Design for Print - PMS

The PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM is the definitive international reference for selecting, specifying, matching and controlling ink colours. The PANTONE formula guide, a three-guide set consisting of 1,114 solid PANTONE Colors on coated, uncoated and matte stock, shows corresponding printing ink formulas for each colour, and the three-book set of solid chips provides coated, uncoated and matte perforated tear-out chips that can be used for quality control.

The digitally-created PANTONE Process Color System® chips and guides provide a comprehensive palette of more than 3,000 colours achievable in four-colour (CMYK) process printing. The PANTONE solid to process guide compares a solid PANTONE Color to the closest possible match in CMYK four-colour process that can be achieved on a computer monitor, output device or printing press. Other PANTONE Color Reference Guides for the graphic arts include metallics, pastels, tints, duotones, film and foil.

Retail
In 2001, Pantone launched its PANTONE TheRightColor™ division. By providing a universal and precise colour language along with technology solutions, TheRightColor focuses on developing solutions and technologies that enable retailers to build a colour standard infrastructure to improve the consumer's shopping experience and impact the vendor's bottom line across all distribution channels. TheRightColor solutions are based on the globally accepted PANTONE Textile Color System.

TheRightColor solutions enable retailers to reduce the number of returns due to inaccurate colour representation, as well as improve inventory tracking and replenishment strategies. In addition, the ability to monitor customer colour preferences enables upselling and cross-selling, allowing the retailer to sell more product per visit. Meanwhile, the use of PANTONE Color codes empowers the customer to more confidently coordinate and complement merchandise. More information is available at www.therightcolor.com.

 


The Pantone Matching System:
These are colours which printers can mix using the formula written under each sample in the swatch book. The formula is designed to give the same result every time, there are invariably slight differences between batches so its a good idea to ask the printer to produce a large batch for you and to keep it in storage if you are planning on printing a lot and keeping consistency. PMS can be mixed from a range of several standard colours which come straight out of the can, these include CMYK but can also include colours like Pantone green, pantone purple, pantone, orange, rubine red, reflex blue and others. Therefore, the range of colours it is possible to mix goes way beyond a range limited to combinations of just CMYK. Thus, when you are trying to match a PMS colour using CMYK inks you are very likely to run into just the same problem as when starting with an RGB colour.