Legal Marketing & PR

Why you need to Know: CMYK colors v. Pantone colors

By Alexandra Kiss

CMYK colors are ideal for full color images, such as photographs. Pantone colors on the other hand should be used for stationery and logo designs. The reason a Pantone color should be used is to ensure your branding color is consistent throughout.  A specific example of cost savings is a batch-printing job using CMYK over Pantone. A Pantone color process is more expensive due to the labor involved with printing ? ink mixing, loading the press, printing the job and then cleaning the press. Keep on reading, for a more detailed explanation.

Ever wonder what the difference is between a CMYK (Process) color and a PMS (Pantone Matching System) color?  When printing an image in CMYK, the file is separated into four primary colors: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. CMYK colors are simulated colors and are not pre-mixed. When an image is recreated there are screen tints made up of small dots that are applied at different angles to the four process colors. The separated colors are than transferred to four different printing plates on the press. The colors are than printed multiple times one after the other to create the final image

On the other hand, PMS colors (also known as Spot or Pantone colors) are particular colors that will accurately reproduce in print.  Instead of trying to simulate colors, PMS colors are pre-mixed published color formulas with an existing palette of 14 basic colors. There are however, Pantone swatch books that feature an array of colors aside from the 14 basic color palette.  This gives your printed piece the cleanest and truest color result.

Full post as published by PaperStreet Web Design: SpeakOut on April 13, 2009 (boomark / email).