The demands of the graphic arts color refinement process are unique in the color imaging industry. Economic, creative, physiological, technical and behavioral factors combine to produce a lengthy and exacting color approval process. In addition to the common optimum color reproduction sub-objectives of compromise color reproduction, corrective color reproduction and preferred color reproduction, a creative color reproduction objective may be added during the iterative color approval process. In general, color appearance models and color management systems are incapable of more than a first approximation as far as graphic arts color quality requirements are concerned. Calibrated color monitors are an almost indispensable part of the color refinement process, but for approval purposes, a hard copy proof is required to fully capture the colorimetric, image structure, and surface characteristic aspects of the final printed result.