Pantone Ink Solidity

I need to mix a spot color with a grayscale image.
Photoshop let's me choose the solidity of the spot channel, which is if i understood well, only for previewing the image, and doesn't affect the printing itself.
So... what's are the "correct" solidity percentages for pantone solid colors?
Documentation and forums bring me no further than: 0% for varnish, 100% for metallic inks. But how opaque are pantone solid colors? (I guess they are more opaque than process colors?).
PMS 032C is the color in fact.
It's a big difference between 0 and 100%, so what would be a reasonable percentage to have a (somewhat) correct simulation of the ink mixing?

I consulted my printer, he told me something similar: the darker the ink, the less transparent it is.
Meanwhile i did print something with pms 032 c (bright red), and 0% solidity gives me the most realistic preview on screen, compared with the printed result.
For dark pms colors, i shouldn't set the solidity much higher than maybe 20%, as pms inks seem to be very un-opaque (uh what's to oposite of opaque?). Bright pms inks in offset printing should be set to 0% solidity. Hope that helps.

Similar Messages

Spot Ink Solidity in CS5

In CS4 and before for as long as I've been doing spot color separations (since 2001) when you set spot ink solidity the inks would remain completely solid when on top of other spot colors like the inks do in real life — at least in screen printing. If you set a 10% ink solidity when on top of the flat color background (for the shirt) the ink would appear to be at 10% while on top of other colors they'd appear to be quite solid.
Now in CS5 when you set ink solidity it's as if you set the opacity of the layer. It completely shuts me down as I can't see a reliable preview as to how the print would look; with CS5 I'm incapable of doing any sort of spot separations for screen printing.
Is there any way to get the behavior from CS4 when it comes to ink solidity?

Meh. Disregard my message. In the usual process of troubleshooting I dumped the preferences and everything works fine. Just wonder what messed up or what setting I set to make it do that. Perhaps this'll be here for anyone out there who have experienced this problem.

Adobe is charging extra to access full color range of Pantone inks

I pay the professional fee of nearly $60. per month (in perpetuity, at least till the price goes up) for my Creative Cloud subscription. It takes me months to learn all the new bits and pieces of each new function and revised functions of InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Acrobat overtime they update. This is very costly.
Now, I spent hours trying to assign a Pantone ink color from my Pantone book to a new logo last Sunday only to find I need to pay additional to Adobe to access the new colors in the Pantone books I purchased this year (I loyally replace my books every few years to be sure my colors are accurate). Pantone ink colors are necessary to a print designer's repertoire. I show these colors to clients so they see exactly what they ill be getting. I find it outrageous that Adobe is trying to squeeze yet more money for something that is so essential to professionals that it should be included without extra work or extra money.

At the bottom of the color range dialog box, there is a drop down menu. Select "None" rather than grayscale.

Do I need the Pantone Solids books anymore?

Anyone using Pantone Color Bridge swatch books which offers web and 4C process simulations of all spot colors? I haven't had a new pantone book in at least 15 years and decided this is the year I update.
My thinking is that since I rarely print spot color anymore, color bridge and the cmyk books (both in coated and uncoated) might be my best choice. However, though 90% of what I print is 4C digital or offset, people still request pantone colors not realizing that almost everything prints process. Pantone Essential includes spot, bridge and cmyk process. Basically, I'm on the fence regarding getting the pantone solids books which seems redundant these days in the age of short run digital printing as needed. I haven't printed LH, Env and BC solid offset in many years. Envelopes are just about the only thing I still print in PMS colors. But having said that, I print many many short run envelope jobs on my digital press (Ricoh 651EX).
I would appreciate any feedback, pro and con. Thanks.

people still request pantone colors not realizing that almost everything prints process...
Basically, I'm on the fence regarding getting the pantone solids books
I think designers often use the Pantone system as an alternate to color management, and that would work if they were always printing solid inks which of course they are not. So we see many threads about Pantone colors either printing or displaying incorrectly.
The Pantone Bridge colors are single CMYK process builds and how closely they simulate the solid ink printing in Pantone's solid ink formula guide, depends on the 4-color press conditions—the color builds are device dependent. It isn't clear what device or press conditions the Pantone Bridge colors target, but I would bet it's not your Ricoh 651EX. So you could print a Pantone Bridge swatch chart from your Ricoh 651EX and reference it rather than the Pantone solid swatch book and get more reliable color.
The alternative is to make color managed conversions from the Pantone Solid+ Lab (device independent) colors to your press profile. Whether that works depends on the accuracy of the press profile and the understanding that some colors or considerably out-of-gamut. Also using Ink Manager's Spots to Process to make the conversion can be problematic if the color is a tint. See this thread—Re: Ink Manager Bug/Problem?

