Virtual & Online Color Management Boot Camp

22-24

March 2022

Sponsored by EFI

It’s time to report for duty and take control of your color management. This 3-day PRINTING United Alliance Color Management Boot Camp hosted by Alder Color Solutions and sponsored by EFI will show you how.

This workshop is for designers and printers who are ready to join the ranks as experts at color accuracy and consistency–especially those who struggle with getting brand and spot colors just right.

Previously $799
Now ONLINE & Available for $699

(add on a custom linearization & profiling session for just $299 more)

Event Information

Color Management Boot Camp – REMOTE
Sponsored by EFI
Date: March 22-24, 2022
Location: LIVE ONLINE (REMOTE)

Our PRINTING United Alliance Certified Instructors will present 3 live, very interactive, sessions. Learn from the industry’s top instructors, Alder’s own Dan Gillespie and Bill Owen, and walk away with a new level confidence and skill, and earn your PRINTING United Alliance, Digital Color Professional Certification. Throughout this boot camp, you’ll learn:

Color theory and principles
Goals of color management
Device calibration
Time-tested color management procedures
Newest print standards
Spot color management and verification
…and more! Plus, hands-on media profiling with EFI Fiery XF

Earning your certification

We mentioned the PRINTING United Alliance Digital Color Professional Certification. You might be wondering how that works. Here are the steps:

1. Take the test

The Digital Color Professional exam fee is included when you register for this online boot camp. This 50-question exam is open-note and taken online, with much of its curriculum written by your certified instructors leading the course.

2. Make the print

PRINTING United Alliance will email you a test print that you will color manage utilizing the skills you've learned during the course. Once color managed, you'll print the image from your facility or office and mail it back to PRINTING United Alliance.

3. Get your certification!

If your print passes the evaluation, you'll earn your PRINTING United Alliance Digital Color Professional Certification!

Download the PRINTING United Alliance Control Image and bring your prints to the class with you.

What others are saying...

"The light went off for me when I understood why GCR is so important!"

Barry Key

Galileo Consulting

“I’m looking forward to more consistent color with less finger crossing!"

Mike Althaus

Corporate Communications Group

“I can't tell you how much I appreciate all that you have taught me. Your passion for color made all the difference."

Scott Tate

Boone Graphics

Typical Bootcamp Agenda

Day 1 | 1:00pm-4:00pm EST

Introduction to course
Basic Color Theory
Color Targets & Strategies
Anatomy of Inkjet

Day 2 | 1:00pm-4:00pm EST

Measurement Devices
Monitor Calibration
Color Management Pyramid

Day 3 | 1:00pm-4:00pm EST

Spot Colors
Color Verification
Test Print Explanation

Day 1

1:00pm-4:00pm EST

Course introduction

Meet your instructors, class policies, and overview course agenda

Basic Color Theory

Basic color theory gets the boot camp started with a recap of color concepts so that we are all on the same page. Having a common reference point as we talk about color space, gamut, rendering intent, L*a*b*, LCH, viewing conditions and importance of measuring color unites the group for discussion. Understanding different tolerance methods and what they mean is an important concept that will be explored throughout the boot camp. This section wraps up with a recap of additional resources for the student.

Color Targets & Strategies

Color targets and strategies is fundamentally one of the most important parts of the boot camp. Having a color target, a process to get you there and verification to know you’ve reached your target is what makes color management work. Consistent, predictable and repeatable color is our goal so knowing your targets and where to set them is critical. This section also serves as an introduction to what’s to come in the remainder of the boot camp.

Anatomy of Inkjet

Great color doesn’t just happen, it’s a process, and understanding the anatomy of your inkjet printer is crucial for consistent and repeatable color. We offer an in-depth overview of different print systems from wide to grand format. Print head type is discussed in detail and best practices for printer maintenance is covered. Good operating environment conditions are covered to help you understand how impactful swings in humidity and temperature will affect print quality – and therefore color.

Day 2

1:00pm-4:00pm EST

Day One Review

Go over any questions from previous day’s content concerning basic color theory, color targets & strategies, and anatomy of inkjet printers

Measurement Devices

Measurement Devices, variables and conditions explores the color measurement devices that are available to our industry and helps you to differentiate one from another. We look at aperture size along with measurement geometry/conditions and show you how to reduce variables when measuring color. Thanks to manufacturer support, we have many of the devices available during class for hands-on opportunities with each and we use a popular spectrophotometer during our hands-on profiling module.

Monitor Calibration

Monitor calibration is exactly what you think it is. We spend some hands-on time calibrating the monitors on the device that we are using during the boot camp. We’ll cover best practices and settings to consider when calibrating, and then we’ll calibrate and verify the calibration of the monitors we are using during the class.

Color Management Pyramid

In color targets and strategies, we taught that color management is all about having a target, a process to hit that target, and then verification that you hit it – the color management pyramid module is all about the process. We teach the color management pyramid because we believe it is a great way to visualize the process and a reminder of the importance of the early steps or foundation of the pyramid. Follow these steps and you will have a good color management system.

Day 3

1:00pm-4:00pm EST

Day Two Review

Go over any questions from previous days’ content

Spot Colors

One of the most powerful features in any RIP software is the ability to manage spot colors. Through a brief lecture and then a hands-on exercise we teach you how to unlock this feature and use it to your full advantage. You’ll learn how to create custom spot colors, manage existing Pantone Spot colors, and troubleshoot for those times that a customer has made a mess of things! Use your printer’s full Gamut and hit spot colors that you may have thought were out of reach.

Color Verification

The last step in any good color management process is verification. Knowing when you are hitting the target, when your printer is beginning to drift, or when you have missed the target completely is critical in any color management process. We answer the question – “How often should I re-calibrate?”. We show many of the options available and then demonstrate how it works.

Test Print Explanation

An intended outcome of this class is certification in PRINTING United Alliance Digital Color Professional program. This module covers the print form that students will follow through on and submit after completion of the online assessment. We cover the challenges that have been incorporated into the print form and make sure that the student knows how to overcome them. The challenges on the print form are all things the student will run into back at their shop, so this is a very informative module.

(Add-On) Custom Linearization & Profiling Session Option

Up to 3 hours – scheduled individually
Complete color setup using your printer, RIP and spectro
Extra Cost $299
Includes test print submission fee