Exploring the color inconstancy of prints

The color inconstancy of prints is related to the ink spectral properties and the lookup table for multiink printing systems. In this paper, color inconstancy was investigated for several ink-jet printers based on their ink set and the default lookup tables. A virtual model for each printer was created to determine the range of color inconstancy that a specific ink set could achieve. The color inconstancy performance of each default lookup table was evaluated by evaluating the color inconstancy of a printed test target. The optimum combinations of three- and four-chromatic inks were investigated to minimize the color inconstancy and keep a relative large color gamut simultaneously. The results showed that the color inconstancy can be decreased significantly without compromising the reproduction colorimetric accuracy. Moreover the color inconstancy can be improved by appropriate ink design