| Ever drive by a McDonalds or Burger King restaurant | | | | expensive and faster to print. Most color copiers and |
| and suddenly have the urge to stop in? Maybe you're | | | | inkjet printers utilize four color process colors. One of |
| hungry, or maybe it's the bright oranges, reds, and | | | | Pantone's color swatch books, Color Bridge, compares |
| yellows in the company's signage and logos that are | | | | spot PMS colors and their four color process |
| grabbing your attention and stimulating your appetite. | | | | equivalents side by side. This can be very helpful in |
| What does it all mean? Why does the Tonight Show | | | | determining the final outcome of how a specific color |
| have a "green room"? Green is a calming color. Why | | | | will be produced based on the type or printing process |
| do sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms | | | | used. |
| used by opposing teams bright pink? Pink can reduce | | | | Commercial and quick printers refer to the number of |
| energy levels. Vast sums of marketing dollars have | | | | colors on the front and back of a substrate with |
| been spent to achieve these desired results. | | | | numbers. For instance, a 4-color brochure printed on |
| When a company creates their graphic standard, they | | | | two sides is considered 4/4. Letterhead that uses two |
| are defining what colors, fonts, and logos will be | | | | spot colors on the front side is considered 2/0. The |
| incorporated, as well as layout requirements and use | | | | internal pages of a black and white training manual are |
| of materials for their corporate image and marketing. | | | | considered 1/1. |
| Often, the first question to be asked is what colors will | | | | Lighting also plays a role in how colors appear. PMS |
| be used. Most companies refer to the Pantone | | | | 187 red can look different under fluorescent lighting |
| Matching System (PMS), the definitive international | | | | than it does under incandescent or full spectrum lighting. |
| reference for selecting, specifying, matching and | | | | A good rule of thumb when proofing a printing job for |
| controlling ink colors. Pantone colors, often referred to | | | | color is to consider the lighting type it will appear under |
| as PMS colors, are categorized by numbers. As an | | | | most often. |
| example, the Cincinnati Red's red ink color is PMS 187. | | | | So, what do colors mean? Red is often used in |
| These colors are often very carefully selected, with | | | | restaurant decorating schemes because it is an |
| certain purposes in mind. | | | | appetite stimulant. Black is the color of authority and |
| Just as there are varying printing processes, the same | | | | power. White symbolizes innocence and purity. Blue |
| color can be produced in different ways. PMS colors | | | | causes the body to produce calming chemicals, and |
| (or spot colors) are mixed by a commercial printer, or | | | | symbolizes loyalty. Green symbolizes nature. It is the |
| ink supply company, to the exact color specifications | | | | easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. |
| set forth by Pantone. Four color process colors | | | | Yellow is cheerful and an attention getter. Purple is the |
| (CMYK) are achieved by mixing varying amounts of | | | | color of royalty and connotes luxury, wealth, and |
| cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K) | | | | sophistication. Brown is solid and reliable. It is the color |
| together to create desired color. (K) is used for black | | | | of earth and is abundant in nature. |
| rather then (B) so as not to be confused with cyan, a | | | | So, the next time you walk into The Olive Garden |
| shade of blue. With process printing, many colors can | | | | restaurant and are greeted by their rich red and warm |
| be printed by mixing the ink "on the fly" using only | | | | yellow color scheme, you'll know that the colors were |
| these four ink colors on press. | | | | chosen for a specific purpose. Once you take note of |
| Four color process ink colors can be slightly less | | | | these effects, you may just see color in a whole |
| accurate than PMS ink colors but can be less | | | | different scheme. |
