Study on Influence Factor Analysis and Optimal Methodology for Color Reproduction of Digital Photography of Painted Cultural Heritage

Abstract

The color management system (CMS) for digital photographs of painted cultural heritage requires consideration of the camera as an input device, lighting as a shooting condition, and color charts and spectrophotometers as absolute color standards. Therefore, this study conducted basic experiments to derive the effects of these factors on digital color reproduction and the application methodology. The results showed that the two types of spectrophotometers for CMS and the spectrophotometer used for direct measurement of painted cultural heritage showed almost similar color reproduction, and the digital camera did not have a significant effect on color reproduction regardless of the operating principle, image sensor type, and resolution. Although the color reproduction under the three lighting conditions was execellent overall, the instantaneous and continuous light used in the experiment showed a lower color difference than the LED light. When these optimal conditions were applied to the Dancheong (traditional multicolored paintwork) specimen, the color difference of <i>Δ</i>11.57 before color reproduction decreased dramatically to <i>Δ</i>1.02 after color reproduction. This means that the digital color reproduction process brought the Dancheong specimen has become closer to the true color. Digital photography is an essential recording method in the process of conserving and utilizing cultural heritage. In the absence of manuals or guidelines for digital photography-based color reproduction, basic experimental research has great potential as a methodology for the documentation of painted cultural heritage. In addition, if color reproduction technology is applied to three-dimensional scanning, where the importance of color recording is relatively overlooked, it is believed that the digital recording process can be advanced and actively used for the conservation of painted cultural heritage.