What is disclosed is a novel system and method for determining and capturing the designer intended colors in an image so that the printer has an accurate color rendition target. The present method operates by capturing the monitor RGB values together with the monitor profile to get a representation of the intended image in a device-independent color space like L*a*b*. The teachings hereof work for vector graphics as well as raster images. Advantageously, this invention solves a real problem currently existing, for example, in the packaging print market, wherein colors produced from multiple spot colors with their overlays and blends are not well color managed.