V-Ray Tip: V-Ray Color-Managed Export Workflow for Web and Print

Exporting for print versus web starts with consistent color management and ends with the right file format, gamut, and resolution. Here’s a practical, production-safe workflow tailored for V-Ray.

Work in a managed color pipeline

• Choose a working space: ACEScg or scene-linear sRGB in V-Ray Color Management (OCIO). View through an appropriate display transform in the V-Ray Frame Buffer (VFB).
• Render unclamped. Save a 16/32-bit multichannel EXR (all AOVs) as your master. Do not bake tone mapping or LUTs into this file.
• Use VFB color controls for look development, but keep the master EXR scene-linear for maximum flexibility in post.

Web delivery (SDR displays, RGB)

• Target color space: sRGB (display-referred).
• From the VFB, apply your display transform/tone mapping and “Save in image color space.” Embed the sRGB profile.
• Format: 8-bit PNG for UI/transparency; JPEG/WebP for photographs (quality 80–90). AVIF/WebP where supported for smaller files.
• Dimensions: deliver exact pixel sizes. Provide 1x/2x variants for HiDPI if needed. PPI metadata is ignored by browsers.
• Tone mapping: ensure highlights land within 0–1 (SDR). Avoid clipping in the master; clamp only on the web output.
• Sharpen after resizing, not before. Keep it subtle to avoid halos after social media recompression.

Print delivery (press-managed, CMYK)

• V-Ray renders in RGB; convert to CMYK in post using the printer’s ICC profile (Photoshop, Affinity, or similar). Soft-proof early and often.
• Rendering size: pixels = physical inches × target PPI. Typical: 300 PPI for close-view print, 150–200 PPI for posters, ~100 PPI for large format viewed at distance.
• Keep the EXR master untouched. Create a print working copy in 16-bit. Perform CMYK conversion with Relative Colorimetric + Black Point Compensation unless your printer specifies otherwise.
• Check total area coverage (TAC) limits during conversion. Tame oversaturated highlights before CMYK to prevent muddy results.
• Export 16-bit TIFF or PSD with embedded CMYK profile. Include bleed and safe areas; match the layout template from your print vendor.
• Use soft-proof gamut warnings to adjust out-of-gamut colors (especially intense cyans/greens) via subtle saturation and hue shifts rather than heavy clipping.

VFB settings and common gotchas

• Save two outputs on approval:
  • Master: scene-linear EXR (un-tonemapped, unclamped, all render elements).
  • Delivery: display-referred file (sRGB for web; CMYK TIFF/PSD from your post app for print).
• OCIO/LUTs: great for lookdev. Bake them into the delivery file only, never into the master EXR.
• Avoid aggressive highlight clamping in-frame; it increases banding and reduces grading latitude.
• Proof a 1:1 crop with your printer before final run; check small text, gradients, and dark shadow detail.

Quick checklist

• Master saved as 16/32-bit EXR with all AOVs.
• Web: sRGB, 8-bit PNG/JPEG/WebP; correct pixel dimensions; profile embedded.
• Print: convert to CMYK with the correct ICC; 16-bit TIFF/PSD; bleed included; TAC verified.
• Document your color pipeline in the render stamp/metadata for repeatability.

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