Re: Learning Color Management
First, one needs to learn and know everyhing there is to know about color. Need to love color, like a maniac. Learning color management comes second, in my opinion. Knowing color is what will help you absorb and use all color related softwares and hardwares for what they are: tools to reach your goals.
Now, you cannot do color management without proper software and hardware. The “can't afford” part of it will soon become the “can't do”. I will not suggest specific brands of equipment but you will need: a good complete hand-held spectrophotometer, another one that can do batch reading if you intend to read press and proofer characterization testsheets, a software that will create and let you edit profiles, and finally a software like Colorshop for all types of translations, color readings, profile viewing, gamut correspondance, deltaE calculations etc.
You are entering a field that is probably more demanding than you can possibly expect, get prepared to suffer for a while. . .
Good luck