Courtesy Pantone.com
The Pantone Color Matching System is largely a standardized color reproduction system. By standardizing the colors, different manufacturers in different locations can all refer to the Pantone system to make sure colors match without direct contact with one another.
One such use is standardizing colors in the CMYK process. The CMYK process is a method of printing color by using four inks—cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. A majority of the world's printed material is produced using the CMYK process, and there is a special subset of Pantone colors that can be reproduced using CMYK[citation needed]. Those that are possible to simulate through the CMYK process are labeled as such within the company's guides.
However, most of the Pantone system's 1,114 spot colors cannot be simulated with CMYK but with 13 base pigments (15 including white and black) mixed in specified amounts.
The Pantone system also allows for many 'special' colors to be produced such as metallics and fluorescents. While most of the Pantone system colors are beyond the printed CMYK gamut, it was only in 2001 that Pantone began providing translations of their existing system with screen-based colors. (Screen-based colors use the RGB—red, green, blue—system to create various colors.) The Goe system has RGB and LAB values with each color.
Pantone colors are described by their allocated number (typically referred to as, for example, 'PMS 130').
PANTONE numbering systems explained
Each PANTONE Color System uses a unique coding scheme. This key will help you find which System a particular PANTONE Color number or name is associated with:
Solid Color System
PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM® coated, uncoated or matte
(examples: PANTONE 185 C, PANTONE Cool Gray 1 M)
PANTONE FORMULA GUIDES and SOLID CHIPS contain 1,114 solid (spot) PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM Colors for printing ink on paper. The majority of these colors are referred to using a three- or four-digit number followed by a C, M or U. A small selection are named colors, such as the 14 base colors like PANTONE Reflex Blue C or PANTONE Orange 021 M.
The letter suffix refers to the paper stock on which it is printed: a "C" for coated or gloss paper, "U" for uncoated paper and an "M" for matte or dull paper.
PANTONE Goe System coated or uncoated
(examples: PANTONE 105-5-3 C, PANTONE 31-4-6 U)
All Goe Colors found in the GoeGuides and GoeSticks are identified by a three-part hyphenated numbering system. The first number ranges from one to 165 indicating the color family it belongs to. The middle number will be from one to five, signifying the page within the color family. The last number ranges from one to seven and identifies a color's position on the page. The "C" suffix indicates coated stock and the "U" uncoated stock.
Four–color process
PANTONE 4–COLOR PROCESS guides coated, uncoated
(examples: PANTONE DS 1-4 C, PANTONE DE 250-1 U)
These guides offer a collection of over 3,000 CMYK color choices. The Process Color System is an independent system and color numbers bear no relationship to either the Goe or PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM.
PANTONE Process Color references start with either DS or DE followed by a one- to three-digit number, a dash, and a single digit number). The DE designation is used in the European version. The "C" suffix indicates coated stock and the "U" uncoated.
Process simulations of solid PANTONE Colors
COLOR BRIDGE® coated or uncoated (example: PANTONE 185 PC)
This guide provides side-by-side printed comparisons of solid PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM Colors and their closest four-color process equivalent. The process simulation is identified by using the solid color's name or number, followed by "PC" for coated, "UP" for uncoated or "EC" for Euro coated.
GoeBridge™ coated (example: PANTONE 11-2-7 CP)
GoeBridge provides side-by-side comparisons of solid PANTONE Goe Colors and their closest four-color process equivalent. A "CP" suffix added to the color name indicates that it is a process simulation printed on coated stock.
SOLID IN HEXACHROME® coated (example: PANTONE 185 HC)
This guide provides printed simulations of PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM Colors using the six-color Hexachrome process (CMYKOG). The six-color process equivalent is referenced using its PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM name followed by "HC" for Hexachrome Coated.
FASHION + HOME
(examples PANTONE 14–4510 TPX or Aquatic, PANTONE 15–1247 TC or Tangerine):
Color reference numbers in this system contain two digits followed by a dash and four digits with either a TPX or TC suffix. TPX indicates that that the reference was printed on paper, the TC indicates that it’s a dyed cotton reference. Each color also has an alpha name reference as a secondary identifier.
PAINTS + INTERIORS
(examples PANTONE 14–4510 TPX or Aquatic, PANTONE 15–1247 TC or Tangerine):
Color reference numbers in this system contain two digits followed by a dash and four digits with either a TPX or TC suffix. TPX indicates that that the reference was printed on paper, the TC indicates that it’s a dyed cotton reference. Each color also has an alpha name reference as a secondary identifier.
Plastics
(examples PANTONE Q270–2–4, PANTONE T925–5–5):
PANTONE Plastics Color references are denoted by a Q or a T followed by a three–digit number, a dash and two single digits separated by a dash. The Q and T signify opaque and transparent colors, respectively.
Kuler
www.kuler.adobe.com
Adobe Kuler is an internet application from Adobe Systems that lets individuals try out, create and save various color schemes. It is available in browser-hosted variants running on Adobe Flash, and in desktop versions using the Adobe AIR runtime. After downloading Switchboard from Adobe Labs, users using the desktop version of Kuler can export a color scheme straight into Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. The word 'Kuler' is of Mauritian_Creole origin which means color.
