A Case for G7 Printing in Packaging

So this is exactly where gray balancing, or G7, steps in. In reality, the basic steps outlined in the G7 process are very similar to using compensation curves. The difference is in how we refine what the aim point is. Perhaps you are already applying curves in the prepress process targeting a desired gain curve or ISO curve. If so, then you have already grasped a very basic concept that is essential to successful press calibration—knowing what you want. If you get this concept then G7 is probably going to make a lot of sense. The big shift with G7 is understanding that we are now targeting a desired description of gray. We are still using compensation curves, but no longer to target a specific gain curve, rather a specific color gray or near neutral appearance. Figure 1A (p. 24) illustrates the target color primaries for GRACoL2006_coated1v2. Figure 1B shows how well the sample matched the target ink and paper standards.