A printer or other marking device forms a first desired image in a first area, such as a main image area, of a first substrate; forms a first portion of a set of test patches in a margin area of the first substrate; forms a second desired image in a first area, such as a main image area, of a second substrate; and forms a second portion of the set of test patches in a margin area of the second substrate. A measuring device such as a spectrophotometer may be used to measure each test patch, and based on the measured values, a color calibration is performed for use in a subsequent marking operation. The color calibration may include generating or modifying a tone reproduction curve based on the measured values. The margin areas may be later trimmed off, thereby removing the portion of the substrates on which the test patches are formed.