Digital booths
A screen preview is not automatically a soft proof of the booth print
A proof depends on a known display, printer profile and viewing setup.
A strip editor’s preview may show composition correctly without predicting the physical print. Soft proofing is a colour-managed simulation with specific device and viewing assumptions.
Check the proof chain
A colour soft-proof system uses a display and software to simulate the intended print condition. The printer profile must match the output device and media, and the display and viewing environment affect the comparison.
Evidence: International standard
Use a physical validation print
Print the same file on the actual booth printer and media. View it under the event’s expected light, then compare with the proof on a suitable display. If the printer profile is missing or unknown, treat the screen preview as composition guidance only.
Evidence: Standards body technical guide
Keep proof and approval details
Save the tested image, profile, printer mode, finish and date. If a later driver or media change alters colour, rerun the proof. Do not use a screenshot of an editor preview as evidence that the printed colours are calibrated. The proof is a simulation; it does not measure the printer or guarantee the paper stock is correctly loaded.
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- ISO, ISO 12646:2015 Displays for Colour ProofingInternational standard
- International Color Consortium, Introduction to the ICC Profile FormatStandards body technical guide