A system and method are proposed for the printing of all possible colors, including all permutations of primary inks used to make processed colors, in equal increments and of a size easily measurable with a device that will convert the colors into standard color coordinates. These colors are categorized and used to determine the ability of the output device to reproduce a source color. Each color printed within the gamut of an output device is identified and correlated to independent color coordinates. The primary color recipe necessary to reproduce a reference color within the gamut of the output device is identified. The magnitude of deviation of out of gamut source colors is determined, and the closest in gamut colors are specified through methods of interpolation and nearest neighbor. Furthermore, the alteration in gamut size can be predicted based upon image manipulation processes associated with the workflow. Source colors can be correlated to the altered destination gamut in order to determine the recipe of in gamut colors. An extension of this functionality teaches a method for determining the type, and the extent, of pre-process workflow alterations necessary to maintain or eliminate a source color from the color set of the output device. A set of source colors is correlated to a companion set of the output device in gamut colors, by dependent interpolated adjustment of the set with regard to hue, saturation, and lightness, rather than an absolute value nearest match.