Color Matching
Presto Page uses a CMYK digital printing process, which means our presses print a wide range of hues using cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks. We will reproduce color from submitted print-ready files as closely as possible, but even under the best circumstances, an exact color match is not possible. As a result, Pantone color matching is not a Presto Page offering. If you specify a spot color in a document, however, we will simulate that color using CMYK ink to match the color as closely as possible. This is an inherent limitation in the printing process.
The term “color matching” refers to the color rendering intent specified in the submitted artwork. If you define a spot color in a document, however, we will simulate that color using CMYK ink. The match will be as close as our printing equipment can get, but it will never be as perfect as using a real spot color. This is the case with most digital presses.
Please note: Many bright or very dense colors cannot be matched very well at all. In these cases, we will print the next closest color our equipment can produce.
Pantone colors are the most common type of spot color. Each color has a number, which is its name. For example, if you were to choose Pantone 286 C for an artwork element, this identifies an exact color (a lovely deep blue). You can get a Pantone color guide and see for yourself exactly what this color is supposed to appear. That is what makes named spot colors so valuable.
Spot Color Overview
Spot Colors were invented for the world of lithographic printing, where ink was specifically mixed to create specialty colors. If you print with spot color on a litho press, you are putting a particular color of ink on the printing press to produce that exact color.
In some programs, such as Adobe or Quark products, it is possible to choose spot colors. A spot color is a named color that is treated individually in the printing process. Most colors in your document are specified as formulas and are defined by name- either as CMYK, RGB, or LAB. Spot Colors.
Spot colors are expensive, however. For this reason, most printing is done using a combination of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black ink on a four-color press. Those four colors, in combination, produce the vast array of colors you see on a printed page.
You would think that if you mixed those four colors just right, you could reproduce any spot color. This is true for most spot colors – but not all of them. For example, fluorescent colors are too bright to print with CMYK inks. Other spot colors have unique properties that cannot be reproduced with standard inks, such as metallic-looking colors.
Spot Color Matching
Presto Page does not offer spot color printing except by special arrangement. Click HERE for an estimate. However, if you specify a spot color in a document, we will simulate that color using CMYK ink. The match will be as close as our printing equipment can get, but it will never be as perfect as using a real spot color. Also, many bright or very dense colors cannot be matched very well at all. In these cases, we will print the next closest color our equipment can produce.
If your job is highly color critical, we recommend ordering a hard proof. That way, you will know what kind of color you can expect from your artwork.
The Basics of Printing
Image Resolution: Learn about the best image resolution for your next project.
Bleeds & Borders: Setup your next print file with the amount bleed and borders needed.
Cutting Tolerance: How to account for cutting on your print file.
Color: Read more about the Presto Page color process.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call us at 616.247.0060 or fill out our contact form.
