Method and system for determining an optimized set of ink colours used to print a pattern on an object

A method for determining an optimized set of N different ink colors to be used to print at least one reference pattern on an object, comprising:

• an analysis step, implemented by a computer device, for analyzing colorimetric data relating to the reference pattern to be printed, in order to identify a set of colors to be printed;
• an identification step for identifying, among this set of colors, a number M of sensitive colors, M being an integer greater than or equal to 1;
• a determination step for determining, for each identified sensitive color, a spot color intended to reproduce the sensitive color, and for entering each spot color thus determined into the computer device;
• a definition step, implemented by the computer device, for defining a plurality of sets of colors, each of the sets of colors comprising N different colors consisting of the M spot colors and N-M elementary colors, at least the N-M elementary colors being intended to be used as process colors;
• and
• a selection step, implemented by the computer device, for selecting one of the sets of colors taking into account at least one selection criterion, the set of colors thus selected representing the determined optimized set.