Color Matching

Learn how to match your artwork to Artelo's ICC color profiles for accurate print results.

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INTRODUCTION

Understanding ICC Color Profiles

When you print artwork, colors may differ from what you see on screen. This happens because monitors, printers, and paper types interpret color differently. Artelo provides ICC color profiles for each paper we offer, allowing you to preview and adjust your designs for accurate, consistent print results.

What is an ICC Color Profile?

An ICC (International Color Consortium) profile simulates how colors appear on a specific printer and paper. By applying Artelo’s ICC profiles in design tools like Photoshop, you can soft-proof your work and confidently adjust your design before printing.

Why Color Profiles Matter

Color profiles ensure your digital artwork translates accurately to print. Each paper type interacts with ink differently, and ICC profiles help account for those differences. Soft-proofing your designs with the correct profile can reduce unexpected color shifts, avoid unnecessary test prints, and produce consistently professional results.

Accurate Color Matching

Every paper type has unique characteristics, and the ICC profile considers these to provide the best match for your on-screen colors.

Reduced Guesswork

Instead of trial and error with printed proofs, artists can trust that what they see during soft-proofing closely mirrors the final output.

Professional Quality Control

Artists who understand how their colors will appear in print can avoid unexpected shifts in hue, brightness, or contrast.

Artelo's Color Profiles

Fine Art

Photo

Poster

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MACOS

How to Use Artelo's ICC Profiles for Soft-Proofing in Photoshop

Soft-proofing helps you preview how your artwork will appear once printed on a specific Artelo paper type. Here's how to get started:

Download an ICC Profile

At the top of this page, download the ICC profile matching the Artelo paper type you’ll use for your print.

Download an ICC Profile

At the top of this page, download the ICC profile matching the Artelo paper type you’ll use for your print.

Install the Profile on Your Computer

On Mac:

Install the Profile on Your Computer

On Mac:

1. Open Finder and press Command + Shift + G

2. Paste this folder path:
/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Color/Profiles/Recommended

3. Press Enter — the folder will open.

4. Drag the downloaded ICC profile into this folder.

Once added, the profile will be available in Photoshop.

Set Up Soft-Proofing in Photoshop

1. Restart Photoshop

2. Open your artwork file

3. Go to View > Proof Setup > Custom

4. In the Device to Simulate dropdown, select the ICC profile you installed

5. Choose your Rendering Intent - Relative Colorimetric or Perceptual work best

6. Check Black Point Compensation and Simulate Paper Color

7. Click <b>OK</b>

You are now soft-proofing with Artelo's ICC profile.

Review and Adjust Your Colors

With soft-proofing active, you'll see how your artwork will appear in print. Make any needed color adjustments to achieve the look you want.

Review and Adjust Your Colors

With soft-proofing active, you'll see how your artwork will appear in print. Make any needed color adjustments to achieve the look you want.

Pro Tips:

• Use Command + Y to toggle soft-proofing on and off

• View your original and soft-proofed files side-by-side for comparison

Saving Your Print-Ready Artwork

1. When finished, go to File > Save As

2. Deselect the Embed Color Profile

3. Click on the Output section

• Set Color Conversion to Convert to Destination

• Choose Coated GRACoL 2006 (ISO 12647-2:2004) as the destination

• Set Profile Inclusion Policy to Include Destination Profile

4. Click Save PDF

How to Apply ICC Profiles in Bulk Using Photoshop Actions

If you have a large collection of artwork to soft-proof, manually applying ICC profiles can take time. Photoshop’s Actions feature allows you to automate this process.

Set Up Your Photoshop Action

1. Install the ICC Profile

Follow the steps in the Soft-Proofing in Photoshop section above to download and install the correct Artelo ICC profile.

2. Start Recording an Action

• Open any artwork file in Photoshop

• Go to Window > Actions

• Click the New Action button (“+” icon at the bottom of the Actions panel), name it (e.g. “Artelo ICC Proofing”), then hit click Record

3. Apply Soft-Proofing Settings

• Go to View > Proof Setup > Custom

• Select the installed ICC profile under Device to Simulate

• Choose Relative Colorimetric or Perceptual as your rendering intent

• Check Black Point Compensation and Simulate Paper Color, then click OK

4. (Optional) Save & Close File

If you want to save the proofed image:

• Go to File > Save As, select your format and save location

• You can also record File > Close to automatically close the file after saving

5. Stop Recording

In the Actions panel, click the Stop icon. Your action is now ready.

Run the Action in Bulk with Batch Processing

1. Open Batch Processing

Go to File > Automate > Batch

2. Select the Action

Choose your newly created action from the dropdown

3. Choose Source Folder

Select the folder with the artwork you want to process

4. Choose Destination Folder:

• Pick where the processed files should be saved

• (Optional) Adjust naming rules to avoid overwriting originals

5. Start the Batch

Click OK — Photoshop will now run through all files, applying the ICC profile automatically

With this setup, you can soft-proof multiple images quickly, ensuring each file is correctly adjusted for print with Artelo's ICC color profile. Using batch processing in Photoshop allows you to streamline your workflow, especially for large projects, ensuring color consistency across all your artwork in an efficient, automated way.