Difference between Pantone Solid Uncoated and Pantone Solid Matte?

I was wondering the difference between these two swatch categories?
Also, I was wondering if there are OPAQUE pantone inks that can be used over colored paper stock?
Thanks!

There may be a minor difference in the ink mix. All spot colors are "mixed" using a formula an ink mixer uses to match the spot color on press. The "swatch" itself may be the same percentages between the two, but the difference is identifying the type of spot color which will show up on plates when the file is separated to direct-to-plate setter.
Most spot colors are opaque, whereas 4c process inks are semi-transparent. In some cases, depending on the colored paper, an apaque White may need to go down first because the spot color is spec'd using a White paper stock. So, in order to keep the color's true color intact, it may have to go over a white. Pantone metallics look good on colored paper, but sometimes they need a double-strike to hold up on some dark colored stocks.

Automatic measures only in 1 color ink (script modification)

Hi all,
I would need to modify this script so that put the measure already in es.. PANTONE Pantone 485 (solid coated),
I need to change this string, but do not know how...
thanks very much
// measurement line color
var color = new RGBColor;                                              how to change it, to put ink pantone ....?
color.green = 255;
color.blue = 0;
* Description: An Adobe Illustrator script that automates measurements of objects. This is an early version that has not been sufficiently tested. Use at your own risks.
* Usage: Select 1 to 2 page items in Adobe Illustrator, then run this script by selecting File > Script > Other Scripts > (choose file)
* License: GNU General Public License Version 3. (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0-standalone.html)
* Copyright (c) 2009. William Ngan.
* http://www.metaphorical.net
// Create an empty dialog window near the upper left of the screen
var dlg = new Window('dialog', 'Spec');
dlg.frameLocation = [100,100];
dlg.size = [250,250];
dlg.intro = dlg.add('statictext', [20,20,150,40] );
dlg.intro.text = 'First select 1 or 2 items';
dlg.where = dlg.add('dropdownlist', [20,40,150,60] );
dlg.where.selection = dlg.where.add('item', 'top');
dlg.where.add('item', 'bottom');
dlg.where.add('item', 'left');
dlg.where.add('item', 'right');
dlg.btn = dlg.add('button', [20,70,150,90], 'Specify', 'spec');
// document
var doc = activeDocument;
// spec layer
try {
          var speclayer =doc.layers['spec'];
} catch(err) {
          var speclayer = doc.layers.add();
          speclayer.name = 'spec';
// measurement line color
var color = new RGBColor;
color.green = 255;
color.blue = 0;
// gap between measurement lines and object
var gap = 2;
// size of measurement lines.
var size = 10;
// number of decimal places
var decimals = 0;
// pixels per inch
var dpi = 72;
          Start the spec
function startSpec() {
          if (doc.selection.length==1) {
                    specSingle( doc.selection[0].geometricBounds, dlg.where.selection.text );
          } else if (doc.selection.length==2) {
                    specDouble( doc.selection[0], doc.selection[1], dlg.where.selection.text );
          } else {
                              alert('please select 1 or 2 items');
          dlg.close ();
          Spec the gap between 2 elements
function specDouble( item1, item2, where ) {
          var bound = new Array(0,0,0,0);
          var a = item1.geometricBounds;
          var b = item2.geometricBounds;
          if (where=='top' || where=='bottom') {
                    if (b[0]>a[0]) { // item 2 on right,
                              if (b[0]>a[2]) { // no overlap
                                        bound[0] =a[2];
                                        bound[2] = b[0];
                              } else { // overlap
                                        bound[0] =b[0];
                                        bound[2] = a[2];
                    } else if (a[0]>=b[0]){ // item 1 on right
                              if (a[0]>b[2]) { // no overlap
                                        bound[0] =b[2];
                                        bound[2] = a[0];
                              } else { // overlap
                                        bound[0] =a[0];
                                        bound[2] = b[2];
                    bound[1] = Math.max (a[1], b[1]);
                    bound[3] = Math.min (a[3], b[3]);
          } else {
                    if (b[3]>a[3]) { // item 2 on top
                              if (b[3]>a[1]) { // no overlap
                                        bound[3] =a[1];
                                        bound[1] = b[3];
                              } else { // overlap
                                        bound[3] =b[3];
                                        bound[1] = a[1];
                    } else if (a[3]>=b[3]){ // item 1 on top
                              if (a[3]>b[1]) { // no overlap
                                        bound[3] =b[1];
                                        bound[1] = a[3];
                              } else { // overlap
                                        bound[3] =a[3];
                                        bound[1] = b[1];
                    bound[0] = Math.min(a[0], b[0]);
                    bound[2] = Math.max (a[2], b[2]);
          specSingle(bound, where );
          spec a single object
          @param bound item.geometricBound
          @param where 'top', 'bottom', 'left,' 'right'
function specSingle( bound, where ) {
          // width and height
          var w = bound[2]-bound[0];
          var h = bound[1]-bound[3];
          // a & b are the horizontal or vertical positions that change
          // c is the horizontal or vertical position that doesn't change
          var a = bound[0];
          var b = bound[2];
          var c = bound[1];
          // xy='x' (horizontal measurement), xy='y' (vertical measurement)
          var xy = 'x';
          // a direction flag for placing the measurement lines.
          var dir = 1;
