Challenges of printed colour

Colour is rarely reproduced exactly on printed materials, as there are many factors that influence the result. These include humidity and the base colour of the material.

Brand identity is paramount, increasingly brand colours need to be replicated across multiple materials and delivered globally. Graphic designers, media professionals and printers need to eliminate wastage and reduce production cycles, delivering more accurate and precise colours to their clients.

With clients looking for cost savings often digital 4-color process colours are selected ahead of Pantone Spot colours, leading to colour mismatches. The limited colour gamut of CMYK ink colours is just one challenge designers face. Another problem is clients choosing newly available colour references to differentiate from competitors.

The end consumer views marketing materials and packaging under store or office lighting rather than D50, with potential for metamerism.

Glossy materials cause the actual colour to be obscured by specular reflection where the white light reflects to the observer. Use VeriVide Colour Control Cabinets to assess under standardised ISO viewing conditions without specular reflection. These are capable of displaying up to B1 size printed sheets.

Pantone PMS Colour Standards for communication

Graphics designers need the Pantone Pantone Matching System® PMS range of books for the Graphics and Print industry, the Formula Guides provide the ink recipes as a starting point for matching and the Color Bridge Guides show the best achievable version of each PMS colour when printed digitally in 4-color process with CMYK inks.

Speciality guides also exist for Metallic, Pastel and Neon effects and these can be purchased individually as well as in cost effective bundles such as the Solid Guide Set and the Portable Guide Studio.

Colour can be communicated to your clients by using the tear out Pantone chips from the corresponding Solid Chips books. Invest in the Reference Library and your studio will have all the Pantone options for your industry.

Printers and finishers also need Pantone PMS guides for visual colour evaluation. Pantone PMS books are regularly updated with new colours; ensure your books are up to date today!

Need spectral values of spot colours for colour measurement?. Printers working with X-Rite ink formulation software gain access via a PantoneLIVE Production licence to ensure accurate and repeatable colour regardless of substrate.

 

Print and Packaging visual colour assessment to ISO 3664 using UltraView light Booth

The UltraView Light Booth is ideal for the Printing and Packaging industries. Providing Visual assessment conforming to the print industry standards such as ISO 3664:2009 D50-P1 and D50-P2, it enables printers, graphic designers and ink manufacturers to reproduce, communicate and evaluate colour more effectively.

Suitable from initial colour specification and design through to final visual assessment of colour and print registration, assess your product under multiple light sources with UltraView. This is especially useful in ink rooms as prior to the actual printing process the ink formulations must be mixed and tested. UltraView enables evaluation of ink formulations under LED D65 and store lighting to detect any metamerism issues that may occur when the final product is displayed.

 

VisionView light booth – Comparing physical print to the on screen proof

Although the VisionView was intended for use with DigiEye and DigiView software, the monitor screen within the VisionView system can be connected to any third party software. This will benefit industries such as printing and packaging for comparing physical print to the on screen proof.

Select your Solution

Helping you choose the right product

If you are at the start of your colour matching journey, we advise to first choose the correct colour standards. As master distributors of Pantone, RAL and NCS, we have the expertise and knowledge to guide your decision making. Contact us via email on colourstandards@verivide.com or call us on +44 (0)116 284 7790

If you have the correct colour standards but wish to know more about how our lighting cabinets and DigiEye software can benefit your colour matching process and how these elements can fit into your industry and product designs, please email us at enquiries@verivide.com or call +44 (0)116 284 7790.

Colour success Roadmap diagram