Pantone Definition…
Pantone is an American company headquartered in Carlstadt,New Jersey. In 1963, Pantone developed a proprietary system for categorizingcolors. This system is known as the Pantone Matching System.
So when you see or hear the term Pantone Color, it is a referenceto one of the more than 2,000 colors within the Pantone Matching System.
The Pantone company created its name by combining the word "Pan"(meaning All) with the word "Tone" (meaning Color). It turned out to be a visionaryname choice because the Pantone Matching System has become the worldwide standardfor selecting, communicating, and matching colors.
Why is the Pantone Matching System important?
Have you ever tried to accurately describe a color using wordsalone? Whether you use written or verbal communication, it is virtuallyimpossible to accurately describe a specific hue or tint. Even if the color hasa descriptive name, like Forest Green or Mustard Yellow, different people canhave varying interpretations of what these colors actually look like or how to duplicatethem.
The Pantone Matching System has eliminated this ambiguity by organizing a multitude of colors in a logical sequence, assigning unique identificationnumbers for each one, and displaying the formulas needed for replication.
Pantone publishes this information in easy-to-use guidebooks,which are available worldwide. These guides are designed as a bound deck of color swatch cards. The swatch cards fan out for quick referencing. Pantone offers several versions, includingones that show how the various colors will appear on coated or uncoated paperstocks.
By referring to these Pantone color guides, a customer inone city can select a color from the Pantone book and easily communicatethe exact color to a printing company in another city. Likewise, anadvertising agency in one country can easily communicate an exact color to a graphicdesigner in another country.
The Pantone system solves the complicated problem of sharingaccurate color information among multiple stakeholders in different locations.
Pantone Colors and the Printing Industry
The Pantone Matching System is an invaluableresource for the printing industry, helping graphic designers, printers, and customersselect, communicate, and match colors. Because the Pantone color system ensures that everyone is on the same page, it helps streamline both the design and printingprocesses.
Unlike CMYK ink colors that intermingle on the paper to formnew colors, Pantone ink colors are created from precise formulas. These formulasspecify the exact mix of pigments needed to achieve a specific color and arecarefully calibrated to ensure consistency across different materials andprinting processes.
The Pantone system not only ensures that colors arereproduced accurately across different types of media, it also helps to maintaincolor consistency for corporate branding and marketing purposes.
Pantone Colors vs CMYK Process Colors
The CMYK printing process can create around 16,000 colors, butthere are some colors the CMYK process cannot produce. This is where Pantonecolors come to the rescue by supplementing the color palette available for printingprojects.
Unlike CMYK process printing, which simulates colors byoverlapping dots of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink colors on the paper, Pantonecolors are pure colors. They are pre-mixed prior to being placed into theprinting press and are applied as solid colors on the paper.
A printing company will often mix the pigments in-house unlessa project requires a large volume of ink. In that case, it is generally moreefficient to order the Pantone ink pre-mixed.
Some print projects print exclusively with one or more Pantoneink colors. Pantone ink colors can also be used in addition to the four CMYKink colors if a project requires a specific standalone color in addition to full-color printing.
What is The Pantone Color of the Year?
In addition to colors used for printing and graphic design, Pantoneoffers colors for use by other industries. These industries include fashion, homefurnishings, and interior design.
Pantone services these industries with a separate color systemcalled Fashion, Home + Interior (FHI). The FHI color system is designed for use with textiles as well as non-fabricmaterials such as paint, cosmetics, and furniture.
Since the year 2000, Pantone has been announcing its "Color ofthe Year." Publicized every December, Pantone's annual choice helps set the trendfor the creative use of color in the upcoming year. On a few rare occasions, Pantonehas proclaimed two colors for one calendar year.
Geared primarily toward the fashionand home décor industries, Pantone's Color of the year has tremendous influenceover the color of products offered during a given year.
By the way, the Color of the Year for 2024 is Peach Fuzz (Pantone# 13-1023).
Other names for Pantone Colors
In the printing industry, Pantone colors are often referredto by a couple different names.
Because the Pantone Matching System is commonly abbreviatedas PMS, the colors included in the Pantone Matching System are often referredto as PMS colors.
Also, Pantone colors are sometimes called "Spot" colors.This is to help differentiate the standalone Pantone colors from the CMYK process colors.
Unlike the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink colors usedfor CMYK printing, Pantone inks almost never intermingle with other ink colorson the paper. This is because Pantone inks are intended to be used assolid colors. As such, they are designated for certain "Spots" within thedesign.
Need help with a Pantone printing project?
If you are looking to have a project printed with Pantonecolors, be sure to get in touch with Color Vision. Whether your printed piecewill use Pantone colors exclusively, or will require Pantone colors incombination with CMYK process printing, we have the equipment and expertise tomake your project a success.
Just give us a call at 800-543-6299 to discuss yourneeds. Or, if you would prefer to get a quote by email, you can send us a QuoteRequest by clicking here. We hope to hear from you soon and look forwardto assisting with your custom printing needs!