          switch( where ) {
                    case 'top':
                              a = bound[0];
                              b = bound[2];
                              c = bound[1];
                              xy = 'x';
                              dir = 1;
                              break;
                    case 'bottom':
                              a = bound[0];
                              b = bound[2];
                              c = bound[3];
                              xy = 'x';
                              dir = -1;
                              break;
                    case 'left':
                              a = bound[1];
                              b = bound[3];
                              c = bound[0];
                              xy = 'y';
                              dir = -1;
                              break;
                    case 'right':
                              a = bound[1];
                              b = bound[3];
                              c = bound[2];
                              xy = 'y';
                              dir = 1;
                              break;
          // create the measurement lines
          var lines = new Array();
          // horizontal measurement
          if (xy=='x') {
                    // 2 vertical lines
                    lines[0]= new Array( new Array(a, c+(gap)*dir) );
                    lines[0].push ( new Array(a, c+(gap+size)*dir) );
                    lines[1]= new Array( new Array(b, c+(gap)*dir) );
                    lines[1].push( new Array(b, c+(gap+size)*dir) );
                    // 1 horizontal line
                    lines[2]= new Array( new Array(a, c+(gap+size/2)*dir ) );
                    lines[2].push( new Array(b, c+(gap+size/2)*dir ) );
                    // create text label
                    if (where=='top') {
                              var t = specLabel( w, (a+b)/2, lines[0][1][1] );
                              t.top += t.height;
                    } else {
                              var t = specLabel( w, (a+b)/2, lines[0][0][1] );
                              t.top -= t.height;
                    t.left -= t.width/2;
          // vertical measurement
          } else {
                    // 2 horizontal lines
                    lines[0]= new Array( new Array( c+(gap)*dir, a) );
                    lines[0].push ( new Array( c+(gap+size)*dir, a) );
                    lines[1]= new Array( new Array( c+(gap)*dir, b) );
                    lines[1].push( new Array( c+(gap+size)*dir, b) );
                    //1 vertical line
                    lines[2]= new Array( new Array(c+(gap+size/2)*dir, a) );
                    lines[2].push( new Array(c+(gap+size/2)*dir, b) );
                    // create text label
                    if (where=='left') {
                              var t = specLabel( h, lines[0][1][0], (a+b)/2 );
                              t.left -= t.width;
                    } else {
                              var t = specLabel( h, lines[0][0][0], (a+b)/2 );
                              t.left += size;
                    t.top += t.height/2;
          // draw the lines
          var specgroup = new Array(t);
          for (var i=0; i<lines.length; i++) {
                    var p = doc.pathItems.add();
                    p.setEntirePath ( lines[i] );
                    setLineStyle( p, color );
                    specgroup.push( p );
          group(speclayer, specgroup );
          Create a text label that specify the dimension
function specLabel( val, x, y) {
                    var t = doc.textFrames.add();
                    t.textRange.characterAttributes.size = 8;
                    t.textRange.characterAttributes.alignment = StyleRunAlignmentType.center;
                    var v = val;
                    switch (doc.rulerUnits) {
                              case RulerUnits.Inches:
                                        v = val/dpi;
                                        v = v.toFixed (decimals);
                                        break;
                              case RulerUnits.Centimeters:
                                        v = val/(dpi/2.54);
                                        v = v.toFixed (decimals);
                                        break;
                              case RulerUnits.Millimeters:
                                        v = val/(dpi/25.4);
                                        v = v.toFixed (decimals);
                                        break;
                              case RulerUnits.Picas:
                                        v = val/(dpi/6);
                                        var vd = v - Math.floor (v);
                                        vd = 12*vd;
                                        v = Math.floor(v)+'p'+vd.toFixed (decimals);
                                        break;
                              default:
                                        v = v.toFixed (decimals);
                    t.contents = v;
                    t.top = y;
                    t.left = x;
                    return t;
function setLineStyle(path, color) {
                    path.filled = false;
                    path.stroked = true;
                    path.strokeColor = color;
                    path.strokeWidth = 0.5;
                    return path;
* Group items in a layer
function group( layer, items, isDuplicate) {
          // create new group
          var gg = layer.groupItems.add();
          // add to group
          // reverse count, because items length is reduced as items are moved to new group
          for(var i=items.length-1; i>=0; i--) {
                    if (items[i]!=gg) { // don't group the group itself
                              if (isDuplicate) {
                                        newItem = items[i].duplicate (gg, ElementPlacement.PLACEATBEGINNING);
                              } else {
                                        items[i].move( gg, ElementPlacement.PLACEATBEGINNING );
          return gg;
dlg.btn.addEventListener ('click', startSpec );
dlg.show();

