Other than for complex or multiple jobs based on a bulk price, we do not charge for artwork. From the 1st May 2024, we will be implementing a Colour matching charge of £7.50 per base colour for any new or repeat job where a Pantone PMS colour is required. Alternatively, you can select one of our House Colours a CMYK or RGB which do not / cannot be colour checked without the colour charge.
This article is to explain the process we go through to colour match to the Pantone CP book.
Within Pantone, there are many different colour libraries, we use the CP library, which is for Colour Process work (CMYK). Often companies supply a C or U colour, these colours are only used when the colour is non digital and typically printed via litho or flexo print where colour mixing is required.
Each month we run a colour profile check on all our printers to make sure that we can print the same job if needed over multiple printers and get the same results, this also allows us to do test prints on any of the printers and then printing it on another printer.
Step 1
We have to wait for a printer to become available then we print the batch onto one of Mimaki Dye sublimation inkjet printers.
Step 2
We take the print off the printer and overlay a piece of lanyard material.
Step 3
We put the paper and the lanyard material into our hand press, this is used for colour sampling rather than use one of our production presses.
Step 4
We use a Spectro analyser which reads the colour printed out on the sample.
Step 5
We then sample the colour in the Pantone CP book.
Step 6
The Spectro compares the two colours and then gives us a reading based on the comparison.
In this case it is 0.48 Delta E, this is showing as an exact match. Anything under 2 Delta E, the human eye cannot detect. Our highest limit is 3 Delta E, which a human eye can barely detect.
DeltaE is a measurement of visual perception between two colours.
The above process, if we get the colour first time takes around 15 minutes to verify, if it does not and we have to tweak the CMYK colour mix, it takes another 15 minutes per test. Difficult colours can take over 1 hour to match to within 3 Delta E.
This process is done on all new and repeat jobs, as the colour profiling and checking is always changing as the printers get used and do move out of colour balance.
Pantone is a registered trademark of X-Rite Inc.