With the latest OCAD Update, an option has been added to the Colors dialog to define Base Colors from which the values of the other colors are derived. This makes color management easier for people who print maps.
How base colors work
- The Base Colors dialog can be opened in the Colors dialog.
- There, base colors can be defined and edited. Base colors sets can also be loaded and/or exported.
- Back in the Colors dialog, colors can be assigned to a base color or removed again. With the Assign colors to base colors function, OCAD attempts to assign colors automatically. In addition to the base color, a percentage value for the base color must also be defined (more on the end of the article).
- If colors need to be adjusted based on a test printout, only the base colors need to be adjusted, and the colors assigned to that base color will change accordingly.
Why was this feature developed?
Depending on the printer and paper used, the CMYK values in the Colors dialog may need to be adjusted to achieve good print quality. This can be tedious, as there are over 50 colors defined in the standard symbol set for orienteering maps.
By defining base colors, only a few base colors need to be defined. When changing the CMYK values of the base colors, the derived colors change too.
In addition, you can export the base colors suitable for your printer as a new set. Next time you receive a map for printing, you can reload this color set.
Do all colors have to be assigned to a base color?
No, not all colors have to be assigned to a base color. For example, colors for logos can still be set using CMYK values.
Also, not all colors in the symbols sets are not assigned to a base color, as they would not meet the exact colors values defined by IOF.
Should I work with base colors or not?
For new maps, it is recommended to work with base colors. They are already correctly defined and assigned for the different colors in the current symbol sets.
For existing maps, some effort is required to add all colors correctly to the base colors. Also, it is still possible to adjust the color table e.g. by using the Color Swatch function.
It is up to you to decide whether or not to assign colors to the base color for old maps. Experience has shown that many older maps have an outdated symbol set and colors. Before you start to assign colors to base colors, it might be a good idea to use the Symbol Set Conversion function. This will update your map to the current symbol set defined by the IOF. Also, it will directly replace your color table. True to the motto: If you’re going to do it, do it right.
Best practices for printing orienteering maps
The colors on the screen can differ a lot from the colors on the printed map. It is not only the color settings in OCAD that are decisive, but also the paper used, the printer, the printer settings and the printer driver.
Therefore, it is important to always make a test print, check the printout using a reference sheet, and adjust the colors in OCAD (or adjust printer settings) if the result is unsatisfactory. Check also the Document IOF Printing and Colour Definitions A4 Revision 4 on the IOF Webite for more information.
Experience shows that dark colors are usually not a problem, but that the definition of light colors is crucial (e.g., Green 60%, Green 30%, Yellow 50%, etc.). It’s therefore good practice to first adjust the color values of the base colors. For fine tuning, the percentage values of the individual colors can be adjusted (e.g., make Green 30% a bit darker and set it to 38%).