Sambaflex schrieb:
… ALL attributes with track and filling overprint …
use:
t.textRange.characterAttributes.overprintFill = true;
and:
path.strokeOverprint = true;
Sambaflex schrieb:
… Now I also need to put the words and two arrows in pantone .... is it possible? …
Partially.
You can change this lines:
function setLineStyle(path, color) {
                    path.filled = false;
                    path.stroked = true;
add this:
                    path.strokeColor = color;
                    path.strokeOverprint = true;
                    path.strokeWidth = 0.5;
                    return path;
and here:
function specLabel( val, x, y) {
                    var t = doc.textFrames.add();
                    t.textRange.characterAttributes.size = 8;
                    t.textRange.characterAttributes.alignment = StyleRunAlignmentType.center;
add this:
                    t.textRange.characterAttributes.fillColor = color;
                    t.textRange.characterAttributes.overprintFill = true;
Not so easy are IMHO the arrows.
You can apply a graphic style with arrows. (The style must be exist in your document.)
The other way is to draw an arrow (triangle) like this:
http://forums.adobe.com/message/5728992#5728992
and move it to the beginning of the line, then duplicate, rotate and move to the end of the line.
Hope, this will help you.

Pantone PLUS color definitions

One of the frustrating things with working with spot colors in the past has been that the CMYK equivalents that Adobe products used, didn't match the equivalents that Pantone provided in their books. I've seen hints that with Pantone Plus, that may no longer be a problem. Does anyone know for sure whether the Pantone Plus color definitions will be consistent from CS products across the Pantone books?
Thanks!

Adobe default CMYK value for a spot color is the Solid to Process value. To see this:
1. Add Pantone 293 Solid Coated to Swatches. You will see the CMYK icon. Wave the cursor over this icon: C=100, M=57, Y=0, K=2.
2. Add Pantone 293 Solid to Process. Wave your cursor over the CMYK icon: C=100, M=57, Y=0, K=2.
Adobe maintains this behavior to match legacy files. If they changed behavior now, then future outputs would change, and consequently new printings could look different from previous printings. This problem was encountered by Quark users with the change to version 7, when the Quark default switched from Solid to Process to Color Bridge Coated.
To download Pantone Plus libraries:
http://www.pantone.com/pages/Pantone/Pantone.aspx?pg=20721&ca=1
In previous post PDF mentioned Lab values, and that is the better way to convert Pantone colors to CMYK. But to do this you need to open the Ink Manager through the Swatches panel (in InDesign). Enable "Use Standard Lab Values for Spots". (note: Illustrator has a similar option, although it does not have an Ink Manager like InDesign). Notice that the CMYK icon changes to a Lab icon in the Swatches panel.
The conversion from Lab to CMYK is affected by the rendering intent and the Document CMYK color space. To see these, go to Edit: Assign Profiles.
If you have a spot color in InDesign, it is much better to make it process using the Ink Manager, instead of changing the color mode of the Swatch. If you need to convert one ink but not another, click on the spot icon in the Ink Manager to convert just one.
Regarding Pantone Plus: the Lab values of the spot colors have changed from the older Pantone libraries, along with the book CMYK values.
Edit: To see all the active inks in InDesign or Illustrator, use Separation Preview.

