A system for generating digital swatch books, comprising a simulation component for generating, based on a set of standard reference colors and based on at least one reproduction system profile representing a reproduction system's color reproduction characteristics, digital swatch book information representing a simulated set of reference colors associated with the original set of reference colors, as reproduced by the reproduction system; the system further comprising a portable document format generation component for generating, from said digital swatch book information, a multi-layer portable document format file comprising a first layer encoding first swatch book output information for viewing the digital swatch book on a display device, and a second layer encoding second swatch book output information for printing the digital swatch book on a printing device.