Coverting CMYK to a spot colour

[playcorp]

Is there any way I can convert a CMYK to a spot colour (pms) in Illustrator, I know how to convert a spot to CMYK but can it convert the other way...stuck!

 

[jmgalvin]

If you just wan to change a process to spot, double click the swatch and selcect spot in the color typre drop down menu.

If you want to pick a particular pms, click on the little triangle at top right of swatches pallette and go to "open swatch library". Pick the pantone library you want.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[playcorp]

Thanks, I lloaded my pantone library, but unfortunately this still doesn't give me a pms numbger to refer to. The colour is CMYK and I want to find out what pms colour it would be but can't convert it to one unless I just pick it out myself. Changing it to a spot colour does not actually give you a number to refer too. Still need help.

 

[itchybug]

The reliability of on-screen color display is not such, that you'll really want to be plucking PMS colors from a monitor.

If you must, you can make two swatches side-by-side, one with your CMYK color, and one with changing PMS shades until you find a match.

I do believe there's a plugin or script for reverse swatching, but I don't remember now where I saw it. Maybe do a search.

Illustrator does not have a native tool to do this, nor do I think it should based on my initial statement.

HTH

Bert

 

[jmgalvin]

Unless you have the Pantone Solid to Process printed book, there is no way to tell what pantone would match a process. Even with the book it's still only Pantone's best guess and you will have shifts. Also, the Pantone solid to process book only covers pms colors for coated stock.

If you inherited the image,any color management embedded in that image will also effect. Matching would also be dependent on the calibration of the monitor used to originally create the pic.

If you have a mac, and a properly calibrated monitor, soft proofing the image in ColorSync will give you the closest on screen rendition of the color, and you could try to pick the pms from there.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[dropkickmurphy]

What I do if your working with digital stuff is, I normally have photoshop open anyways, switch over to PS and double click on your foreground or background colour.. enter your process values then hit the Colour Libraries button (or depending on what version your using the button may be "Custom"), it will give you the closest PMS value in whatever library/Book you have selected.

I found that to be the easiest way. Iv seen other stuff people have made with databases and such but why bother.

Also if you get into crazier stuff from hardcopy and you do alot of matching, dishing out the extra coin for a colour meter is helpful...

http://pantone.com/Pages/Products/Product.aspx?pid=31&ca=1

Otherwise... overkill

Cheers,
Dropkick Murphy
______________________________________________
Alcohol & Tobacco Quality Assurance Specialist

http://www.bancomicsans.com

 

[playcorp]

Cheers, thanks for that, will try PS and see what happens. I have the colour cue (colour metre) already, it's great but doesn't help with on screen colours and thats the major problem at the moment.
Thanks all that gave advice.