CMYK/Pantone differences between CS3 and CS6

I have a file that was created in CS3. Pantone 534 C was used and the CMYK value that was shown was 100, 80, 30, 5. When I open the file in CS6 and choose Pantone 534 C, the CMYK value is shown as 98, 85, 36, 27. Am I going to get the same tone of blue when I print the file from the CS6 version as I did when I printed the file from the CS3 version?
In essence, is the PMS tone that was in CS3 the same PMS tone that is in CS6? I'm assuming it is, but wanted to confirm. And can anyone explain why the CMYK values have changed between the two versions if I'm using the same PMS number?

J,
My problem is, which CMYK values should I use to most closely match the Pantone 534C color? Should I use the CMYK values in CS3 or CS6 (because they are different numbers)?
I believe someone from Pantone would vote for CS6 because they have changed the values to more closely match the solid colours.
But the proof of the pudding is the eating, so you should try both and see what you think.
Some solid Pantone inks are impossible to match closely with CMYK, and who says that the closer match (by the parameters chosen) is the better/prettier/nicer colour?

Pantone colours in Illustrator have changed

I've opened an old packaging artwork in CC that was originally created in Illustrator CS5 and made design amends. All looks OK, everything behaving as it should.
I then copied and pasted the same artwork into a brand new CC document (as I needed to create a new artwork whilst using the same elements) and the Pantone colours all look much paler. Why is this?
Both document set ups are the same and both set up as CMYK not RGB.
If I paste back the elements from the new artwork to the old, the colours look OK again.
If I convert the Pantones to CMYK the values are different. I can't use CMYK colours as the job needs to be printed as Pantones.

Peter,
The Pantone to CMYK values (CMYK representations issued/published by Pantone) have changed a few times over the years. What you see on your monitor reflects the CMYK values.
The Pantone inks themselves have not changed.
So you can keep printing as you did, and hopefully live with the changes in on screen appearance.
You may use the same libraries to have things look the same.

Why is FrameMaker using different CYMK/RGB values for Pantone library colours compared with Illustrator?

Evening all -
this is by no means the first time I'm banged my head against the colour management brick wall, and I doubt it will be the last
I am running Frame 12 and Illustrator CC on Windows 7.
Both these Adobe products ship bundled with Pantone libraries. (Correct me with I'm wrong, but these "libraries" are basically a bunch of look-up tables, mapping named Pantone colours to various CYMK, RGB, etc equivalents?)
Can anyone tell me why these two different Adobe applications appear to give different definitions for the same Pantone colours?
For example, if I choose the Pantone Coated library > 'Warm Red'
In Illustrator CC (left screenshot), it offers this as C0% M87.4% Y79.9% K0%
in FrameMaker 12 (right screenshot), I get C0% M79% Y91% K0%
Why are they different?
Are the library definitions shipped with the products simply different?
Frame's dialog ominously mentions "© Pantone, Inc., 1986, 1988"
And if I go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\AdobeFrameMaker12\fminit\color and open the corresponding .bcf file in an editor, the header says:
"BCF 2.0PANTONE¨ Coated 1.1 ©Pantone, Inc., 1986, 1988.PANTONE¨* Computer Video simulations displayed may not match PANTONE-identified solid color standards. Use current PANTONE Color Reference Manuals for accurate color. To order publications from Pantone, Inc., in the U.S. please call the toll-free number (800) 222-1149 [within NJ, call (201) 935-5500]. In other countries contact your local Pantone representative. *Pantone, Inc.'s check-standard trademark for color.[1]"
whereas if I go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator CC\Presets\en_US\Swatches\Color Books and open the corresponding .acb swatch file in there, in amoungst the hex gibberish I note it says:
"�=$$$/colorbook/PantonePlusCoated/title=PANTONE+^R Solid Coated/$$$/colorbook/PantonePlusCoated/prefix=PANTONE *$$$/colorbook/PantonePlusCoated/postfix= CK"$$$/colorbook/PantonePlusCoated/description=Copyright^C Pantone LLC, 2010"
Have Pantone perhaps changed their colour definitions between 1988 and 2010?
(I'm thinking it would be sensible to establish this one way or the other before we get into any convoluted discussions about the Windows GDI etc etc)

