1. An automated, computerized method for processing an image, comprising the steps of: identifying token regions in the image, each identified token region comprising a connected image region of similar color and intensity relative to a single, robust color measurement, wherein the identified token regions vary as a function of illumination; and utilizing the identified token regions to generate single material token regions, each one of the single material token regions corresponding to preselected ones of identified token regions utilized to generate the respective one of the single material token regions such that the single material token regions depict single material regions of the image independent of the function of illumination that vary the corresponding identified token regions, for use in processing material and illumination aspects of the image.