1. A method for processing a color image, comprising: receiving a plurality of device color separations for an image intended for rendering on a color image device, forming at least one intermediate image by interleaving pixels from at least two of the device color separations; compressing the said at least one intermediate image in a compression module; decompressing the said at least one intermediate image in a decompression module; processing the said at least one decompressed intermediate image through a multidimensional calibration transform to output a calibrated device color separation; and, said device color separations include at least three colors.