David,
What options did you use for defining the colours internally and what options for output in AI? I suspect that if you examine the EPS file you created from AI for the Panotne 355C, the only values in there are the CMYK ones - no LAB nor RGB. So FM has to use the algorithm mentioned in the other thread and creates the lime green based upon the algorithm. If you have set the AI drawing to an RGB color mode and set the EPS export option for "Include CMYK Postscript in RGB files" to OFF, then you would get the desired RGB values in the EPS file.
If you're so intent on using Pantone Spot colours to get RGB, then you can create your own ACF library file with the exact RGB definitions that you want (you can then use whatever values you get in Photoshop, Illustrator or whatever source that you're trying to match). The structure of the file is as follows:
ACF 1.0
My Color Library             <---- name of library
LibraryVersion: 1.0
Copyright: © 2014 <your name here>. All rights reserved.
AboutMessage: User defined Spot colours for RGB
Names: Partial
Rows: 4
Columns: 4
Entries: 1           <---- number of colours in file
Prefix:         <---- used for display in FM, e.g. "Panotne"
Suffix:           <----- used together with prefix, e.g. "CVC, CVU, etc."
Type: Process <---- Spot, Process, Tint, Mixed (need to add specifier to Data lines)
Models: CMYK RGB
PreferredModel: RGB     <---- whatever you want
Data:
0.98 0.11 1.00 0.02              <---- CMYK values (0-1)
0 38143 19967     <---- RGB values as 16-bit, i.e. 16-bit = ( [RGB value (1-255)]*256) + 255; zero is still zero
Spruce Green                   <---- name of colour
The acf file needs to be installed in the fminit\color folder.
Also, a note of caution, If you screw something up in the acf file (like the incorrect number of entries in the file or you're missing a component value, this will hang FM if you use the View > Color > Definitions... option. You'll need to kill FM, fix or remove the ACF file and re-start. Also, FM only reads the libraries at the start, so if you need to make any changes to the ACF definitions, you have to r-start FM for those changes to take place.
[I know, FM doesn't make it easy, but it can be done...]

Pantone Swatch values vs. Pantone+ Color Bridge Coated Book values

I'm working with a set of Pantone colors.
Why don't the Pantone's CMYK/RGB values in Illustrator CC match the values given in the Pantone Plus Color Bridge Book?

J,
I understood from the other threads that the RGB value set was predetermined by the company, and not to be replaced by something from whomever (even Pantone).
Apart from that, when you have the colour of a Pantone ink and need to substitute it by a CMYK and/or RGB value set, it will always be off in some way or another. And if you need to combine multiple substitute colours, they may very well be off in different ways with the conversions provided by Pantone, which means that they be more inferior to the Pantone inks than they need. Something similar may apply to cases with combinations of substituted Pantone ink colours and original CMYK/RGB colours.
So at least in some cases there may be a better choice of CMYK/RGB values than a conversion provided by Pantone.
In other words: who says that you agree, or should agree, with the (latest) conversion(s) provided by Pantone in each and every case?
It may be worth noting that Pantone themselves have changed their mind about the best conversions more than once.

Pantone Color Bridge - digital values vs book values?

Hello,
I've had to update our Pantone libraries for the CS3 suite to Color Bridge (for working with a 3rd party). I've downloaded Pantone's library update so I can access Color Bridge via the libraries in Illustrator and InDesign. When I convert from PMS to CMYK, the digital values match that of the book values, but when I do the same for RGB (sRGB) and web, the digital values DON'T match that of those in the book.
Does anyone know why the RGB and web values differ digital to book?
Thanks,
Kristin.

J,
I understood from the other threads that the RGB value set was predetermined by the company, and not to be replaced by something from whomever (even Pantone).
Apart from that, when you have the colour of a Pantone ink and need to substitute it by a CMYK and/or RGB value set, it will always be off in some way or another. And if you need to combine multiple substitute colours, they may very well be off in different ways with the conversions provided by Pantone, which means that they be more inferior to the Pantone inks than they need. Something similar may apply to cases with combinations of substituted Pantone ink colours and original CMYK/RGB colours.
So at least in some cases there may be a better choice of CMYK/RGB values than a conversion provided by Pantone.
In other words: who says that you agree, or should agree, with the (latest) conversion(s) provided by Pantone in each and every case?
It may be worth noting that Pantone themselves have changed their mind about the best conversions more than once.

