The present invention provides a color and neutral tone management system, method, apparatus and software for reproduction of an image on an output medium, with a black colorant applied to the output medium having a maximum black colorant darkness. In an exemplary method, a black colorant is provided in substantially linear increments to the maximum black colorant darkness to provide a plurality of black increments; a first plurality of primary colorants are provided at about a first colorant level, such as from 5-8% saturation; and the first plurality of primary colorants are combined with each black increment of the plurality of black increments to form a first plurality of neutral increment values. At higher input darkness levels, a second plurality of neutral increment values are formed from increments of the black colorants (beginning at about 80% darkness) combined with a second plurality of primary colorants provided in substantially quadratic increments beginning at about 40% saturation.