Pantone Matching System

Color fan deck Pantone Formula Guide solid coated

Pantone Matching System (PMS) is the name of an internationally used color system that is mainly used in the graphics and printing industries. It was developed in 1963 by Pantone LLC , an American company based in Carlstadt , New Jersey.

2016 PMS includes 1,867 spot colors that are not in mostly four-color printing can be achieved, and assigns color names in the form of numbers. As with every color system, the intention is to simplify communication between those involved in the creation of print products, since the exchange of information can take place worldwide quickly and independently of individual color perception using the Pantone color numbers .

Pantone LLC

Pantone LLC
legal form	Limited Liability Company (LLC)
founding	1963
Seat	Carlstadt , New Jersey , United States
management	Ron Potesky (General Manager, Pantone), Thomas J. Vacchiano, Jr. (President, X-Rite)
sales	$ 42 million (2006)
Branch	Color communication
Website	www.pantone.de

Pantone originally made color cards for the cosmetics and fashion industries. Lawrence Herbert, who had been with the company since 1956, bought the company in 1962 and began developing his own color selection system, which he launched in 1963 as the Pantone Matching System . Due to several paint manufacturers who offered the color tones, as well as well-known software houses ( Adobe Inc. , Corel Corporation and others) who integrated the system into their products, the small family business developed into a global player in the paint industry in the decades that followed. In 2007, Pantone was acquired by X-Rite , a manufacturer of color measurement technology, for $ 180 million .

Pantone describes itself as "the market leader in the segment of color communication and technology for the graphic and design industry, publishing and printing as well as the textile and plastics industry." According to its own information, Pantone is active in over 100 countries and has over 1,000 licensees. The company calls the Pantone Matching System its "flagship".

Pantone Matching System

Pantone offers different color systems. The best known is the system for the graphic area. A distinction is made between “core colors”, “pastel and neon colors” and “metallic colors”.

The Pantone Matching System is based on 18 basic colors which, mixed together in different color components, result in all the other colors of the system. The colors are presented in fan form (the Pantone Formula Guides ) and ring binder form (Pantone Solid Chips Books) , printed on two different types of paper: glossy coated and uncoated . Until a few years ago there was still a version M = "matte". However, this was not continued by Pantone. The paper used is 148 g / m² for coated and 118 g / m² for uncoated.

In the Pantone fan, the respective color formulas are given under the color fields. The same color formulation is used for printing on the different types of paper. The aim when creating the Pantone Matching System was not to achieve a uniform appearance of the colors regardless of the substrate, but to display the respective color impression of the Pantone colors depending on the substrate. This color impression can depend on the surface properties of the paper z. T. vary considerably. For this reason, Pantone special colors are not only defined with a number code, but also always with the corresponding abbreviation for the type of paper used (C = coated, U = uncoated).

The Pantone Matching System has established itself in the design and printing industries worldwide. Competitors like the German HKS system, on the other hand, usually have a regionally limited distribution.

Pantone Plus Series

In May 2010, an updated version of the Pantone Matching System, the Pantone Plus Series, was launched. In 2010, in a first step, these were expanded to include 224 new colors, later with a separate "+336" supplement fan to add a further 336 colors, and in 2012 for the first time with the 50th Anniversary Edition, all 560 new colors were added. In order to mix the other 336 colors, the Pantone system has been expanded from 14 basic colors by four to 18 basic colors: Pantone Bright Red, Pantone Pink, Pantone Medium Purple and Pantone Dark Blue. The step-by-step expansion to include Pantone Plus colors and Pantone basic colors was poorly communicated, so that two Pantone Plus fans with different numbers of colors are currently available: the first fan "Pantone Plus" from 2010 and the fan "Pantone 50th Anniversary Edition" from 2012 with all 560 new colors and the four new basic colors. Since the "+336" addition was not noticed by dealers and customers, many Pantone users are not aware that there are two Pantone Plus editions. Manufacturers such as Adobe or EFI also complain about Pantone Plus support, but have only integrated the incomplete Pantone Plus fan from 2010. All other 336 colors with the color names from 2001 to 2336 are currently not available even in the Adobe Creative Cloud . For this reason, Pantone released the PANTONE Color Manager software, an update tool to incorporate the +336 colors in current software environments such as the Adobe CC palette. It is supplied as a download for new Pantone Plus subjects.

