The present invention creates a color transform for transforming color image data from a device-independent color space to a device-dependent color space of a color device. A forward model is accessed which transforms color image data from the device-dependent color space to the device-independent color space. The forward model is iteratively inverted to obtain a plurality of distinct device-dependent data point value sets, wherein the device-dependent data point value sets are colorimetrically identical to each other in the device-independent color space. One device-dependent data point value set is then selected from the plurality of distinct device-dependent data point value sets based on the application of a color purity function to the plurality of distinct device-dependent data point value sets. The color transform is populated with the selected device-dependent data point value set. Because one device-dependent data point value set is selected from the plurality of obtained distinct device-dependent data point value sets based on the application of a color purity function, the inverse color transform provides the best color estimate among all color candidates that are colorimetrically equivalent, and accurately recovers original device-dependent color space values.