Abstract: A printing system for high fidelity printing of an image is provided comprising a print grid including a combination of the color black and five discrete basic ink colors, at least three colors having at least a portion of fluorescent. The printing system includes a spectrophotometer for measuring the color combination in the print grid. A plotter is used to plot readings from the spectrophotometer in CIE color space and creates a look up table based on the readings. A scanner then scans the image in RGB format and converts the scanned information into XYZ coordinates to be plotted in CIE color space. Thereafter, the scanner determines from the look up table the color combination for each scanned spot. In an exemplary embodiment, the five basic ink colors may be selected from a group of colors from the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM.RTM., while the fluorescent may be selected from a group consisting of PANTONE Fluorescents.

Abstract: Preparatory to a printing run, a printed sample, i.e. proof, is produced on a proofing press using the ink and paper substrate contemplated for the printing run so that the printing quality, ink color, and other such aspects can be studied and, if need be, any adjustments made. In the within improved proofing press, the ink film to be tested is transferred from a driven roller to a similarly driven roller carrying the test paper substrate by a pivotally traversable ink-transfer surface of an elastomeric construction material, such that said driven rollers are each powered in rotation at a selected speed simulating the printing speed of the contemplated printing run, and the extent to which the elastomeric transfer surface is allowed to be compressed permits effective simulation of the contemplated printing run printing pressure. Accordingly, the proof sample of the within proofing press contributes to a more accurate forecast of the printing quality, etc. of the contemplated printing run.