Abstract: An improved method is disclosed for using a linear mixing space, such as a CIE color space, to determine the quantities of coloring agents needed to reproduce a color, applicable for example to printing a color which matches an original color on a CRT display. The calculations match hue, saturation and reflectance so that the matching color appears like the original color and so that characteristics of an original image are preserved. An original color's definition is converted into coordinates in the linear mixing space. An achromatic region in the linear mixing space, preferably elliptically shaped, is defined to include the coordinates of the neutral coloring agents. Original colors falling within the achromatic region are matched with quantities of neutral coloring agents only. The coordinates of a pure hue approximating the hue of the original color is then determined in the linear mixing space from the coordinates of selected primaries.