There are four steps you need to follow when you set up your Color Manager settings.



Step 1:

Setting up Color Manager preferences




  1. Go to QuarkXPress > Preferences (Windows: Edit > Preferences) and select the Color Manager pane.

  2. Choose the Transformation Method you want. This setting determines the Color Engine QuarkXPress will use to make color transformations.

  3. Select the Source Setup that you want to use to define how color is being described as it 'comes into' QuarkXPress. There are two Source Setups provided by default in the Color Manager—QuarkXPress 7.0 Default and QuarkXPress Emulate Legacy. If you want QuarkXPress to describe color using the newer LAB color space, choose QuarkXPress 7.0 Default. If you want QuarkXPress to describe color using the pre-7.0 internal color space, choose QuarkXPress Emulate Legacy. If you want QuarkXPress to use your own Source profile for describing incoming color, choose 'New' and choose the profile you want QuarkXPress to use for each type of incoming color source. (See below for more information on how to do this).

    Note: If you want QuarkXPress to access or modify color profile information for imported images, select Enable Access to Picture Profiles.



Step 2:

Create a Source Setup




  1. In the Color Manager preferences pane, select New… The Edit Source Setup dialog will display.

  2. in the Edit Source Setup dialog, name your Source Setup

  3. For each type of color that will be coming into QuarkXPress, select the Profile and Rendering Intent you want. (For more information on Color Profiles and Rendering Intents, see QXP User Guide.pdf)



    Note: You can also create new Source and Output Setups outside of the Preferences dialog by going to Edit > Color Setups > (Source or Output).



    TIP: While you are in the Color Manger Preferences dialog, you may want to go ahead and select the method you will use to do Soft Proofing. Select the Proof Output method and Rendering Intent you want    .

  4. Click OK.



Step 3:

Create an Output Setup




  1. Go to Edit > Color Setups > Output...

  2. Click on New.

  3. Name your Output Color Setup in the Edit Output Setup dialog

  4. Choose the Mode, Model, and Profile that you want to apply to this setup for the target output device.

  5. Click OK. Then click Save.



Step 4:

Create a New Output Style that uses your new Color Setup:




  1. Go to Edit > Output Styles...

  2. Create a new Output Style for your target output device.

  3. In the Colors pane of the Edit Print Style dialog, select your new Output Setup from the Setup pop-up menu.

  4. Click OK, Then Click Save.



Background:

In versions of QuarkXPress prior to versions 7 and 8, the color management tool, Quark CMS, was a feature that you could turn on and off. In QuarkXPress 7 & 8, the Quark Color Manager is always on. Because it is always on, the settings you make in the Color Manager preferences pane and the Source and Output Setups that you choose will have a direct effect on color display for soft proofing and printed output. QuarkXPress 7 and 8 use a LAB color space to describe color internally. This color space is vastly superior to the older color space used in earlier versions to describe color because it can include one of the widest ranges of color. The major questions you need to ask when setting up Color Manager are:






  • How do I want QuarkXPress to read color information that is coming in from a color Source?

  • What source information is coming into QuarkXPress (i.e., do I have TIFF or EPS files that contain embedded color profiles?

  • What is my color output target (four-color press, color composite proofer, or PDF)?

  • Do I have the color profiles for color information coming into QuarkXPress and for the target output devices to which I will be sending my output?