09/02/2020
Color Accuracy - Part #2
Let’s say you choose a specific pantone color but the hue still shifts from job to job. Why does this happen? A good printer should always explain this to a new customer before printing the job. There are a few inevitable reasons behind this shift. One of the most common reasons for this to happen is because of the type of paper or if an extra gloss coating was applied to the job. For example, if you print a specific red ink on an uncoated paper and print that same exact red ink on a glossy paper, it will certainly look different. If you add a UV Coat to the paper, it will change the red color even more.
Another more technical reason is if a job is converted from a pantone color to CMYK (or vice versa). There are pantone guides that show a pantone color and the equivalent CMYK color (see below). You will find many of the equivalent colors do look different.
At the end of the day you can certainly hit the color you want but everything must be taken into account. Choosing a pantone color does not mean the color will always and forever be the same between each project. :)