A couple questions about PMS

[TurboAddiction]

Hey,

I had a few questions about PMS. Okay, thinking printing, not that type of PMS. Haha.

I currently don't have a Pantone swatch book. I was curious as to what you guys would recommend. I do logos as well as various print ads (business cards, posters, packaging, t-shirts, etc). Also, the best place to shop and get a swatch book?

I need to get two PMS colors to a client so they can print their business card. I don't have a book so I tried to match it in photoshop. Maybe someone could tell me if I'm on the right track.

I used the built in CMYK colors for my design that are in illustrator. CYMK Magenta (M=100), and the CMYK Navy blue (C=100, M=100, Y=25, K=25).

The colors I found were (I found a tiny color book detail online that showed pc code as well as the PMS code):

Magenta - PMS 225
Blue - PMS 2766

These colors seemed pretty close. Does that sound correct? Lastly, when is it appropriate to use the coated vs. uncoated spot colors? Does it depend on the paper as well as the finish they're looking for?

Sorry if these questions seem so common or easy to you guys. I just want to make sure that I'm on the right track. It's harder to do when a book isn't infront of you! It's just been a while since I've had to be in charge of the production stages.

Thank you for your time!

[Virgo Nightingale]

The colors may seem close to you, but the color you see can depend on different things like your monitor settings, your printer, etc. There's really no substitute for seeing the actual Pantone colors. Ask your printer if they can spare a couple pantone swatches for you. Otherwise, or at least in the future, consider purchasing your own set of Pantone guides and/or swatch books. Yes it's expensive, but it is a good investment.

Coated spot colors are formulated for use on coated papers; uncoated for uncoated. Inks dry differently on the two kinds of paper, hence the difference in the formulation.

[budafist]

I wouldn't say that PMS 2766 is all that close to 100/100/25/25. But that's just me.

[PrintDriver]

Are you a student?
Academicsuperstore dot com

If not, try Hyatt's Art Supply. They always have some set or other on sale for a pretty good mark down.

If you only get one chip book, get Solid Coated for Logos and T-shirts.
You will probably need the Uncoated book for some packaging and some t-shirts.
If you are doing printing you should probably get a Bridge fandeck. <Did I say that out loud?> But only use it if you know how and your printer wants you to.

I hate Pantone.

[TurboAddiction]

Hey,

Yeah, I understand. It my seem to look like it on the computer screen but it's off. Would anyone be able to help me with these two colors. I plan to buy a book very soon here.

If you can help the color codes are above for CMYK, which I obviously need converted to PMS. You can PM me if you'd like as well.

I appreciate your clarification as well as informing me on a few things. It's greatly appreciated.

I'm a student but not in graphic design. I took a semester of graphic design but decided to move my direction into Marketing. I'm an entrepreneur, so it fit hand and hand.

I plan to take a few graphic design classes again after I graduate (this summer I graduate). It's something I feel I need to do for the things that I'm obviously lacking.

Once again, thanks for your time and help. I really appreciate that!

[urstwile]

Honestly, it's a pain in the butt to convert from CMYK to PMS, and depending on the color, can be somewhat time consuming as well. Pantone is, in my opinion, surprisingly persnickety about making it easy for people trying to reverse engineer CMYK mixes into Pantone colors, to the point of issuing cease and desist orders to a web site that tried to do just that.

If you or your client has a printer lined up for the business cards, you could work with them to find the right Pantones.

[graphk1]

a chip book is esential in communicating spot color.
depending on the degree of dificulty a actual ink drawdown on the actual stock might be a good idea. think of all the shades of just white paper!
there are some colors that look alot different depending on the sheet they are going down on...cool white stock vs natural white for example.