Since you’ll be viewing them on a computer screen, this tool isn’t the ideal choice for previewing a color you intend to print. Pantone’s website features a search engine spanning every single PMS color they offer. It’s a bit of a splurge at $149, but it’s still the best choice if you want to eliminate the guesswork that comes with online PMS color charts.
Pantone offers several publications that represent the industry standard for previewing and selecting PMS colors, the most popular being this Formula Guide, which includes 1,755 solid colors for both coated and uncoated stocks. To get the most accurate impression of how your printed PMS color will look, you should refer to a printed version of the PMS color book. Pantone Color Book – Solid Coated/Uncoated Formula GuideĮven though you can design using Pantone colors in Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign, the colors on your computer monitor can vary greatly and will almost never look exactly the same as a printed PMS color, making any Pantone color chart you find online of limited use. Tools for Browsing and Choosing PMS Colors Less ideal for printing color photographsįor more information about PMS compared to other color systems, check out our blog post about the difference between RGB vs.Less cost-effective for designs with four or more colors (not including tints of the same color).The disadvantages of PMS printing include: Prints small text legibly, without blurry color auras.Excellent for color branding, such as matching the hue of a company logo.Access to unique colors, such as metallic and neon hues.Best choice for printing certain colors, such as orange, grey and navy blue.Most consistent color, with no perceptible variations between printed sheets.Rich, deep colors ideal for monochromatic designs.Cost-effective option for light coverage designs containing three or fewer colors.Coated inks are designed for coated paper stocks, while uncoated inks are made for uncoated stocks. That helps to ensure you’ll always get the color you’re expecting and minimizes variation throughout the print run.īe aware that Pantone colors can be labeled as either coated ( C) or uncoated ( U). Unlike the CMYK color system, where cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink are mixed during the printing process, PMS inks are already mixed long before printing begins. Though the system was originally developed by the Pantone corporation, it’s the standard used by many ink manufacturers throughout the country. PMS (which stands for Pantone Matching System) is a color system based upon over one thousand standardized ink colors. This guide will walk you through the definition of PMS color and its pros and cons, as well as tips and tools for finding, matching, identifying and converting PMS colors.
You don’t have quite as much flexibility with your recipe, but it’s a great choice if you’re looking for a consistent taste because you always know exactly what you’re getting. If four-color process printing is like mixing together flour, sugar and baking powder from scratch, PMS color printing is a little like using pre-made cake mix.