In this previous post, we discussed color theory, and some ways to choose the right colors for your brand. In this post we’ll talk about how you can convert these colors to standard color methodologies so that you can start using them in print and online.
Converting Color Schemes to Standard Color Systems
After you’ve selected the colors for your brand, you now need to convert them into a form where they can be used effectively. For print use, this means converting them into a Pantone color, a CMYK color, or a spot color. For online use, this means using RGB or web-safe colors. Let’s start with print colors.
Using Color in Print
Pantone Colors
Pantone colors are a standardized way of identifying, choosing, and using colors in the graphic design and print world. Each Pantone color is a spot color (see below) and has a specific code associated with it. This code also has references so that the color can be used and printed, such as CMYK Process information (the relative proportions of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black ink to use when the color is used in full-color commercial print processes).
To convert your color wheel colors into Pantone colors, you can use the Pantone reference chart on this page. Pick the closest color to your chosen colors from the color wheel, and make a note of the Pantone color codes. Pantone Yellow 012 C is an example.
CMYK Process Colors
Colors in the CMYK Process scheme are colors that can be printed using commercial printing techniques, such as lithographic offset printing. CMYK refers to Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black – the four colors used in the full color print process. Pantone colors can be converted to CMYK process, and CMYK process colors can be created independently of Pantone colors if you need a specific color. Pantone Yellow 012 C can be described as ‘0 2 100 0‘ in CMYK format.
The CMYK process attempts to replicate the solid Pantone and custom colors by using a series of tints of Cyan, magenta, Yellow, and Black. Because of this conversion process, it’s worth noting that because you’re converting a solid Pantone color into tints of CMYK colors, there is quite often a color shift as CMYK process may not be able to replicate the spot Pantone color exactly. This shift may be quite pronounced with complex colors.
To convert your Pantone colors to CMYK, click on the color in the Pantone color reference chart; there you will see a description of the color, with a CMYK reference.
Note: normally, your Pantone colors will be converted to CMYK process colors for you by your graphic designer or commercial printer, so you won’t normally need to do this step. Unless you’re curious of course!
Some colors cannot be made into CMYK process, such as metallics like gold, silver, and bronze, or some Pantones that are too complex to render as CMYK colors. For these colors, we need spot colors.
Spot Colors
Spot colors are colors that are printed using a single ink, unlike CMYK colors that use four inks. Due to their single-ink nature, spot colors allow for the printing of metallic colors, Pantone colors that cannot be created as CMYK colors, and other bespoke colors.
A Metallic or Pantone spot color is described simply by using it’s Pantone code.
A custom spot color can be described by giving CMYK values, or by giving a sample to your graphic designer or commercial print provider.
Now to online color usage.
Using Color Online
Colors used on websites and in social media cannot be described using Pantone, CMYK, or Spot colors, since these methods rely in printed inks. Instead, colors must be converted into RGB, which are the colors that are displayed on your monitor.
RGB
RGB colors are Red, Green, and Blue; the three colors of light that are used to make up all of the tones and shades that you see displayed on a computer monitor, mobile device, or TV screen. When a file is saved from, say Adobe Illustrator, into a file for online use, any colors within it are automatically converted to RGB colors. This means that you can use whatever colors you like in a document when it is designed, and any colors will be converted to RGB on export.
Colors in your HTML, however, will need to be described by their name (Yellow), RGB values (255,255,0) , by their hexadecimal code (#FFFF00), which can be found on this page.
Colors in the RGB color scheme are described using the relative proportions of each of the Red Green Blue colors, using a number ranging from 0 to 255. Thus, Pantone Yellow 012 C is described as ‘255 215 0‘ in RGB format.
However, there is normally a color shift during this conversion process because, like the Pantone to CMYK color shift, Pantones and other custom colors may not be able to be recreated exactly by RGB color conversions. There is an RGB color picker on this page if you want to pick your specific colors in RGB formats.
Note: normally, your colors will be converted to RGB for you by your graphic designer or web developer, so you won’t normally need to do this step. Again, unless you’re curious!
We haven’t covered all aspects of color use in this article as its a huge field, but we hope that it has been informative and of use. We will be covering additional aspects of color use in design, graphics, and online use in future posts, so keep watching out for more.
And please contact us if you need any help or advice with your branding or color schemes, or for any other information that you may need.
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