DIN SPEC 16699 “Open colour communication” published

DIN SPEC 16699 - Open colour communication - Final meeting - Berlin

A few days ago, our DIN SPEC 16699 “Open Colour Communication” was published and is now available for free download from DIN’s Beuth-Verlag.

Matthias Betz from Proof GmbH, Holger Everding from DTP Studio Oldenburg, Jan-Peter Homann from Homann Colormanagement in Berlin and Eric. A Soder from Pixsource in Switzerland, all members of the association freieFarbe e.V., have shown in the bilingual DIN specification a way to create high-precision color samples on the basis of open source, license-free standards and have shown ways for cross-media color communication.

The 44-page PDF is bilingual in German and English and can be ordered directly from Beuth Verlag, which distributes the DIN standards in Germany, and downloaded free of charge after a short registration.

DIN SPEC 16699 Open Colour Communication

DIN SPEC 16699 “Open colour communication” shortly before publication

DIN SPEC 16699 Open Colour Communication

 

DIN SPEC 16699 Open Color Communication Final Meeting Berlin. From left to right: Eric A. Soder, Jan-Peter Homann, Matthias Betz, Holger Everding

 

Last Monday, the authors Jan-Peter Homann, Holger Everding, Eric A. Soder and Matthias Betz took another milestone in the direction of free color communication in a final meeting at the German Institute for Standardization – DIN in Berlin: The last open points of DIN SPEC 16699 “Open Colour Communication” were discussed and approved. Now only the English version by Matthias Betz and Eric A. Soder and the final implementation and approval by DIN are missing. It is expected that DIN SPEC will be available for download in August. It is published free of charge as PAS – Publicly Available Specification by DIN in German and English.

In this DIN-SPEC we describe a procedure for precise color communication and color sample creation on the basis of open standards such as CIELAB, HLC, ICC and CXF file formats. We work with mathematical color models, high-precision color samples and exact spectral data as a basis for ink formulation at color manufacturers and service providers. Instead of mutually incompatible commercial standards, we show an open, and open-source approach to high-precision color communication.

Besides the DIN SPEC we are working at full speed on new projects and ideas and on different new versions of our free colour CIELAB HLC Colour Atlas.

DIN SPEC Business Plan “Open Colour Communication” published

Currently, our freecolour.org DIN SPEC business plan was published for 4 weeks from 19.02.2018 to 19.03.2018 on the DIN website for comment.

In this DIN SPEC we will define tools and procedures for open and transparent color communication from design to finished product based on CIELAB color values, physical samples according to ISO12647-7 and spectral data in CxF3 format according to ISO 17972.

DIN SPEC describes both the way to create physical samples and CxF spectral data for any CIELAB color values by the user and the basic parameters of an open reference color system, which is available to all users without license costs under a Creative Commons license. The work equipment described in DIN SPEC is particularly suitable for tasks in which colours are defined in design for various production processes and communicated to manufacturing companies by means of physical samples and spectral data. The procedure described in DIN SPEC is intended to enable the production of matt, silk-matt and glossy colour samples on closed unstructured surfaces.

DIN Building at DIN Plaza, Berlin
DIN Building at DIN Plaza, Berlin

In a way, DIN SPEC is the little brother of the DIN standard. DIN writes: “DIN SPEC is a highly effective marketing instrument which, thanks to the recognized DIN brand, ensures a high level of acceptance among customers and partners. DIN ensures that DIN SPEC does not conflict with existing standards and publishes the standards, even internationally. A DIN SPEC can be the basis for a DIN standard.”

With DIN SPEC 16699 “Open Color Communication” we at freieFarbe e.V. would like to show that with open tools and procedures as well as Creative Commons licenses, in particular the CIELAB standard, ICC-based color management and ISO standards for spectral data, color communication is possible on a professional level.

Further information can also be found on freieFarbe.de

WordPress Cookie Plugin by Real Cookie Banner