1. A method for selecting a set of color patches for color printer characterization comprising: printing and measuring a base set of color patches, each patch defining a combination of printer colorants; building a basic printer model using the measured color values of the printed base set of color patches; selecting a color from a candidate set of colors; adding the selected color to a refinement set of color patches; refining the basic printer model using the refinement set of color patches and the base set of color patches; and repeating, until a termination criterion is satisfied, selecting a color, adding the selected color to the refinement set, and refining the basic printer model using the refinement set of color patches and the base set of color patches.