Proofing.de | Pantone

Precise proofing of tonal values of spot colours

April 17, 2024April 16, 2024 by Matthias Betz

In recent weeks, there have been lengthy discussions on the Fogra digital printing mailing list as to whether a research project should be launched to define standardised tonal value gradations for spot colours. What is this all about? In the field of CMYK and seven-colour printing, the definition of clear, printable and proofable standards is well established and has been tried and tested in practice. If the paper or paper class is known and defined, a measuring standard such as M0/M1/M2 has been established and the content of optical brighteners …

PANTONE Color Bridge Coated Comparison 2023 and 2022 CMYK an Solid Coated colour deviations in DeltaE00

Colour deviations in 2023 PANTONE Color Bridge Guides

April 5, 2024March 7, 2023 by Matthias Betz

After Eddy Hagen pointed out in this posts, that there were some major colour deviations between the brand new PANTONE Solid Coated Guide 2023 and the previous version especially for the PANTONE 2635 C, I was curious to lookup the same colours in the new PANTONE Color Bridge Coated Guide of 2023 and compare the colours with the previous version. I measured a dE00 of 8,15 between the two colours that Eddy mentioned, which is really far apart from how accurate PANTONE colours should match between the different PANTONE guides. …

PANTONE Fächer Solid Uncoated 2023 mit Fehlern in der Farbrezeptur. Detailansicht der identischen Rezepturwerte für unterschiedlichen PANTONE Farben.

New PANTONE Formula Guides with incorrect ink formulations

February 17, 2023February 17, 2023 by Matthias Betz

Several errors have crept into the new PANTONE 2023 fan decks. In both the PANTONE Solid Coated and the Solid Uncoated color fans, there are colours for which the new ink formulations are incorrect. In the PANTONE Formula Guide Solid Coated fan 2023, PANTONE 107 C and PANTONE 108 C have absolutely identical ink recipes, as well as PANTONE 113 C and PANTONE 114 C. As the colors differ, this cannot be the correct. Several errors in the PANTONE Solid Uncoated fan 2023 In the PANTONE Solid Uncoated fan 2023 …

“Digital First” often means “Colour Problems Second!”

August 15, 2022August 5, 2022 by Matthias Betz

Recently, we have been receiving more and more colour management consulting enquiries where “digital first” designs reach their limits: Namely, always when, after a few months or years, the first trade fair appearance, the first annual report or the first catalogue in classic online printing is due. And it is precisely at this moment that it occurs to everyone involved that they do not even know how their “digital first” colour strategy is supposed to look in print. But let’s take a look at the problem from the beginning:

Title Test Report Fogra Certificate Proof GmbH 2021 Fogra Contract Proof Creation 34558

Proof GmbH 2021 Certified Again by Fogra with Fogra “Spot cert”

December 30, 2021December 29, 2021 by Matthias Betz

This year we have again submitted proofs for Fogra certification. We thus prove that we not only deliver excellent proof quality through internal quality controls and checks, but that the quality of our proofs is also confirmed by an external body. We have therefore had proof prints certified for the seventh year in a row.

New PANTONE Find a Color home page: Now only with PANTONE Connect: Without logging in, you can no longer even access the RGB and CMYK values of PANTONE colours on the PANTONE website.

PANTONE Find a Color No Longer Available Without Registration

December 22, 2021December 21, 2021 by Matthias Betz

That was fast: Only a few days after Adobe’s announcement to remove the PANTONE colours from their latest revisions of the Adobe product range, PANTONE reacted and removed the popular tool “PANTONE Find a Color” from the internet. Instead, the login to PANTONE Connect can now be found there, a tool that provides the previous functionality partly for free and partly for a subscription price with extensions.

CIELAB HLC Colour Atlas XL Colour Wheel v1

Adobe Software Without PANTONE Colours

December 20, 2021December 19, 2021 by Matthias Betz

The announcement was hot: As of March 2022, Adobe software products will no longer contain PANTONE colour libraries. What follows now? Who loses, who wins?

PANTONE Metallics and Premium Metallics combined in one fan

August 20, 2020August 18, 2020 by Matthias Betz

PANTONE has combined and supplemented its two metallics fans “PANTONE Metallics Coated” and “PANTONE Premium Metallics Coated” into one fan.

Proof. de offers proofs according to the latest tolerance criteria of ISO 12647-7:2016

April 5, 2024April 18, 2017 by Matthias Betz

The ISO 12647-7 proofing standard was revised in November 2016 and the test criteria for FograCert contract proof creation were adapted. We have now incorporated these changed criteria into our proofing system and are now working to the stricter tolerances of the latest ISO 12647-7:2016.

Why hardly anything changes for our Proof customers

The good news is: you won’t notice that our proofs are now precisely produced according to the latest standards. Why? Quite simply: Because our demands on our proofing system, our FIERY proofing software, our EFI proofing papers and the X-Rite measuring decvices are already so high that all components of our proofing system – and of course our proofs themselves – have been meeting the new criteria of the revised November 2016 standard for years.

Comparison of PANTONE U colours to Contract Proof

How accurate can PANTONE colours be reproduced in proofing?

May 8, 2020January 9, 2015 by Matthias Betz

Pantone colours can be simulated very well today. T be able in advance to see how well your Pantone colour can be reproduced, we have published tables of all Pantone inks where the colour differences of the Pantone colours can be looked up already before proofing.

Colour variations of Pantone colours in Delta-E

Colour variations of Pantone metallic colours in Delta-E

We have now even photographed some pictures that visually show how appropriate proofs on the latest Pantone subjects.

