Using Scanner as color analyzer

[aansorge]

I have always had trouble matching colors (as in matching paint to a color). Maybe having a touch of color-blindness is responsible, maybe not.

So I always must ask my wife, who finally made a comment about using an analyzer like she did when in the photo business. Well, a scanner is an analyzer and I have one of those.

I scanned a part, to which I added a blotch of the closest paint I can find. GIMP tells me (I think) that I need to add a little yellow and a little black to the paint to match the part.

Has anyone had success (or am I the only one with this particular trouble)? More importantly, has anyone tried and NOT had success?

[tatasam]

Hi , the scanner is lying , does not distinguish color gamut RGB or CMYK plus misrepresentation graphic program, is a problem.
Simpler to ask the author what range, colors uses

Henryk

[airdave]

yeah, I wouldn't trust scanned objects as being accurate.

Its a very special type of "scanner" that analyzes colour.
And the analysis is adjusted to relate to a specific process,
like the machine at HomeDepot that can mix Wall Paint to match your sample.

If your monitor is not calibrated to your scanner, then the scanned result is also false on your screen.
So much depends on a properly calibrated monitor.

A high resolution scanned image might be the best place to start
but it still requires a lot of colour adjustment before you could reprint a perfect copy.


I am badly colourblind...so I always look for help with matching colours.
I will always get other opinions.

I am also an airbrusher/painter, and mixing paint colours is necessary.
When I buy paint, inks, markers, etc, they must have colour names on them.
And when I am mixing or matching colours, I ask for help.
I never trust my own judgement in that way if its important that I match a specific colour.

[tatasam]

If you have a harvester, you can be sure of color 90%

[Zakopious]

I tried using a scanner to match colors of prints to samples of acrylic paint.
It did not work for me.

I now keep sheets of cardstock with names of paint and sample of paint by name.
When I put the printed part next to the samples, I can match them fairly well.
My wife also uses acrylic paint for crafts so we have a large collection of paint.

When I must buy paint at a craft or hobby shop, I take the printed part with me and buy three different colors which look the closest.
If I am lucky, one of the colors will be a good match.

[airdave]

Originally Posted by tatasam

If you have a harvester, you can be sure of color 90%

I recommend this one, for 95% yield.

[tatasam]

Yes airdave, it is full of grazing it's only translator tells badly
Easier to learn the rules of color mixing and the problem of head

[aansorge]

you guys are more help than you expect, or intend.

My first experiment was better than my Mk1 eyeball ever was. But as you say, the second opinion is still best.

[Kevin WS]

I am also badly colour blind.

So I ask for help all the time and make certain everything is labeled........

[richkat]

When I worked for Minolta I was a color tech, we had a test for color perception. It was a set of wooden bars with little "bottle cap" size thing on them. They went from red to blue or blue to green or yellow to green, the caps on each end were fixed to the bar and all the ones between were free to come off, you turn them over and let the fall off and have the customer put them back in the order they thought they went. You could then look at the bottom and read the numbers to see how accurate they were...it is amazing to see how far off some people are on color. Everyone is week in some area of color and this test would show it. So when a customer would say " this red looks wrong to me" you could say, well it might be that YOU CAN"T SEE RED!!....Rich