This paper describes a new device characterization model applicable to plasma display panels (PDP). PDPs are inherently dissimilar to cathode ray tube and liquid crystal display devices, and so new techniques are needed to model their color characteristics. The intrinsic properties and distinct colorimetric characteristics are first introduced followed by model development. It was found that there was a large deviation in colorimetric additivity and a variation in color due to differences in the number of pixels in a color patch (pattern size). Three colorimetric characterization models, which define the relationship between the number of sustain pulses and CIE XYZ values, were successfully derived for full pattern size: A three-dimensional lookup table (3D-LUT) model, a single-step polynomial model and a two-step polynomial model including three 1D LUTs with a transformation matrix. The single-step and two-step polynomial models having more than 8 terms and the 3D LUT model produced the most accurate results. However, the single-step polynomial model was selected and extended to other pattern sizes because of its simplicity and good performance. Finally, a comprehensive model was proposed which can predict CIE XYZ at sizes different to that used for the training set. It was found that one combined training set formed using two different pattern sizes could give better results than a single-size training set.