swiss- based UGRA and the US grey balance G7 methodology. The G7 set of specifications, also known as near neutral, is used for achieving grey balance. It is currently being revised into ISO 12647-2, which
will make the Idealliance methodology compatible with the European sets used in the local industry. It will work on any print technology regardless of ink and substrate.
G7 is an Idealliance specification that defines a universal appearance for B&W imagery (or a printed grey scale), as well as how to calibrate and control any printing or proofing system to achieve that appearance. It is also the basis of GRACoL and SWOP, and the new CGATS.21 suit.
G7 uses the same CMYK calibration curves as the European TVI-based calibration, but with much more valuable results.
Unlike TVI, which is unrelated to human vision, G7 is based on appearance, achieving the same pictorial qualities of tonality and grey balance across all print technologies. By controlling greys, the images also look as 'pleasing' as possible without ICC profiles.
In addition to being a specification, G7 also defines a simple method for calibrating CMYK printing devices. Part of the success of G7 is related to the ease of calibration. More than 1500 printers worldwide have received G7 Master status by demonstrating their ability to print to G7.
As the new Australian representative of Idealliance, Crowther is compiling a series of training courses to induct industry professionals to G7 Master Qualifications. He intends to expand the number of in-house operators, as well as qualified trainers to spread the message.
Idealliance promotes the idea of ‘one file, print anywhere’. “If you’re asked to service a big US global brand and meet their G7 standards, printers know that they can now get local support for that,” he said.
Crowther is not out to convert printers who are already operating good colour management systems, many of whom
are his long-term customers. Instead, he sees the certification as an opportunity
for printers who may be asked by large international corporations if they can print to G7 specifications. 21
G7 supported locally
Since completing his Idealliance
G7 Expert course in the USA, David Crowther of Colour Graphic Services has gone several steps higher
and is now the appointed head of Idealliance’s Australasian office covering Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and Malaysia.
“We will be running Idealliance’s G7 Expert training courses locally very soon and then progressively through other regional cities. As with the US courses, we will be seeking friendly supply partners with demonstration equipment, digital or offset, in order to host the courses where printed output can be evaluated and measured.”
Further details and dates will be available on www.idealliance.org.au.
64 Print21 MARCH/APRIL 2020