A color measurement instrument is used as a shade card generator and printer. Spectral geometries of D/8, D/0, 45/0, 0/45, D(hemisphere)/8, D(hemisphere)/0 or others are applied. The light spectrum of the illumination source (2) lies in the range of 350 - 1100 nm. An integrating sphere (3) is used in the case of D/8 geometry. A detector (7.5) and an optical assembly (7.2, 7.3, 7.4) using a variable sample aperture are between the light source (2) and the sample.