Abstract: A method for automatically matching the color of a printed representation of an object or swatch to that of the object or swatch itself is provided. The method includes the steps of measuring the colors of the object with a calorimeter. An object image, showing mainly the object, is produced and a representative image color is determined. From the colors of the object (as measured by a colorimeter or some other color measuring device), a representative object color is determined. Finally, the colors of the object image in the vicinity, in color space, of the representative image color are corrected to colors in the vicinity, also in color space, of the representative object color.