Why Embed a Profile?
If you know nothing about embedded source profiles, then you might be somewhat safe when you transfer a document from your most-current monitor to a just-as-current desktop printer or to a commercial printer. Most modern environments rely on the ICC (International Colour Consortium) standards that I wrote about in the Monitor Calibration articles for DMXzone in June, so the environment provides a stable transfer in most cases. This scenario is especially true if you make a hard copy from your printer to take to a commercial print house along with your disk that contains the document. This way, the printer has no doubt about how you want your images to appear in print, whether you know about colour profiles or not.
As you begin to manage larger jobs and work with larger print houses, embedded profiles do become important. You could simply convert your work from RGB to CMYK and submit the job to the print house, but you’ll probably go through a number of proofing and correction rounds (which is normal). Or, you could find the ink limitations and anticipated dot grain to match print house conditions and try to replicate that workspace (good luck!).
While a simple CMYK conversion is your best gamble for a traditional environment, especially in an environment that relies on ICC standards, a way to safeguard your work is to embed a profile into the document. This process takes little time, although it may add to the document’s size. An embedded profile can assure you somewhat that the colour you see on the monitor is what you’ll get when the document goes to press.
Why the Difference Between RGB and CMYK matters…
The RGB (red, green, blue - Internet) and CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black - Print) colour modes represent two main categories of colour spaces. The gamuts within the RGB and CMYK spaces vary greatly, because the RGB gamut is usually larger and, therefore, represents more colours than what CMYK ink colours can provide.
Linda Goin carries an A.A. in graphic design, a B.F.A. in visual communications with a minor in business and marketing and an M.A. in American History with a minor in the Reformation. While the latter degree doesn't seem to fit with the first two educational experiences, Linda used her 25-year design expertise on archaeological digs and in the study of material culture. Now she uses her education and experiences in social media experiments.