The present invention generates a color characterization model for performing transformation from a device-dependent color space of a color device to a device-independent color space. A first set of color measurement data is accessed corresponding to actual measurements of the color device, wherein the actual measurements define a measurement range in the device-dependent color space, and wherein the measurement data includes data point pairs, each data point pair having corresponding device-dependent values and device-independent values. Next, a second set of data point pairs is generated based on a predesignated set of device-dependent values outside the measurement range, by extrapolating device-independent values from the first set of color measurement data. The color characterization model is then determined based on both the first set of color measurement data and the generated second set of data point pairs. Because the color characterization model is determined based on actual measurements and extrapolated values, the color characterization model is well-behaved and does not exhibit significant overshooting or undershooting beyond the measurement range.