1. A method for controlling an image output device comprising: generating an image output device multidimensional color profile LUT (look-up-table) characterizing a color profile of the image output device for a plurality of drift states associated with the image output device, each drift state associated with an overall change in the performance of the image output device to render a plurality of colors relative to an initial performance of the image output device associated with an initial characterization of the color profile of the image output device, wherein, each drift state associated with the multidimensional color profile LUT associates a plurality of target colors with a plurality of image output device dependent color space representations for generating the respective plurality of target colors with the image output device; generating a set of basis vectors by augmenting the image output device multidimensional color profile LUT with L*a*b* values and CMYK values for multiple GCP/UCRs; storing the set of basis vectors on a controller-usable data carrier; determining a current drift state of the image output device, and generating an image output device active color profile associated with the current drift state of the image output device to convert image color data for display or printing by the image output device, wherein the image output device active color profile is generated from the set of basis vectors and the current drift state of the image output device.