A method for calibrating a printing system including a plurality of printers includes designating one of the plurality of printers as a reference printer and defining color values for a desired response for one or more printed test patches on a control page. Through a first process aimed toward achieving the desired response, a printed control page is generated with the reference printer, the control page including one or more of the test patches which, when measured, has a measured response which approaches the desired response. Through a second process aimed toward achieving a desired response, the desired response being the measured response of the reference printer, a printed control page is generated with a second of the printers, the control page including one or more of the test patches which, when measured, has a response which approaches the measured response of the reference printer.