We all know that different colours stimulate different attitude and emotions. Great thought and attention to the use of colour is essential therefore, in any design process, because of the way that they give off meaning and feelings.
The two main colour printing systems used in printing services are Pantone and CMYK. I want to just give a quick overview to these on my blog today, again promted by a conversation with a client.
The Pantone Matching System (PMS), Pantone colour or Spot colour is a colour system based on a set of pigments which are mixed to produce solid colour inks. The colours are mixed prior to printing resulting in being more accurate and consistent all throughout the print job. Also, Pantone colours can be ‘screened’. This means that fewer dots of colour are used per inch, resulting in the colour emerging lighter. Pantone colours are indispensable when it comes to logos and corporate collateral. This is especially true if the customer is interested in using the exact colour in print job.
The use of Pantone colours in printing services can be expensive compared to CMYK. The use of Pantone colours is normally limited to three colours only in most printing presses. There are some however that can handle more inks. Pantone colours used on your logo, graphics or used as your corporate colour ensures that exact colours can be yielded each time you go to print.
Cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) colours also known as four colour printing or process colour printing, uses the four ink colours in order to yield tiny dots referred to as screen or line screen. These dots contain tiny mix of colours. This is the reason why process printing can produce and almost full range of colour. When your printing needs demand a wider colour application, you can opt for four colour printing.
Four colour printing services is on the whole less expensive than Pantone colour printing. If you further want lesser expense on shorter print runs then go for CMYK digital printing instead of four lithographic colour printing. Be careful though… digital printing can get pricy when you start printing hight volumes, so always double check your prices.
There are some printers that will allow you to print using CMYK with one or two Pantone or Spot colours, even spot varnishing and so much more!
My ultimate advice - speak to someone who knows what they are talking about when buying print. Other factors like sealing, creasing, laminating, and die cutting could come into it - and the whole business about what stock to get it printed on.
