Color validation tests and the output profile accuracy test provide you an objective method to evaluate the color reproduction on the media you select. The reference printing conditions of the default color validation tests are already defined, as well as their quality levels and tolerance levels.
The pre-defined FOGRA and IDEAlliance color validation tests verify against digital print certifications. When you want to check the color reproduction of the printer against other printing conditions, you can define your own color validations tests.
The output profile accuracy test verifies how accurate the output profile fits the color reproduction properties of the media.
You can perform a color validation test for several reasons:
You want to know if the printer is able to print the colors on the selected media according to a reference printing condition.
You want to know if the printer is able to print the same colors on the selected media over time.
You want to check the color reproduction against: FOGRA Print Standard Digital Certification, FOGRA Validation Printing System Certification, or Idealliance Digital Press Certification Program.
You want to check the color reproduction on the selected media against your own reference printing condition. Therefore, you create your own test and define your own printing condition, quality levels, tolerance levels and metrics.
The traditional side-by-side evaluation method checks if printed colors exactly match the colors of the reference printing condition. The media relative evaluation takes into account that the paper white values of the printed media and the reference media can be different. Therefore, the media relative method uses a non-linear algorithm to compensate for the different white points. The SCCA (Substrate-Corrected Colorimetric Aims) evaluation method, used by IDEAlliance tests, is also based on the media relative evaluation.