The Pantone Plus fan has also been supplemented by an ambient light indicator based on the UGRA metamerism card , which is intended to show the viewer to what extent the ambient light corresponds to the standard illuminant D50 ( color temperature of 5000 K). The color temperature indicator, like that of the UGRA, is not suitable for actually checking D50, but it shows that e.g. B. Light bulbs and normal neon tubes are not suitable for evaluating color tones and proofs .

The structure of the Pantone fan has also been revised: if the classification was based on ascending color codes, the individual color fields are now sorted by color. This makes certain colors easier to find visually, which simplifies the use of the color fan in practice. Conversely, defined Pantone color codes can be found using the table of contents at the end of the subject. Existing color coding and color recipes have not changed compared to the Pantone Matching System. Only the other "+336" Pantone Plus colors from 2012 require the four other basic colors listed above for mixing.

Pantone special colors and four-color printing

The Pantone Matching System expands the color space that can be achieved in conventional four-color printing . In four-color printing, the four basic colors cyan , magenta , yellow and key (= black) are used and all further color impressions are created by printing individual raster points in the basic colors. Pantone colors, on the other hand , are printed as an independent printing color in a separate printing process, usually as full tones . Most of the colors from the Pantone Matching System cannot be displayed in the four-color print gamut ; the colors that can be achieved in CMYK are marked with a symbol in the color fan. Another symbol indicates that the color in question can be represented in the RGB color space .

Use of Pantone special colors

Companies often use Pantone special colors in the field of corporate design to give brand and company logos a globally uniform recognition value.

For example, Puma with 485 C, Lufthansa with 1235 C, Starbucks with 3425 C and GAP with 655 C use colors from the Pantone Matching System as identifiers. A separate Pantone color was even created for Milka products from Mondelēz International : a special color between two numbers in the Pantone color fan. The group has registered a color mark for this purple with the German patent office and the European patent organization and has achieved worldwide protection for this color mark through registration with the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) in Geneva .

Pantone colors are also used to define the colors of flags . So is the European flag as a shade of blue Pantone Reflex Blue and the star Pantone yellow used. Both are PMS basic colors.

Criticism of the Pantone color system

• The PMS color shades are to be mixed from the 18 basic colors, whereby, according to the mixing recipes, often tenths of a percent must be adhered to. This can hardly be achieved with smaller amounts of paint.
• In practical offset printing, an exact match with the fan colors is often not achieved despite adherence to the mixed recipes. Pantone printing inks are translucent colors that do not completely cover the paper, but are absorbed by the printing material, so the printed paper has a strong influence on the color impression. In contrast to this, there is complete coverage of the printing material in the case of lacquer compartments and those for wall colors (e.g. RAL , NCS , Brillux , Caparol and others), which means that they are independent of the printing material and with greater accuracy.
• After several revisions, the Pantone color collection now exists in several different versions ("Pantone Plus"). This also applies to software integration: For several years, the Pantone Plus color list in Adobe Creative Cloud did not match the current Pantone Plus subjects.
• Strictly speaking, the PMS is more of a collection of 1755 color tones than a color system, as it lacks a basic system. The colors in the fan are sorted chromatically and in lightened rows, but this is not done in a uniform and systematic manner.
• Pantone color names are not subject to any mathematical relationship to the otherwise common color systems: RGB, CMYK, L * a * b *, HSL / HSV. These values ​​can neither be calculated from the color names nor vice versa. Even within the system there is no uniform mathematical relationship between the colors. Result is z. B. that color series (brightness, saturation, color transitions) or color contrasts have to be determined by hand.
• In the current Pantone Color Bridge fan, RGB, Hex and CMYK color values ​​are mentioned with which the respective color (if possible in RGB / CMYK) can be reproduced, but not the CIELAB color values , which are output-neutral and not based on a color Define a gamut in a limited way, and which would therefore meet the demands of color communication.
• Pantone follows a strict concept of copyright and trademark protection. In each subject there is the wording: "... any cross-refencing, in whole or in part, to any PANTONE Color System, including, but not limited to, the PANTONE Numbers and PANTONE Colors, by third parties, may be a violation of Pantone, Inc.'s proprietary rights and is strictly prohibited. ”Color value and comparison tables for other systems therefore do not exist in any noteworthy form either from Pantone or from third parties. The consequence is that you have to match PMS and comparison colors by hand using the fan as soon as you want to implement Pantone colors in areas other than the supported areas (e.g. in the paint color or construction area) or with other color systems.
• The price and product policy with various series and systems that z. Some of them were discontinued after a few years (GOE, Hexachrome), finds criticism.

