Color management enables you to proof images and documents to output devices, as well as to simulate one output device on another. Properly setting up the application's preferences and printing options ensures smoother and more predictable color output.
When converting documents to PDF, you can either leave color data in its color space or convert it to another color space for proofing or simulation. In either case, profiles are associated with each element on the page.
There are multiple ways to create PDF files. Applications that support PDF directly enable you to save the document as a PDF file. Acrobat Distiller converts documents for applications that do not directly support PDF. When creating PDF files using either method, Acrobat either preserves the color data in its color space or, depending on the conversion option, preserves an embedded profile.
PDF files can be soft proofed, proofed, and separated for press using color management to ensure consistent color. The benefit of using PDFs is that you have only one file for the composite file, used for proofing, and the separations file, used on press.
