Coloring – It’s not just for kids…

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Welcome To Cora’s Corner, where every month I am going to help you with your artwork issues.

This month I’m explaining some common terms used to describe colors used for apparel printing processes. These terms are commonly used in other printing processes, but have a slightly different meaning when used in screen printing and direct-to-garment printing. Some customers use these terms interchangeably, but they are different. However, they can be connected. I’m referring to Spot Colors, CMYK (Four Color Process) Colors, Pantone Colors and PMS (Pantone Matching System) Colors. Let me define each term and describe how they are used in screen printing and DTG printingSPOT COLOR: Refers to a method of specifying and printing colors in which each color is printed with its own ink. The ink is opaque (sometimes printers use premixed standard inks). This type of screen printing is common when specific colors are needed as in reproducing company and sport logos. For example my 2 spot colors apparel company logo shown here.

It’s good to note that you can use halftones to show lighter variations of the spot color. Also gradi-ents of 2 or more spot colors blended together can make other color(s). In DTG printing, spot colors are broken down to process and white colors because it is like an inkjet printer with cartridges. The ink in the cartridges are opaque like regular spot color inks.

CMYK (Four Color Process) COLORS: Refers to a method of printing with four translucent inks (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) to produce all other colors. Multiple colors are made by printing halftone dots of one color over the halftones dots of another color in various degrees depending on what color needs to be produced. This type of printing is common when the designs has many colors or is photorealistic. This method is not suited for dark garments so another method has been created for printing on dark garments, Simulated Process.

SIMULATED (SPOT) PROCESS: Refers to a method of printing that uses halftone dots like Four Color Process, but uses a certain set of opaque spot colors to produce the image on the garment. This method also works well on white and light garments. The benefits of using this method is a brighter, consistent, cleaner and more durable print.

PANTONE COLOR: Refers to a specific color from the Pantone Matching System which is speci-fied by a number and a letter. For example, 123 U. The number specifies the color and the letter specifies what substrate it is printed on. C = Coated, U = Uncoated and M = Matte. In screen print-ing and DTG, “U” is the standard as it most closely matches the color printed on fabric. Pantone Color is regarded as spot color for screen printing, but in DTG it is broken down (see reference in Spot Color explanation). Many customers use the Pantone Matching System to specify spot colors to use for their design because most printers use it to make custom colors. All screen printing ink manufacturers also create a group of standard spot color inks that do not necessarily match any Pantone color. If your are having your design printed 4 Color Process, the Pantone color will be broken down into CMYK components. Doing this can cause the final product not to match the Pantone Color exactly.

PMS (Pantone Matching System) Colors: Refers to the Pantone Color within the Pantone Matching System. The PMS has thousands of Pantone Colors. It is the most commonly used system for color used in the United States for printing, web and other color creation processes.

In closing, knowing the proper usage of these terms will help avoid confusion when communicating with your customer, artist and printer.

I would also like to hear from you about your most pressing issues about artwork. Your question may be used in a future issue of this newsletter. If you have questions, please email me at cora.kromer@qdigitizing.com. And please reference this newsletter.

Looking forward to sharing an exciting journey of discovery into the world of Art.

Sincerely,

Cora Kromer

Awareness Ink

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