Other color systems from Pantone

Since colors play an important role not only in the graphic industry, Pantone developed further color systems over time . One of them is used for the specification and communication of textile colors (Pantone Fashion + Home) , the other offers colors in the form of transparent and opaque plastic chips (Pantone Plastics) . Both systems have their own color coding.

In addition to the above-mentioned printed color references, Pantone also offers other accessories for working with colors, including software and devices for identifying colors and devices for monitor calibration .

Color of the year

The Pantone Color Institute has been creating a color as Color of the Year since 2000 . The colors are selected from the palette of 14 basic colors introduced in 1963 and their mixtures. The choice from the Pantone system is made after considering the time pressure of the respective year. The selection serves z. B. Fashion companies as inspiration. The “Pantone Color of the Year” will influence product development in numerous industries, e. B. fashion, interior design and industrial product design as well as product packaging and graphic design. Color trends from the entertainment and film industries, from art collections and works by new artists, fashion and in the socio-economic environment are assessed.

List of year selection

year	Pantone	basis	RGB value	Color code
2000	Cerulean Blue 15-4020		RGB = (155, 183, 212)	Cerulean Blue 15-4020 color code: # 9BB7D4
2001	Fuchsia Rose 17-2031		RGB = (199, 067, 117)	Fuchsia rose 17-2031 color code: # C74375
2002	True Red 19-1664		RGB = (191, 025, 050)	True Red 19-1664 color code: # BF1932
2003	Aqua Sky 14-4811		RGB = (123, 196, 196)	Aqua Sky 14-4811 color code: # 7BC4C4
2004	Tiger Lily 17-1456		RGB = (226, 088, 062)	Tiger Lily 17-1456 color code: # E2583E
2005	Blue Turquoise 15-5217		RGB = (083, 176, 174)	Blue Turquoise 15-5217 color code: # 53B0AE
2006	Sand dollars 13-1106		RGB = (222, 205, 190)	Sand Dollar 13-1106 color code: #DECDBE
2007	Chilli Pepper 19-1557	Red is never overlooked ... 2007 will be marked by the attention to the amalgamation of different cultural influences ... At the same time, Chili Pepper conveys a certain level of trust and taste. Because it stimulates the senses, this color brings excitement to the living room and wardrobe.	RGB = (155, 027, 048)	Chilli Pepper 19-1557 color code: # 9B1B30
2008	Blue Iris 18-3943	a multi-faceted hue that reflects the complexity of the world around us	RGB = (090, 091, 159)	Color code: # 5A5B9F
2009	Mimosa 14-0848	Yellow stands for the warming and life-giving quality of the sun, properties that give us human support ... Mimosa speaks for imagination and innovation.	RGB = (240, 192, 090)	Mimosa 14-0848 color code: # F0C05A
2010	Turquoise 15-4519	Combining serene blues with invigorating greens, Pantone started the decade with turquoise, thoughts of calming tropical waters and a soothing escape from everyday troubles	RGB = (069, 181, 170)	Turquoise 15-4519 color code: # 45B5AA
2011	Honeysuckle 18-2120	nostalgic train that reminds of carefree spring and summer days	RGB = (217, 079, 112)	Honeysuckle 18-2120 color code: # D94F70
2012	Tangerine Tango 17-1463		RGB = (221, 065, 036)	Tangerine Tango 17-1463 color code: # DD4124
2013	Emerald 17-5641	lively, lush green increases well-being and promotes balance and harmony	RGB = (000, 148, 115)	Emerald 17-5641 color code: # 009473
2014	Radiant Orchid 18-3224	Rose-colored undertones look radiant on the skin, eye-catchers at fashion shows	RGB = (173, 094, 153)	Radiant Orchid 18-3224 color code: # AD5E99
2015	Marsala 18-1438	naturally strong, earthy wine red enriches body, senses and souls	RGB = (150, 079, 076)	Marsala 18-1438 color code: # 964F4C
2016	Rose Quartz 13-1520 Serenity 15-3919	For the first time, a softer color perspective was chosen. Calming color choices satisfy consumers' need for mindfulness and wellbeing; as an antidote to the stresses of time.	RGB = (247, 202, 201) RGB = (145, 168, 208)	Rose Quartz 13-1520 color code: # F7CAC9 Serenity 15-3919 color code: # 91A8D0
2017	Greenery 15-0343	fresh color symbolizes a new beginning and new life	RGB = (136, 176, 075)	Greenery 15-0343 color code: # 88B04B
2018	Ultra Violet 18-3838	dramatically provocative purple for originality, ingenuity and forward-looking visionary thinking	RGB = (095, 075, 139)	Ultra Violet 18-3838 color code: # 5F4B8B
2019	Living Coral 16-1546	cheerful, life-affirming gives energy and invigorates in a gentle way	RGB = (255, 111, 097)	Living Coral 16-1546 color code: # FF6F61
2020	Classic Blue 19-4052	radiates calm, sovereignty and relatedness, as a longing for a reliable and secure basis	RGB = (029, 078, 137)	Classic Blue 19-4052 color code: # 1D4E89
2021			RGB = ()	- Color code: # 000000

