By Kyle Bauer, Creative Director, Konhaus Print & Marketing

When designing a logo or other printed marketing material, one of the most important things to be aware of is the use of colors and how those colors will be translated when printed.

Close Enough Isn’t Good Enough

The CMYK color model uses four colors (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) in combination to print the desired color. However, when using CMYK, there is a chance of your color looking a little different each time it prints, depending on the calibration of your printer. For example, the blue you intended to print may come up a little lighter/darker than expected.

If printing only one copy of something, this inconsistency doesn’t matter much. But if you’re printing business cards for all your employees, “close enough” just isn’t good enough. Keep your brand consistent.

Keep it Consistent

This is where Pantone comes in. Pantone is a standardized color matching system (Pantone Matching System, aka PMS), used to identify colors.

Pantone colors (sometimes called “spot” colors) are referenced by a number or name. There is a predefined color that should be printed when using a Pantone color. This can be checked against a swatch book to be sure colors match. By standardizing the colors, different vendors can all reference a Pantone color, making sure it remains consistent.

Since color dramatically increases brand identification (which, in turn, can boost sales and engagement), it’s crucial that color remains consistent across all expressions of the brand, whether online or in print. ALWAYS use Pantone colors for your logo.

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