8 steps to load a Pantone color in Illustrator - What?

Hi There,
Illustrator's way of specifying Pantone colors has driven my colleagues and I to distraction.
Firstly we go through 4 menus to select the book color, then view the swatch library as a small list, then show the find field, then search for the color, then finally load the color - 8 steps in total.
Then if you need to specify an uncoated color, you have go through all 8 steps again.
what is the proper way to load a Pantone color in Illustrator?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Cheers

I'm on CS2 and I've been using Illy since it started.
I have always found that the quickest and easiest way of making a Pantone colour is to use Pantone's Solid to Process Imaging Guide. Make a CMYK colour using the CMYK values given up in the guide, make a swatch of it and then edit the swatch to a spot colour with the appropriate Pantone name and number. It's really far less trouble than using Illy's ready-mades. Believe me :-)
As for CS3, there is apparently little to recommend it. It seems to have far too many bugs. I'm awaiting a version that works properly and it looks like it may be a longish wait. I occasionally have to revert to Illy 6 and 9 (6 was brilliant) on an old computer for special effects and filters that "improved" versions can't cope with. Illy has somehow got far too complicated and unintuitive for basic run-of-the-mill vector work. The bottom line: if it wasn't busted why did they mend it?
And yet again, where did Dimensions go to? Illy's 3D is total junk.

How to convert CMYK to Pantone?

I have a document with 10+ images that need to be 2-color, black and a Pantone ink. (These are not duotone images; each one is grayscale with certain parts of the image colored in the Pantone ink. Think of a grayscale face with red lips.) I first converted these to grayscale and then selected a Pantone ink color and colored parts of the image using the paint bucket, etc. However, my printer said that they cannot print these from my 2-color InDesign document because the images are CMYK and that Photoshop cannot separate two colors unless you use Duotone. I don't want them duotone as only certain parts of the photos should be colored. The only solution I know would be to insert the gray images without color into my InDesign document and then try to color them with the InDesign tools, which would be really difficult. Please help! There must be another way.

You can do this a few ways. Your best would be to create a grayscale doc with the black ink, and then in the channels panel flyout menu (to the right of "channels"), create a new spot color. Assign it the Pantone number by clicking on the little square to the right of "color" and then the color libraries button. Paint in that instead. If you need the ink to be overprinted by black then it should be quite simple. Otherwise, you can use the black channel to knockout parts of the spot by ctrl-clicking on the black channel, inversing the selection, and then filling with white.
If they balk at this file saved as a TIF (with "spot channels" checked when you save) or PSD, you can go to image > mode > multichannel, and try saving it as a DCS2.0. The printer might have better luck with this (but try TIF or PSD first).
If the printer can't handle a file like this, your next bet is a CMYK file where the black channel holds the black in values, and the C, M or Y channel holds the spot values. Then anything else in the layout file that should be spot needs to be painted C, M or Y.

On doing a nice GREY with CMYK

Hi guys,
I know if I need a good solid and dark black i can always use an "enriched black" let´s say
C=50, M=0, Y=0, K=100
I am doing a design which i will need a strong GREY, let´s say 80% black. The problem with that something the grey does not cover that well. The client told me to use CMYK so no pantone ink will be available for that. The question is how to get a good and strong GREY with CMYK? If i put more Cyan as the enriched black the color will turn and it will not be straight grey, more of a bluish grey.
Any ideas? Thanks for the help,
Sebastiao

There is no set cmyk value for rich black, it is different for each output scenario. That is what colour management is for.
If you start with a neutral LAB value (as I understand it) then convert to a printer's profile, you should theoretically end up with a neutral on press.
From a printer's point of view, that is only a starting point and I would advise the pressman exactly what you are looking for as he will adjust press settings to balance the colour for current conditions which are unpredictable in all but the most specialised printeries. For a general commercial printer, you should make sure they understand what you are looking to achieve and start with numbers that will make that possible as mentioned at the top.
For the record, my personal preference would be a max colour of about 60/40/40/90 which would bias the grey to the cool side but give plenty of weight to work with....

Pantone Ink Solidity

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