Web links

• Pantone website
• PMS standard colors
• Pantone Plus: Colors, Subjects, and Problems - The Difficulties of Expanding to Pantone Plus.
• Pantone color chaos 2014: 84 new Pantone Plus colors annoy Pantone users
• Pantone Formula Guide and factors influencing color accuracy

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Knowledge and downloads about the Pantone color systems. In: torso.de. Torso Verlag, accessed on February 16, 2019 . 
2. ↑ Who we are. In: Pantone.de , accessed on July 19, 2012.
3. ↑ ^{a b} Pantone US $ 180m Acquisition Completion For X-Rite. ( Memento of the original from December 2, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. In: PrintingTalk , October 31, 2007, accessed July 19, 2012. 
4. ↑ ^{a b} company portrait. In: Pantone.de , accessed on July 19, 2012.
5. ↑ Color systems graphics | store.pantone.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018 . 
6. ↑ PANTONE: PANTONE FORMULA GUIDE SOLID MATTE and PANTONE SOLID CHIPS MATTE Discontinued - Pantone.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018 . 
7. ↑ Thomas Kaltschmidt: Pantone is expanding its color matching system. In: Page , May 12, 2010, accessed July 19, 2012.
8. ↑ color-des-jahres.de
9. ↑ PANTONE Color of the Year
10. ↑ About Pantone Color of the Year
11. ↑ The color values ​​of the Pantone colors are not binding. Matched with color cards: Torso-Verlag, Wertheim
12. ↑ Quotations from various sources from: Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, Helmut Eifert, Vice President European Operation at Pantone
13. ↑ Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute

The colors shown in this article are not binding and may appear different on different display devices.
One possibility to approximately calibrate the display with purely visual means is offered by the adjacent test image (only with native display resolution and when the page is not displayed zoomed):

Set the display device to sRGB mode, if available. If a letter (“R” for red, “G” for green or “B” for blue) appears strongly on one or more of the three gray areas, the gamma correction of the corresponding color channel should be corrected. sRGB corresponds to a gamma value of 2.2, which is the common value for TVs and computers with Windows or macOS (from version 10.6).