Are Pantone Colours suitable for digital printing 1

[rolasina]

Am new to digital printing and will like some help as to whether Pantone Colours are suitable for digital printing? Also how and when do I use process coated/uncoated, solid coated / solid to process.

Please help!!!

 

[Eggles]

Most digital printers are confined to the four process colours, and certainly cannot print specific pantones (well, perhaps a really fancy expensive one will - I don't know). If you send a doc with any Pantone colours to the printer, they will be converted to the nearest process equivalent. This works for some colours and not others, as the Pantone gamut is far wider than the CMYK gamut (like 50% or so wider)*. So you can end up with some very unexpected results. It really is better to convert the spots to process prior to printing so you can get some idea of how they will look.

The use of coated/uncoated refers to the type of paper stock the job will be printed on. Coated papers react differently to ink compared to uncoated, so adjustments are necessary in the ink composition. You choose your ink according to the paper type.

The 'solid' part of Pantone Solid coated swatches refers to spot colours - a specific premixed ink colour is used where that spot is specified, not some CMYK combination of inks. Solid to process refers to the nearest CMYK breakdown a specific Pantone colour is.

* gamut refers to a range of colours. The range of colours that can be produced by combining different proportions of the four process colours (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) is smaller than the range of colours that can be produced by pantone inks, as these are mixed to a specific colour, and are not the result of a combination of colours (as CMYK is). In turn the range of colours that can be produced by ANY printing inks (both pantone and process) is smaller than the range that can be produced on a computer monitor, which in turn is smaller than can be perceived by the human eye. Some links which may help:

http://dx.sheridan.com/advisor/cmyk_color.html

http://www.montana.edu/cpa/graphics/ugcolor.html

 

[rolasina]

Thanks Eggles for your prompt reply! I fully understand now.

 

[Lessa]

You need to check with your printer. Just because you are sending files digitally does not mean it's going to a digital printer. It may go direct to plate but still be printed on an offset press. It's always better to ask the printer than to ask a forum. A good printer will have specific directions on how to prepare your files for them.

 

[Eggles]

Lessa

The OP didn't actually state whether this printing was going to be outsourced or done inhouse. But I agree, it's always a good idea to check with your printer, although usually quantity is a good first indicator of the type of printing that should be done.