A method for selecting which rendering hint or tag to use when multiple tags may be associated with a pixel, includes prioritizing the set of input tags associated with an input image, such that each input tag has a unique priority relative to other input tags in the set; filtering the input image by selecting groups of input pixels, applying a filtering function to the contone data associated with each selected group of input pixels, and producing an output pixel having an output contone data for each selected group of input pixels; for each selected group of input pixels, comparing the priorities of the input tags associated with the selected group of input pixels and selecting as the output tag associated with the output pixel, that tag with the highest priority.