<2.3 Effect>
According to the present embodiment, the second relational equations for predicting the spectral reflectances of any prediction target gradation values are created with the characteristics-acquired gradation value being taken as a reference (first reference or second reference). Therefore, the prediction values of the spectral reflectances of the characteristics-acquired gradation value for the prediction target color become equal to actual measurement values thereof. Thus, the prediction accuracy of the spectral reflectances improves also for the gradation value between the maximum gradation value and the maximum characteristics-acquired gradation value, the gradation value between two characteristics-acquired gradation values, and the gradation value between the minimum characteristics-acquired gradation value and the minimum gradation value. From the above, it will be possible to predict the spectral reflectances of the respective gradation values from the minimum gradation value to the maximum gradation value so that such a smooth density change as schematically illustrated in