# what pantone color chart to use



## bobabuee (Dec 7, 2006)

what pantone color chart to use in corel draw x3 do you guys use when designing t shirt art work ? ie pantone coated ,un coated ,matte ect...

just want right color whemn i send art to screen printer


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## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

bobabuee said:


> what pantone color chart to use in corel draw x3 do you guys use when designing t shirt art work ? ie pantone coated ,un coated ,matte ect...
> 
> just want right color whemn i send art to screen printer


It's irrelevant because the ink the screen printer will use never looks like transparent paper inks on coated paper because we print opaque inks on knit cotton. You are already choosing spot colors instead of CMYK so you have solved the basic spot color separation problem. You now need to choose from the ink company palette rather than the Pantone palette.

That said, the classic palette has been the Corel 8 Pantone Palette because it was the only palette with WHITE.

Thanks to Corel, _all the Pantone palettes in_ X3 includes transparent white and updated CMYK equivalents for better spot-color substitution. This allows for easier visual referencing of a printer white and an underbase without having to sub in an old Pantone library or use a different color that would print instead of white.


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## Ink Buddy (Sep 29, 2008)

I use the *Pantone Color Guide For Screen Printers* it gives the formulas for ink and works great as a starting point. ALWAYS start with the lightest color of ink and ad the darker colors *slowly*! It's much easier to get ink darker than it is to lighten it up.


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## forward dc (Nov 16, 2006)

many screen printers choose to use the Pantone coated color set since it is closer to the glossy nature of plastisol inks.


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## Ink Buddy (Sep 29, 2008)

I too use the coated Pantone Color Guide. Mixing inks is an art more than a science, since things like curing time, temp, etc. will change the final color anyway. If I have a client that is that picky, I gently suggest they might look elsewhere. They probably won't be happy anyway and one unhappy customer is worse than 10 happy ones.


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## neato (Mar 21, 2006)

Ink Buddy said:


> I too use the coated Pantone Color Guide. Mixing inks is an art more than a science, since things like curing time, temp, etc. will change the final color anyway. If I have a client that is that picky, I gently suggest they might look elsewhere. They probably won't be happy anyway and one unhappy customer is worse than 10 happy ones.


Totally agree. I tell people a 100% match is close to impossible. But we can sure get in the ballpark. It is especially difficult with WB inks since every substrate and color alters the ink color.


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## Flex Apparel (May 23, 2012)

I am using the FORMULA GUIDE Solid Coated & Solid Uncoated.

However, I want to use a Lime/Neon Green for one of my prints and it's not in the book.

I saw a picture of the colour green I want (Attached), but when I put that into the colour finder on Pantone.com, it comes up with a dull, pea green. 

Can anyone help?


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## hdem (Mar 1, 2008)

You cannot make neon colors from primary colors or non-neon pigments. Neon colors are made from special ingredients that are naturally florescent.


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## Flex Apparel (May 23, 2012)

So, no "lime green" like the photo I attached, exists?


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## hdem (Mar 1, 2008)

Every ink manufacturer has a set of neon/florescent colors. I use International Coatings and here is one of their color charts with a few neon colors.

International Coatings -- Color Chart (Screen Printing Products)

Again you can't mix non-florescent colors and hope to achieve a florescent color. You have to start with naturally florescent pigments and compounds.

Luckily there are plenty of those colors available from your favorite ink manufacturer!


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## INKFACE (Jan 23, 2013)

Can someone tell me if there is such a thing as a plastisol ink that finishes flat or matte finish? And if so should I still choose from a solid coated pantone book?


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## hdem (Mar 1, 2008)

INKFACE said:


> Can someone tell me if there is such a thing as a plastisol ink that finishes flat or matte finish? And if so should I still choose from a solid coated pantone book?


You can add about 2% suede additive to any plastisol ink to give it a matte finish after it cures.

You can read more about it here: International Coatings -- Additives & Reducers


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## beanie357 (Mar 27, 2011)

We use the coated as previously suggest, customers relate to shiny .
We have a series of words like less glossy, more muted, to describe wb. 
Unfortunately most customers are overwhelmed with our Pantone gizmo, so we show as well the Wilflex standard color card.


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## INKFACE (Jan 23, 2013)

Awesome, thanks hdem!


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

We found using the color bridge works when you are converting pantone to CMYK as many companies and organizations have pantone numbers for their logo's. The color bridge will get you from pantone to 4 color if you are doing 4 color process and it will show you the difference in the colors.


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## promogirl (Feb 20, 2011)

Still confused - I am a promotional rep, working with many companies, schools, teams, gyms, etc. designing and ordering screenprinted tees. What is the best chart for me to have on hand and show my clients when they want to pick a color for screenprinting? I already have a thread chart for embroidery - does pantone make something similar? Monitors vary too much to be relied on. Thanks!


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

If your using plastisol use the solid coated as this is the Pantone chart that is used for matches. Its best to have a calibrated monitor. You can get a spyder pro for around $150-$200. It will do all monitors. Then you can buy upgrade modules to calibrate TVs, Printers, and other equipment. I had best buy calibrate a monitor as I had a free service. Their monitor profile was no different then what I got witH the spyder. I think the charge $200-$500 to do calibrations. Best thing is as a monitor is use it degrades constantly so depending on your use every 14-30 days it can change. With the spyder it takes about 4 min to calibrate.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

man i was taught 'for screen printing' always use the uncoated pantone swatches.

monitor calibration or not you need to get a pantone swatch book. customers can look at the colors...make sure they sign off on a mockup eyc. so there is no question afterwards.

each pantone color is broken down for you for mixing purposes. like someone else has said tho, you can mix all kinds of colors but you cannot make it flourescent unless you are adding a flourescent pigment.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

miktoxic said:


> man i was taught 'for screen printing' always use the uncoated pantone swatches.
> 
> monitor calibration or not you need to get a pantone swatch book.


All plastisol is mixed based on the coated swatch. Yes a swatch book is needed although a graphic designer should have a calibrated monitor. I have had designers spec out Pantone colors and then say to me well that's not what it looked like on my monitor. Then I pulled out the Pantone book and show them the Pantone they specified is correct. I have calibrated a few of their monitors.


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## miktoxic (Feb 21, 2008)

yeah i know....customers are always correct though...?.?


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## promogirl (Feb 20, 2011)

Thanks everyone - will get a coated swatch book.

It is tough with monitors, regardless of whether mine is calibrated, so much is done by email and theirs may not be! I tell clients to printout, have their designers give me either cmyk or pantone, something, never perfect. Ive sent clients to color charts on line, especially since many of my clients are out of town and get drop shipped, but again, depends on thier monitors!


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