How spot colours can add class and luxury to your branded products and literature

There are a number of reasons why you would use a spot colour when printing. The most basic of these is to try and recreate a unique colour that is just not possible to create with the usual four colour process printing, but there are other advantages too.

Colours like vibrant oranges or bright greens stand out and look better when made using a spot colour. The same is also true when trying to print metallic or fluorescent colours, which the regular printing process can’t get anywhere near.

Why are Pantone spot colours different?

The Pantone Matching System (PMS) removes the elements of chance and guesswork from colour matching. If trying to match colours by eye or relying on the colours on a monitor, the printed product may look very different. Using the Pantone system, designers and clients can refer to a range of colour swatches and specify Pantone numbers to ensure that their colours match without having to guess. It’s an incredibly reliable system that delivers colour consistency.

Using PMS colours creates established and accurate standard that can be used throughout your branding and printing process. So even if you’re working with different printers or technology, the colour remains the same. It also means that you can operate outside of the standard CMYK range, produce bold and individual colours and make sure that all coverage is smooth, even when printing large areas.

Pantone have also recently announced their Colour of the Year. Each year they choose one colour that sets the tone for the rest of the year. It’s a colour they think represents best the times we are living in. This year they have chosen Greenery.

Metallic and other specialist colours

Sometimes ordinary flat colours don’t quite cut it for many brands that want a luxurious appearance. A metallic colour can add an element of glitz and glamour, making printed products, more eye catching and desirable.

Using special inks with metallic particles, Pantone can help you create shine and lustre. Silver and gold are most commonly used but there is a wide spectrum of around 300 different metallic colours to choose from. These colours include pinks, blues, greens as well as more traditional coppers and bronzes.

To really boost your metallic shine, use coated stocks which offer more ink holdout. With more ink sitting on the paper’s surface rather than being absorbed by the fibres, your colours will really leap off the page.

The perfect finish

To add the final dimension to your colour you could add a top layer of UV varnish. If your prints are to be mailed or handled in any way, this layer will keep the colours looking fresh and vibrant. That makes it perfect for use on business cards, catalogues, presentation documents and more.

If you’d like to know more about using spot colours for your product or design, then get in touch with a member of our team. We will be happy to discuss the options available.