What happens if I don’t use any color profile at all

Okay, so I’m working on this digital art project, and it’s got me thinking about color profiles. I understand the basics, like sRGB, Adobe RGB, and how they define a range of colors. My monitor is calibrated, and I’ve been using sRGB for most things.

But I’m curious… what actually happens if I just… don’t use a color profile at all? Like, in my image editing software (Photoshop mostly, but I sometimes use Krita), what if I just ignore all the prompts and warnings about missing or mismatched profiles? What does the software do then? Does it just assume something? And if so, what does it assume?

Specifically, I’m wondering about:

• Viewing on my own monitor: What kind of colors will I be seeing? Will it look drastically different from when I’m using a profile? Will it be consistently "wrong," or will it vary depending on the specific colors in the image?

• Printing: If I send a file with no profile to a print shop, what will they do with it? Will they be able to print accurately, or will the colors be all over the place?

• Sharing online: If I upload an image with no embedded profile to a website like Instagram or Facebook, what will happen to the colors? Will they get converted to sRGB, and if so, how will the conversion work without an original profile to go on?

I’m trying to understand the actual, practical consequences of just ignoring color profiles entirely. Is it a recipe for disaster, or is it something that only matters in very specific circumstances? What’s the worst that can happen?

Answer

If you don’t use any color profile when working with digital images or graphics, the following occurs:

1. Device Dependence and Color Shifts:

• Inconsistent Color Reproduction: Without a color profile, your software and devices (monitors, printers, scanners) rely on their default, often manufacturer-defined, color settings. These settings can vary significantly from one device to another. As a result, an image might look completely different depending on where you view or print it. For example, the reds might appear overly saturated on one monitor but muted on another.

• Unpredictable Color Rendering: Your software will essentially interpret the numerical color values (RGB or CMYK) in an image file based on its internal color assumptions or the device’s default settings. Without a profile to guide it, it can only guess at the intended colors. This leads to unpredictable and inconsistent color rendering.

2. Communication Breakdown:

• Misinterpretation of Color Data: Color profiles act as dictionaries or translation keys that tell different devices how to interpret color data consistently. When you skip using color profiles, your devices are left to interpret color data as they see fit. Therefore there is no communication of the true intended color.

3. Limitations in Color Gamut:

• Restricted Color Range: Each device has its own color gamut or range of colors it can reproduce. Without color profiles, your software might struggle to map colors from one device’s gamut to another’s, which results in loss of color vibrancy or accuracy.

• Clipping: If you are working with an image containing colors that are outside the gamut of a specific output device (like a printer), those colors might be clipped or approximated to the nearest available color. When no color profile is used, this clipping might occur unpredictably, resulting in banding or color distortion.

4. Workflow Issues:

• Difficulty in Color Correction: Color correcting an image without a color profile is an exercise in futility. You might be adjusting colors based on what you see on your monitor, but without a profile, those adjustments might not translate accurately to other displays or prints.

• Inability to Achieve Color Accuracy: For professional workflows, where color accuracy is critical, neglecting color profiles is unacceptable. Industries like photography, graphic design, and printing rely on color profiles to ensure that colors are rendered accurately across different stages of the production process.

5. Soft Proofing Inaccuracies:

• Unreliable Previews: Soft proofing, which is the process of simulating how an image will look when printed on a specific device, relies heavily on color profiles. If no color profile is used, the soft proof will be inaccurate, meaning that you won’t be able to reliably predict the final output.

In essence, not using color profiles introduces significant uncertainty into your color workflow. Colors will be device-dependent, inconsistent, and unpredictable. While it might not be noticeable for casual use, for professional applications where color accuracy is important, it’s a critical issue to address.