The characterization of the transfer function of a printing device is a complex procedure involving not only the device itself but also the paper and its properties. The work reported here is an ongoing development of building a library of characterization procedures. These procedures can be applied to printing situations with different combinations of printing engines and paper grades. An example of a building block is color separation with respect to halftoning techniques and available inks or toners. Another is the characterization of the physical properties of the paper substrate. The most common characterization procedure is through the ICC-profile. Device ICC-profiles contain the data needed for a color management system (CMS) to do color separation and the color mapping. In this study special emphasis is put on the influence of the paper properties and on how they affect the profile. Gloss, surface roughness, whiteness and light scattering are all measurable paper properties that certainly will affect the color reproduction. Ink and paper interaction and especially ink penetration is also a phenomena that affect the color reproduction and thus the ICC profile.