Pantone color matching

[mamba]

I am getting a piece ready for print ... It will be a 4-color printing job (a business card). I am trying to match up the Pantone process colors (coated) to what I have in the art work. None seems to match at all.

The question is: can I choose a different Pantone process color and add more black in it to match it up with my needs? Do I need to make the printer aware of that fact that I have added more black ink into the formula?

Thanks!!!

[DesignVHL]

you can try that....best thing to do would be to talk to your printer and show them the color your trying to match, they may have a suggestion for you...you'll probably want to do several press checks to ensure its right...its all eyeballing at this point...

[mamba]

Ok. Thanks!

[Alan G]

You don't say how you're making the comparison, but unless you have a color-calibrated setup, what you see on screen will give you an approximation only. From what you say, it doesn't sound like you need to do anything in relation to Pantone colors.

Here's the deal: You're using process colors, so if you have your artwork set to the colors you want, those colors have CMYK numbers that the printer will follow. You don't need to say anything to the printer about Pantone numbers unless you want the printer to match a Pantone swatch. The reason we have Pantone is so we can tell a printer to match something that both we and the printer can agree on, because we both have the same swatches.

Whether what you get back from the printer matches what you saw on your screen will depend on how accurately your monitor is color calibrated.

The best thing to do, once you have your artwork ready, is to talk to the printer or the prepress folks about your requirements and follow their suggestions. If you need accurate color then you should ask for (and probably pay a bit extra for) a proof before the piece goes on press.

[DesignVHL]

well said alan...

also a question to you mamba: Do you have a pantone solid to process book? It shows a comparison of the actual pantone spot color...and its close equivalent to that one, giving you the cmyk values...using that book can help you get pretty darn close to matching...it's not going to be perfect, and it totally depends on the color - and a bit of tweaking on your part...but its an option along with working with your printer...definitely show the printer the color you want to match tho, that is a must!

[mamba]

Thanks for your help. I am afraid I don't have the most perfect color-calibrated setup. We need to deliver this artwork to the client in a digital form and he will use a printer of his choice. I will not be able to talk to the printer and do proof checks. That's why I wanted to get a close pantone color out of the guide to be sure the colors on paper will be as close as possible to what I had in mind. And no .. unfortunatelly I do not have the pantone solid to process book.

[DesignVHL]

what is the pantone color, i'll give you its closest cmyk value....

[mamba]

PMS 447 and PMS 445. Thank you.

[DesignVHL]

lol arg left my book at home...sorry! gonna have to check it tonight or maybe someone else will beat me to it!

[Virgo Nightingale]

I only have a coversion chart for coated on hand. If that's what you're using, then:

447: c15 m0 y27.5 k83
445: c15 m0 y15 k79

[mamba]

You are awesome!! Thanks guys.