Abstract: Method and apparatus for recording color pictures wherein color proofs are made before the actual printing for quality control in multicolor printing processes. The color pictures are exposed on a chromatic material wherein the exposed colors must coincide with the colors which are later to be printed on paper. So as to achieve the color equivalent color picture exposure, the required color density values for the chromatic material of the selected printed and exposed colors are identified with a visual or mensurational comparison of the CIE coordinates. The identified color density values for the exposed colors are allocated to the corresponding color separation values of the colors to be printed and during recording the allocated color density values are utilized instead of the color separation values and are converted into signals for driving a color exposure unit for example a proof recorder.