An image processing apparatus generates image data used in printing an image on a sheet being attachable to skin. The image processing apparatus includes: an image acquirer that acquires a skin image picked up from the skin; an image analyzer that extracts, from the skin image, a discolored region differing in color from surrounding skin by at least a predetermined level, and surrounding color being color of the skin surrounding the discolored region; a grouping processor that groups a plurality of the discolored regions, and determines an inclusive region for each region group which is a cluster of the grouped plurality of discolored regions or one discolored region not having been grouped, to include the one or a plurality of the region groups; and a printing controller that generates image data having a content of printing a pigment material that causes color of the inclusive region to approximate the surrounding color, on a region corresponding to the inclusive region in the sheet.

A printing apparatus has a plurality of nozzles including preceding nozzles that discharge ink onto a printing medium before ink discharge of the other nozzles, and succeeding nozzles that discharge ink onto the printing medium after the ink discharge of the preceding nozzles, and if the amount of black ink discharged on the printing target region is larger than a predetermined amount, the printing apparatus discharges a smaller amount of chromatic ink than the amount of the discharged black ink onto the printing target region from the plurality of nozzles so that the amount of the chromatic ink discharged from the succeeding nozzles is larger than the amount of the chromatic ink discharged from the preceding nozzles.

An image forming apparatus includes a drawing data creating unit and a controller. The drawing data creating unit creates drawing data from a print job. The controller automatically sets at least one of a first dropping method of performing discharge in a drawing area and a second dropping method of performing the discharge outside the drawing area as a preliminary discharge method in accordance with a type of component elements of the created drawing data, and performs preliminary discharge in accordance with the set preliminary discharge method.

An image processing method comprising: converting an RGB input signal to a CMYK signal; converting the RGB input signal to a common color signal including lightness; generating a first Gray signal including a Gray value substituted for CMY values forming gray in the CMYK signal; generating a second Gray signal including a Gray value corresponding to a K value greater than a threshold in the CMYK signal; generating a Gray output signal in a CMYKGray output signal indicating color material amounts of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), black (K), and gray (Gray) for printing by multiplying the generated first Gray signal and the generated second Gray signal respectively by coefficients corresponding to the lightness in the common color signal and then synthesizing the first Gray signal and the second Gray signal.

An image capturing unit includes a sensor unit that image-captures a predetermined area including a subject; and a reference chart unit that is arranged in the predetermined area and captured with the subject by the sensor unit.

A method of controlling a printer to print a pattern using a number of print head dies, each print head die including a number of nozzle trenches wherein each one of the number of nozzle trenches is associated with a different color, wherein the nozzles of neighboring dies overlap in respective overlap zones, the method comprising applying masks to the nozzles of neighboring dies in the respective overlap zones to distribute, in the overlap zones, the pattern to be printed between the nozzles of the respective neighboring dies, wherein the masks, in the overlap zones, retain the order in which the nozzles of selected nozzle trenches associated with a selected one of the colors are fired.

Systems and methods for providing remote approval of an image for printing are provided. One system includes a processing circuit in communication with an image capturing device that is configured to capture an image of a printed product. The processing circuit is configured to process the captured image into a processed image accurate to within a tolerance in a color space to indicate the visual appearance of one or more colors. The color space is a standardized color space, such as sRGB or CIELAB. The processing circuit is further configured to transmit the processed image to a display located remote from the image capturing device and to receive an input signal from a remote input device to allow a user to approve or reject the displayed processed image for printing on a print device.

An image forming apparatus comprising: an exposing unit including: a first light source comprising a first light emitter and a first light receiver including a first electric output responsive to a received light quantity of the first light emitter; a second light source comprising a second light emitter and a second light receiver including a second electric output responsive to a received light quantity of the second light emitter; and a first light-source driver electrically connected to the first light source and the second light source. The first light-source driver includes: a first output terminal electrically connected to the first light emitter; a second output terminal electrically connected to the second light emitter; and an input terminal electrically connected to both the first electric output and the second electric output.

In one example, a first subset of a plurality of pixels in a halftone is determined to be associated with a first colorant. A second subset of the plurality of pixels in the halftone is determined to be associated with a second colorant, the second colorant being different from the first colorant. Pixel data associating a pixel in the plurality of pixels in the halftone with the first colorant and not the second colorant is generated when the pixel is included in the first subset and the second subset. Pixel data associating the pixel in the plurality of pixels in the halftone with the second colorant and not the first colorant is generated when the pixel is included in the second subset and not the first subset.

A look-up table generating method generates a look-up table by synthesizing at least first and second look-up tables to indicate first and second output characteristics for first and second region. The first output characteristic includes an output characteristic in which a first color difference between color values of the first and second color materials under a first observation light source is within a first range for all of the first region, and a second color difference between color values of the first and second color materials under a second observation light source is outside a second range for at least part of the first region. The second output characteristic includes an output characteristic in which the first color difference is outside the first range for at least part of the second region, and the second color difference is within the second range for all of the second region.