Color Scheme 1

[gcaluna13]

If someone tells you they use color: PMS 423
... What does that translate to in PS3's color library?

Pantone Color bridge
Pantone Metallic Coated
Pantone Pastel Coated
Pantone Process Coated
Pantone Process Uncoated
Pantone Solid Coated
Pantone Solid Matte
Pantone Solid to Process Coated Euro
Pantone Solid to Process Coated
Pantone Solid to Process Uncoated
Toyo
trumatch

Can someone explain the color process?
Thank You.

 

[apepp]

NOTE: The below explanations really need to be supported by pantone color books, sold by pantone. Color accuracy on screen for spot colors (and proofs) is near impossible or very trcky, calibrating monitors helps, but is no substitute for the actual pantone books available to buy...



Pantone Color bridge

...supposed to be for cmyk print work, whereby pantone have (and are still it seems) create cmyk values to get near to spot colors when printing in cmyk only. This however is always limited with some spots as not all are achievable in cmyk, this is the latest enhancement released by pantone...


Pantone Metallic Coated

...metallic inks used on coated paper, not truly represntable on a monitor or digital proof, unless you go for an expansive wet proof from the press on the actual paper...


Pantone Pastel Coated

...the pastel spot colors produced by pantone on coated paper...


Pantone Process Coated

...cmyk values only, not spot colors, just how the cmyk inks look on a coated paper...


Pantone Process Uncoated

...cmyk values only, not spot colors, just how the cmyk inks look on an uncoated paper...


Pantone Solid Coated

...spot colors on a coated paper...


Pantone Solid Matte

...spot colors on a matte paper such as silk...


Pantone Solid to Process Coated Euro

...older than pantone bridge, so cmyk values are different, for european printing conditions on coated paper...


Pantone Solid to Process Coated

...as Process Coated Euro, older than bridge, not for european printing conditions though...


Pantone Solid to Process Uncoated

...as Process Coated Euro but on uncoated paper, older than bridge, not for european printing conditions though...


Toyo

...japanese ink manufacturers, not often used in europe as predominantly pantone are used...


trumatch

...similar to pantone process guide really, cmyk inks only, not spot colors, more info here:

http://www.trumatch.com/about.html

...but as mentioned, a reference guide is essential for all of the above, which are available for purchase from the ink manufacturers...

Andrew

 

[apepp]

...also forgot to add that spot colors in photoshop are only achievable via the duotone mode or via additional spot channels created in the channels palette...

...otherwise they are treated in cmyk or rgb or lab modes as 4 or 3 channels respectively...

...simply choosing a spot color via the color picker in the main workspace won't mean it is necessarily a spot color (separate plate), it will just simply be in whatever color mode the document is in (cmyk, rgb, lab)...

...separtate plates need to be created by duotone mode or alpha channels...

Andrew

 

[gcaluna13]

Thank You Andrew, very informative, but your reply only raises more questions.

What is spot vs. Cyan, Yel, Mag, Blk?

Do printers (being print press professionals, not my Epson) use spot AND cymk?

What is paper coated with? Or for that matter, is Uncoated paper a process in which something is taken away or is it just the natural texture of paper?


And then there is my original Question, I need to re-insert my question. I'm not sure I was clear enough...

1. A customer of mine has a logo that he says, "was created with PMS-3015."

2. I need to add objects to his logo (for a side project) using PMS-3015

3. I wrote those options (above) from my CS3 that is available to me.

4. Question: If I create a square and I want the color to be PMS-3015, which choice from my availabe options in PS-CS3 do I use? Nothing from my list says it's a PMS color (whatever that is)?

5. Most look something like "Pantone 3015 PC" or something similar, if I go through my choices, but no "PMS-3015."

6. Is one of those color schemes from my list a PMS?

Thanks,
Gary

 

[apepp]

>>> What is spot vs. Cyan, Yel, Mag, Blk?

Spot colors are pre-mixed (by hand) special inks by way of weight. Base inks are used in parts to produce a particular pantone number. CMYK inks on the other hand are what is needed to produce full color printing across a spectrum of colors. This spectrum (known as gamut) is in fact smaller than the eye or a monitor can display. Pantone spot colors give you more colors to work with, hence the fact that CMYK inks cannot always come close to all pantone colors.

>>> Do printers (being print press professionals, not my Epson) use spot AND cymk?

Yes, throughout the trade spot colors and cmyk colors are used side by side, magazine covers are a good example, as many use cmyk for the cover pictures and text, with the main heading often printed in a spot color. Then laminated or UV is applied to give it a super shine over the whole cover. Some printing presses only have 4 units (or less) which ultimately means the sheets have to be reloaded to print the other colors on top. Another common size press is a 5 unit press, in which 5 colors (CMYK + a SPOT) can be printed in one pass.

What is paper coated with?

Coating is a mixture of clay, white pigment, and binder. It comes in three degrees of smoothness and hardness: dull, matte, and gloss coating. When applied to a printing sheet, coating provides a surface on which ink can sit (called "hold-out"), in contrast to the uncoated surface of an offset or opaque sheet into which ink is absorbed. The hardness of the coating--gloss being the hardest--minimizes dot gain, in contrast to the softness of an uncoated surface such as an offset or opaque sheet. Type and halftone dots do not spread as much on coated stock and therefore have crisper edges. Photographs seem sharper, and colors appear more vibrant and consistent.

Surface coatings not only provide a certain look but also affect readability. The smooth, hard surface of coated paper reflects light more evenly. That is why a gloss coating really makes photos jump off the page. However, the glare of light reflected back to the reader can tire the eyes. A dull sheet, on the other hand, makes photos a little softer in appearance but at the same time improves readability. Consider the matte sheet -- which is a little less smooth than a dull sheet because the coating is not as uniform, and is cheaper to produce -- as another good choice for text-heavy documents.


>>> is Uncoated paper a process in which something is taken away or is it just the natural texture of paper?

Nothing is taken away for uncoated, that is the natural method of producing paper. As it isn't coated, the ink sinks into the paper surface, producing a flatter looking print.


>>> 6. Is one of those color schemes from my list a PMS?

PMS stands for Pantone Matching System, so this covers both coated and uncoated versions. PMS-3015 is in affect Pantone Solid 3015. The pantone libraries for both coated and uncoated are the same ink used on different papers. That is why they look slightly diffferent.

All your printer needs to know is the pantone number (and a sample of previous print if you have one), so if they use a coated paper they will match to either a previously printed supplied sample (based on given number) on coated or go by the book (coated version).

Or if they print on an uncoated paper, will go by the pantone uncoated book, as near as they can, or to the supplied sample based on given pantone number.

The trouble with pantone colors is that one printer could well have gone by a pantone book that was old (in which case the color would changed over time).

Then another printer may try printing to the same pantone number and it be different slightly because their books are newer and fresher.

Pantone books do need replacing after a year or so, as daylight exposure/conditions and time change the colors in the books.

Andrew

 

[apepp]

...to add...

...it is best to stick to either the coated library throughout artworking or stick to the uncoated library instead. If you know that it will end up on uncoated paper then stick to the uncoated library if you wish. You can use the coated library, many do, as it doesn't really matter, because it is really the same ink...

...so, PMS 3015_C and PMS 3015_U are the same ink, but if used on the same piece of artwork you actually have two plates, simply because the names differ slighlty...

...we get around this problem by mapping or aliasing one spot color to the other at RIP/imposition stage...

Andrew

 

[gcaluna13]

Thank You Andrew.

That covers everything.

Gary

 

[mscallisto]

Excellant explanation Andrew....have a splat

sam