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kf420
kf420
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Incorrect Pantone Plus values in CS6?

Jan 23, 2013 4:45 PM

Tags: #photoshop #cs6 #creative_cloud #pantone_plus

There is a noticeable difference between color values specified in Pantone books/Color Manager and CS6. For instance, the correct RGB value for Pantone 158 CP should be 228/126/26, whereas Photoshop's RGB value for the same color is 245/127/41.

 

I have a subscription to Creative Cloud and all applications are up to date. When will this be fixed?

 

Screen Shot 2013-01-23 at 4.39.17 PM.pngScreen Shot 2013-01-23 at 4.39.57 PM.png

969 Views   14 Replies   Latest reply: conroy, Jan 24, 2013 11:40 AM
 
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  • Chris Cox
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    1. Chris Cox,
    Jan 23, 2013 5:03 PM   in reply to kf420
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    The Pantone values came straight from Pantone.

     

    There is nothing to be fixed.

     

    You're just confusing several things.

    Pantone CP means CoatedPaper -- it's a specific spot color, so it has LAB values.  It has no specific RGB values, and that color has to be converted into whatever RGB profile you are using at the time (for example: the numbers for sRGB and ProPhoto will be different).  The same goes for CMYK - the spot color has no specific CMYK values and has to be converted (coated and uncoated papers will need different numbers, as will different ink types).  Pantone does have suggested sRGB values (in an sRGB book that we don't ship), and suggested CMYK values for certain printing conditions (and we do ship some of those).

     
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  • conroy
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    2. conroy,
    Jan 23, 2013 7:46 PM   in reply to kf420
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    Photoshop's Pantone Color Bridge Coated and Uncoated books are defined as CMYK values. The value you get for a given colour, say 158 CP, in a sRGB document varies depending on the Working CMYK profile and conversion options revealed by the More Options button in Color Settings.

     
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  • kf420
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    3. kf420,
    Jan 23, 2013 6:20 PM   in reply to Chris Cox
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    Pantone does have suggested sRGB values (in an sRGB book that we don't ship)

     

    In my understanding, the purpose of Color Bridge book is to ensure color consistency across multiple applications. So if I were to use the same color in a Photoshop comp, PowerPoint presentation, and an ePub file, it would have the exact same HEX value in all of them.

     

    Our team is working on a large project. In some applications color values have to be entered manually, in which case Pantone Color Bridge values are used. How can I get those in CS6 other than entering them all by hand?

     
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  • Chris Cox
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    4. Chris Cox,
    Jan 23, 2013 6:31 PM   in reply to kf420
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    No, you don't seem to undestand the Pantone books.

     

    The Color Bridge provides suggested CMYK values for specific printing conditions to simulate the actual Pantone spot colors (many of which are outside of that CMYK gamut).

     

    And hex value are not colors, just numbers.

    Again, the numbers will have to differ depending on the RGB colorspace involved.

    And the numbers will only be correct if the application correctly color manages them (ie: sRGB numbers don't look right on an Adobe RGB display unless the application converts the numbers to Adobe RGB).

     

     

    You appear to be mis-using the Pantone values in your case, based on a misunderstanding of color and the Pantone books.

     
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  • kf420
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    5. kf420,
    Jan 23, 2013 6:51 PM   in reply to Chris Cox
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    The Color Bridge provides suggested CMYK values for specific printing conditions to simulate the actual Pantone spot colors.

     

    Understood, but it also provides RGB and HEX values. Here's an excerpt directly from Pantone website:

     

    "...COLOR BRIDGE can be used to select and specify solid PANTONE Colors, to determine how a PANTONE Color will appear when reproduced in CMYK, or to create optimal display of PANTONE Colors on monitors and web pages. HTML and sRGB values are provided, for applying color selections across media..."

     

    Am I misreadng this?

     

    The files in question all have sRGB color profile and are viewed on sRGB monitor.

     
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  • Chris Cox
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    6. Chris Cox,
    Jan 23, 2013 7:31 PM   in reply to kf420
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    Ah, yes, their Color Manager app (had to go look it up) will show you RGB and CMYK values.  But again, it's just values for specific conditions to simulate the spot colors.  Photoshop doesn't include the suggested sRGB values for the Pantone colors, just the more accurate spot color definitions and some CMYK versions that are widely used.

     
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  • kf420
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    7. kf420,
    Jan 23, 2013 7:49 PM   in reply to Chris Cox
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    Thanks! Good to know.

     

    So back to my original problem Which RGB/HEX values should I be using in website mock-ups and specifying for client in a style guide?

     
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  • conroy
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    8. conroy,
    Jan 23, 2013 7:56 PM   in reply to kf420
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    You can create and save a set of swatches for your project where each colour is defined as an RGB value (copy the hex from your Pantone utility, paste into the Photoshop Color Picker and click "Add to Swatches") and given the Pantone Color Bridge name. The Swatches panel can display as "Small List" or "Large List" so each colour and its Pantone name are seen.

     

    Screen-shot-2013-01-24-at-03.53.41.png

     
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  • conroy
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    9. conroy,
    Jan 24, 2013 4:54 AM   in reply to conroy
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    I'm glad that helped. Contrary to Chris Cox's accusations, you were attempting to use the Pantone Color Bridge Coated book correctly, and the problem was that the Photoshop book's colours are wrongly defined as CMYK values instead of RGB/Hex values.

     
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  • ColorWerx
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    10. ColorWerx,
    Jan 24, 2013 5:16 AM   in reply to Chris Cox
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    "CP" stands for Coated-Process, just as "UP" stands for Uncoated-Process.

     
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  • Chris Cox
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    11. Chris Cox,
    Jan 24, 2013 10:32 AM   in reply to conroy
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    A book that defines CMYK values really shouldn't contain RGB hex values...

     
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  • kf420
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    12. kf420,
    Jan 24, 2013 10:58 AM   in reply to Chris Cox
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    Color Bridge book, if you have ever seen one, defines 3 things:

     

    • CMYK values - for spot color simulation in 4-color printing
    • RGB values - for spot color simulation in sceen-based applications
    • HEX values - for spot color simulation on the web

     

    And contrary to what you have said earlier, and I confirmed with Pantone on this, the RGB values specified in Color Bridge are the best possible match to the spot color itself and not its CMYK simulation.

     

    image.jpg

     
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  • conroy
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    13. conroy,
    Jan 24, 2013 11:39 AM   in reply to Chris Cox
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    Chris Cox wrote:

     

    A book that defines CMYK values really shouldn't contain RGB hex values...

     

    The Pantone Color Bridge books are supposed to contain RGB hex values. Contact Pantone and get the books fixed.

     
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  • conroy
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    14. conroy,
    Jan 24, 2013 11:40 AM   in reply to kf420
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    kf420 wrote:

     

    I confirmed with Pantone on this, the RGB values specified in Color Bridge are the best possible match to the spot color itself and not its CMYK simulation.

     

    Correct.

     
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