hat are spot colours? the ink mixing formula in a
PANTONE formula guide. A PANTONE
Colours created without Chip supplied with the ink and/or
screens or dots, such as those job ensures that the printer
found in the PANTONE MATCHING achieves the colour desired by
SYSTEM®, are referred to in the the customer.
industry as spot or solid
colours. From a palette of 14 Colour numbers and Paper Stock
basic colours, each of the spot
colours in the PANTONE MATCHING Each colour in the System has a
System is mixed according to its unique name or number followed by
own unique ink mixing formula either a C, U or M. The letter
developed by Pantone. You suffix refers to the paper stock
probably mixed yellow and blue on which it is printed: C for
paint to get green in your youth. Coated paper, U for Uncoated
Creating a PANTONE Spot colour is paper and M for Matte paper. Also
similar in concept, but with the created without screens, PANTONE
added need for precision. metallic and pastel colours are
considered part of the PANTONE
The precision begins with the MATCHING SYSTEM.
printing ink manufacturers who
are licensed by Pantone to Due to the gamut of the 14 basic
manufacture inks for mixing colours, some spot colours will
PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM colours. be cleaner and brighter than if
To retain their license, they they were created in the
must annually submit samples of four-colour process described
the 14 basic colours for approval below. Spot colours are commonly
by Pantone. Printers can then used in corporate logos and
order the colours by number or identity programs, and in one,
mix it themselves according to two or three-colour jobs.
Herbert, who had been an employee
Who are Pantone? since 1956. He immediately
changed its direction, developing
Pantone, as it is today, was the first colour matching system
founded in 1962, when the in 1963. Herbert remains the CEO,
company—at the time a small Chairman, and President of the
business which manufactured company.
colour cards for cosmetics
companies—was bought by Lawrence
About the Author:
Article by Pantone Product specialist Pantone Store.
Read more articles by:
Chris Riley
Article Source: www.iSnare.com 
