Image processing apparatus and method, and recording medium

An image processing method, wherein, in order to obtain a color signal which is sensed by performing a visual observation and a color matching of a light source color and a body color,

• a color matching experiment is performed for each of n colors to determine n correction coefficients (kr, kg, kb) for the respective n colors which are used for converting tristimulus values (x1i, Y1i, Z1i) of the light source color and tristimulus values (X2i, Y2i, Z2i) of the body color in a following equation 1-(2), and
• the tristimulus values of the light source color and the body color are converted by using an average value of the n correction coefficients ( X 1 ⁢ i Y 1 ⁢ i Z 1 ⁢ i ) = ( X r X g X b Y r Y g Y b Z r Z g Z b ) ⁢ ( f ⁡ ( R ) f ⁡ ( G ) f ⁡ ( B ) ) equation 1-(1) ( X 2 ⁢ i Y 2 ⁢ i Z 2 ⁢ i ) = ( k a 0 0 0 k b 0 0 0 k c ) ⁢ ( X 1 ⁢ i Y 1 ⁢ i Z 1 ⁢ i ) . equation 1-(2)

An image processing method of executing a conversion corresponding to an observation illumination, comprising the steps of:

• inputting a user instruction to select a sample corresponding to white of body color under the observation illumination from display samples;
• and
• setting a conversion condition based on white information of the selected sample corresponding to white of body color and white information of a recording medium.

A recording medium which stores a program for realizing an image processing method of executing a conversion condition to be used for a conversion corresponding to an observation illumination, comprising the steps of:

• inputting a user instruction to select a sample corresponding to white of body color under the observation illumination from display samples;
• and
• setting the conversion condition on1based on white information of the selected sample corresponding to white of body color and white information of a recording medium.

An image processing apparatus for executing a conversion corresponding to an observation illumination, said apparatus comprising:

• input means for inputting a user instruction to select a sample corresponding to white of body color under the observation illumination from display samples;
• and
• setting means for setting a conversion condition based on white information of the selected sample corresponding to white of body color and white information of a recording medium.