Color and density calibration of color printers

An image output apparatus for color balancing an image output device having an image output engine, comprising:

• means adapted for receiving electronic document data encoded in a multidimensional component color space, the electronic document data defining an image comprising,
• a centralized image portion, including a plurality of color components and having colorization highly sensitive to variations to relative intensities of component values,
• a plurality of selectable color regions extending generally radially from the centralized image portion, wherein each color region corresponds to a bias color associated with the centralized image portion, and
• a plurality of selectable bias values associated with varying intensities associated with each color region, wherein bias values are reflected as being graduated relative to an associated color region and a radial distance from the centralized image portion;
• means adapted for outputting a color image in accordance with the electronic document data;
• means adapted for visually comparing the color image with a reference;
• means adapted for receiving an adjustment parameter in accordance with at least one selected color region and associated bias value based on an output of the means adapted for visually comparing;
• and
• means adapted for adjusting image output engine colorization parameters based on the adjustment parameter.