The term base colour is usually used in connection with the PANTONE Matching Systems (PMS). These Pantone colours – over 2,000 in total since 2023 – are mixed from PANTONE base colours in various mixing ratios.
Four additional base colours were added to the 14 original base colours of the PMS after the discontinuation of PANTONE GOE. A further 5 base colours were added in 2023.
Original PANTONE base colours:
PANTONE Yellow
PANTONE Yellow 012
PANTONE Purple
PANTONE Violet
PANTONE Orange 021
PANTONE Blue 072
PANTONE Reflex Blue
PANTONE Process Blue
PANTONE Warm Red
PANTONE Red 032
PANTONE Rubine Red
PANTONE Rhodamine Red
PANTONE Green
PANTONE Black
PANTONE Transparent White
2012 extended by the following colours:
PANTONE Bright Red
PANTONE Pink
PANTONE Medium Purple
PANTONE Dark Blue
2023 extended by the following colours:
PANTONE Yellow PY 12
PANTONE Orange 016
PANTONE Purple v.2
PANTONE Violet v.2
PANTONE Real Purple
These base colours are themselves also PANTONE colours, but are also used for mixing all PANTONE colours.
In 2023, the colour formulations of the PANTONE Matching System for PANTONE Solid Coated and Uncoated were recompiled. All colours can now be formulated from just 11 base colours.
PANTONE colours for colour formulations 2023
PANTONE Rubine Red
PANTONE Orange 016
PANTONE Black
PANTONE Yellow PY12
PANTONE Warm Red
PANTONE Green
PANTONE Violet v.2
PANTONE Provess Blue
PANTONE Pink
PANTONE HD Extender
PANTONE Opaque White