Colour deviation of Pantone metallics and Pantone Premium Metallics colours in proofing in Delta-E (∆E)

April 8, 2024May 15, 2014 by Matthias Betz

Current proofing systems can print spot colours like Pantone or HKS very accurate. With Fiery XF 5.2 Proof software and the Epson 7900/9900 proof printers we evaluated, with which colour deviation PANTONE Metallics Coated and PANTONE Premium Metallics Coated colours can be reproduced in proofing.

The colour deviations were calculated based on the measured colour space of the proof system of Proof GmbH by the proofing software. Deviations should therefore be quite similar in practice. Almost all PANTONE colours can be simulated quite well in the wide colour gamut of the proofer.

The smaller the Delta-E value, the lower is the colour distance of the PANTONE reference to the proofed PANTONE colour. Higher Delta-E values show, which PANTONE colours can’t be simulated accurately in the proof.

Please note: Since the proof devices does not have colours with metallic pigments, the metallic shine in the proof can not be reproduced. Only through the satin finish of our proofing paper a somewhat shiny effect is produced, which replaces partly the metallic luster of true PANTONE colours. Although the colour is well rendered, the metallic effect in the proof does not exist. The proof can therefore always be used only as a guide, but not as binding simulation of the final result.

The names of the 84 new PANTONE Colours 2014

May 8, 2020March 21, 2014 by Matthias Betz

Pantone Colour Chaos 2014: 84 new Pantone Plus colours annoy Pantone users

April 8, 2024March 13, 2014 by Matthias Betz

Pantone has added a further 84 colours to ist Pantone Plus colour palette in March 2014. The the total amount of the Pantone Plus colour now extends to 1755 colours as Pantone writes on his website. The colours were – matching the Pantone colour of the year: Radiant Orchid – expanded in the Rouge and Pink range, based on the previous base colours.

Two other changes compared to the previous 50th Anniversary PANTONE guides are visible:

The cover sheets have been redesigned
The order of colour arrangement has now changed by going to chromatic criteria and now corresponds to the chromatically correct order. The colours from 2010 and 2012 have now been logically integrated into the new colour fans.

Colour differences of Pantone Solid Coated and Pantone Solid Uncoated colours in proofing in Delta-E (∆E)

May 8, 2020January 20, 2014 by Matthias Betz

Current proofing systems can print spot colours like Pantone or HKS very accurate. With Fiery XF 5.2 Proof software and the Epson 7900/9900 proof printers we evaluated, with which colour deviation PANTONE Solid Coated and PANTONE Solid Uncoated colours can be reproduced in proofing.

Pantone 50th Anniversary Guide: Two indexes

Pantone Plus vs. Pantone: Colours, fans and problems.

November 8, 2013November 8, 2013 by Matthias Betz

In 2010, one of the central innovations at Pantone was the new system for graphic designers, service providers and printers: The Pantone palette was extended by numerous colours and was given a new name: Pantone Plus

The extension by 560 colours was done in two steps:

2010: 224 added to a total of 1341 Pantone Solid colours

In 2010, the Pantone palette was extended by 224 colours, which are named from 7548 to 7771 in the Pantone classification. All new colours could continue to be mixed with the previous 14 Pantone basic colours in the print shop.

Easy conversion of Pantone – HKS – CMYK – RGB with Adobe Photoshop

April 8, 2024September 26, 2013 by Matthias Betz

Farbbücher Auswahl in Adobe Photoshop CC: HKS, Pantone, CMYK und vieles mehr

More often the question arises as to what kind of Pantone colour corresponds to the HKS 43 K. Or what CMYK value? And what kind of web color in RGB?

If you own Adobe Photoshop, you can do these conversions directly there. In Photoshop CC all well-known color books are stored with values.

Let’s assume we are looking for the Pantone equivalent and the matching CMYK color of HKS 43 K.

1: Open the color palette in Adobe Photoshop and select HKS K as the book and then the color HKS 43 K. All well-known colour books are directly stored in Photoshop.

proof.de Packaging of a Proof/ Digital proof

What’s a proof for? The most important reasons for proofing!

May 8, 2020April 6, 2012 by Matthias Betz

A proof is reassuring: The proof shows the colour result of the subsequent printing. The customer knows exactly the later result from the proof and is reassured. The printer knows that the customer knows the proof and is also reassured. A proof is fast: Ordered today, delivered tomorrow: Modern proofing service providers work quickly and produce hardly any loss of time in the design and printing process A proof is precise: All professional service providers nowadays work with proof printers that are recalibrated at short intervals. A media wedge with …

Can spot colours be proofed?

January 28, 2021January 27, 2012 by Matthias Betz

Since many printed matter contains spot colours such as Pantone or HKS, the question often arises whether these colours can be proofed at all. The answer is “no”. Only an approximate simulation of these colors is possible.
The reason: Each special ink is a specially mixed, “real” ink and therefore cannot be mixed from the 4 printing inks (cyan, magenta, yellow and black).

Today, modern proofing machines have up to 12 different printing colours and, in addition to the classic primary colours, also have, for example, orange and green and violet as real colour pigments in the machine. Proof printers such as the Epson SureColor P9000V are therefore capable of displaying significantly larger color spaces than, for example, ISOCoatedV2. The spot color simulation in these devices is therefore sometimes very good when controlled via a Contone driver, which can access the entire color space of the proof printer. Epson himself points out, for example, that “98% of all Pantone colors” can be covered. This may be doubted, but a number of over 90% of all Pantone colors is realistic from our point of view.