Even when the overall color management is set, as described in 'Preferences', you can assign specific settings for every single coloration. With this option, you can work with different profiles and adjustments. Double-click on a coloration to open the 'Coloration options' window. You will find several options for naming and location, coloring, and proofing parameters.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Localization and Setups

  • The option to name your coloration and set the location of auto-saving. The Localization of a colorway can be Local or Remote. The local localization uses the standard user path (Users/<USER>/Documents/neoTextil/Colorations). Setups allow saving different settings with specific setup names.
  • The list displayed shows your settings, and to include a new one click on "New setup…". A new dialog opens to type the setup name that you wish, which will be ready for future colorways. The new location is selectable in the list, and information on the settings is saved as XML in /Users/ Shared/Inedit̀ Software/InSwColorationSettings.
  • The location of colorations (XCM) can also be changed when right-clicking on a coloration. Local colorways are signed with the folder icon in the colorations displays. When the list of options unfolds, you can choose to save it as Embedded or Local.

Coloration

Enables hybrid colorways and provides methods to simulate production in coloring. 


Hybrid

The option 'Hybrid coloration' is active and used when working with hybrid designs (image with alpha channels). 


Simulation

The Simulation provides production simulation methods to perform an ink calculation for production when mixing colors in different cases. The values indicated in this section are, by default, the ones corresponding to traditional multichannel designs. 


NOTE: To enable Simulations, make sure that Printer Colorway Compatibility is disabled in the nT Colorations preferences.


When you tick the Simulate tab it allows you to select four simulation methods:

  • Standard
  • Production
  • Darken production
  • Pigment production
  • Photoshop
  • Solidity


The simulations are independent and the process will be calculated internally. Depending on the method used, it incorporates transparency or solidity. Solidity fully covers the background with bold, opaque elements, while transparency reveals underlying layers, adding depth and soft overlays.


Here is an overview of all the simulation methods:

  • Standard: Utilizes transparency to reveal the colors beneath the layer.


  • Production: Similar to Standard, but with a slightly smoother transition between colors.


  • Darken Production: Builds on the Production method with higher contrast, enhancing darker tones.


  • Pigment Production: Offers white, opaque coverage for bold effects.


  • Photoshop: Simulates Photoshop channel solidity by using its inverted value as transparency. While it closely mirrors Photoshop’s behavior, it is not identical.


  • Solidity: Provides a highly opaque effect, delivering bold and solid coverage depending on the gray level and ink levels of the channels below.



From the Advanced options below the method list, the simulations use parameters and values by recommended settings as pictured by default:

  • Fabric density - Allows the simulation of different percentages of fabric density.
  • Maximum ink level- Provides a maximum of 900 percent of ink level calculation, which would be needed to obtain black color when mixing greys and blues.
  • Predominance and Dark predominance are not editable and use internal calculation.

Color setups

Assigning or converting a coloration to an ICC profile and saving the embedded profile. nT Colorations offers several options for applying color modes and installing ICC profiles. 

 

Install profile & scheme

When working with (in colorations) embedded profiles, the download icon, next to the profile name, allows you to install it in your system when loading the colorway. Schemes are downloaded and installed automatically when being connected to the Print Server (required nS 10.1) with nS QuickPrint Panel. Manually you can copy-paste the scheme folder when clicking on the download icon.



Color Conversions 

  • Convert to profile: Working profiles (RGB, CMYK, Lab) and custom profiles (RGB, CMYK) modes can be applied to a coloration. The change of color space can modify the colors. Convert to profile changes color mode numbers, such as RGB values, while attempting to keep color meaning the same. Convert to profile translates color meaning from one profile to another, changing the color mode numbers. This can be seen in the RGB numbers from the sRGB profile below, changing to different numbers in the Adobe RGB (1998) destination. Note that color appearance, indicated here by the Lab readout, stays the same. Rendering Intents is shown and applied automatically when the Auto checkbox in profile conversion is enabled.

  • Assign profile: Working profiles and custom profile modes can be applied to a coloration. Assign profile keeps RGB color mode numbers the same but changes their meaning, as shown below. The color that is displayed is changed.

  • Preserve color numbers:  When working with colors of color libraries, the option to 'Preserve color numbers' will keep the color values of color libraries' colors in the destination channel when converting to another ICC profile.

 

 

Color Modes with Device colors

  • Special colorways: All Color modes with device colors (fluorescent inks) can be applied to a color library using the device color recipe. The change of color space can modify the colors! When a mode and its profile are selected, to change color first select it. The color picker opens, where you can open the device colors dialog with Device. In the dialog, you can enter the device colors recipe.

  • Printer colorways: This system allows to change color channels with color recipes directly in nT Colorations, setting values to printer device inks, in absolute mode, or relative one, allowing to have printer gradients inside the ink limits, as well to manage special inks like flours, diluents, etc. all inside the workflow defined on the nS calibration. Customers that use to work with color recipes in a conventional color kitchen will find it easy to modify and make fine-tune color adjustments to their colorways in their daily production workflow.

Proofer setup

Soft proofing is an option that allows you to simulate on your computer monitor what your print will look like when it is printed on media using a specific ICC profile. When a printer profile is made the color of the paper or fabric media is one factor that is shaped in the profile, because of the ink and the media combination. Using the options in the Proofer Setup printer simulation you determine the color space options on the printer so that nT Colorations can show the color samples.


Ticking the 'Use coloration profile' option, the simulation parameters will be automatically updated. If you select 'Show proof colors' you can see the printer simulation on the screen. The Edit button opens a new window with further options.

 

According to your choice of settings, the color samples and the image will show proofed colors. At the bottom of the window, the embedded (left) and proofing (right) profiles are displayed. Later, when coloring the colorway with a color picker, the proofing is applied in the color space visualization.

Features and Compatibility - nT Colorations