When you hire a designer to create your Brand Identity, she’ll usually specify a combination of Pantone colors.
What are Pantone® Colors and Why Do We Use Them?
The Pantone Matching System was created in 1963 as a way to standardize colors across industries. Its unique numbering system and formula allows a designer to specify a particular shade of red in her studio in California and a printer in New York will know exactly the shade of red he is supposed to print. Everyone in the design, manufacturing and print industries uses the same system.
Do You Know Your Company’s Pantone Colors?
Make sure your designer gives you your brand’s Pantone colors. As your company or brand grows, you will be able to stay consistent. So, when you decide to embroider hats or aprons or install new signage, your vendors will easily be able to match your existing branded materials.
Often times, this information will be part of your Brand Style Guide.
Your Brand Colors for Print or Web.
Knowing your Pantone colors is a good start. However, in addition, it’s helpful to know the CMYK, RGB, and the Hexcode combinations that correspond to each of your Pantone colors. See the guide on the right for a breakdown of these different color types.
CMYK - there are times when you won’t print a Pantone color (spot color) but will be printing CMYK and still want it to look like a Pantone Color. In this case, refer to the Pantone Color Bridge where you’ll find the CMYK combination that is as close as possible to your Pantone color of choice.
Also within the Color Bridge are the RGB and HTML combos - so you can use these numbers to specify your Pantone colors on the web.
How Many Pantone Colors are There?
The current Pantone Formula Guide includes 2,161 solid Pantone colors! The guide is printed in two ways - on coated paper stock and on uncoated paper stock. The color will look different on different papers, so it’s helpful to see them on the proper paper type.
Pantone also has a selection of Metallic, Pastels and Neon colors.
Should You Own a Pantone Formula Guide?
While it’s not critical, as a company owner, to have your own Pantone Formula Guide, it’s helpful to own if you want to communicate with vendors or your designer. Below are some suggested books.
The Formula Guide is a list of Pantone Colors and the Color Bridge shows the conversion of the Pantone colors to CMYK or web.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you do purchase the books, I suggest you buy both a coated AND an uncoated version.
Color Tips
01 : Pantone color - use this as your official brand color(s) and as the guide for all branded items.
02 : Specify the color as Pantone or PMS. For example: Pantone 684U is the same as PMS 684U.
03 : CMYK - Used for digital printing. Look up the values in the Color Bridge book.
04 : RGB - Used for computer screens.
05 : HEX - For websites.
06: Spot Color: A Spot Color is usually a Pantone® color.
07: CMYK - C = Cyan, M = Magenta, Y = Yellow and K = Black.
Next post … Pantone - How to use the Color Bridge Guide
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