[wwwkianoushcom]

I'm new to designing so there might be some so called 'stupid questions' so please beer with me.

ok I'm using Illustrator in OSX (10.0) and every time I try to get a colour I like it looks different on Paper to what I have on screen.

Now I know about Pantone colours but I need to know if there is a way to get close to it without having to spend a LOT of money on getting any colour charts and so on.

I need to design Business cards Letter heads and glossy brochure so I need them to all look right.

The place where I'm gonna print all this says he need it in a Pantone code to get it same. but is there any other way of doing this.

I'm pulling my hair out to get this all to work... AAAAGGGGHHHHhhhhh!!!!

Please help.... anyone....?

Kia.

[godzookie2k]

Originally posted by wwwkianoushcom:
I'm new to designing so there might be some so called 'stupid questions' so please beer with me.

ok I'm using Illustrator in OSX (10.0) and every time I try to get a colour I like it looks different on Paper to what I have on screen.

Now I know about Pantone colours but I need to know if there is a way to get close to it without having to spend a LOT of money on getting any colour charts and so on.

I need to design Business cards Letter heads and glossy brochure so I need them to all look right.

The place where I'm gonna print all this says he need it in a Pantone code to get it same. but is there any other way of doing this.

I'm pulling my hair out to get this all to work... AAAAGGGGHHHHhhhhh!!!!

Please help.... anyone....?

Kia.

go to barnes and nobel, find a book with a color chart in it, find the color you want, write down the pantone code, give to printer. I'd recommend the cheap and forever useful book Graphics Master 5

[chris v]

Originally posted by wwwkianoushcom:
please beer with me.


Kia.

>clink!<

Just bite the bullet, and spring for a Pantone book. You should be able to pick one up at any art supply house. If you assign a pantone spot color to something, a printer will understand this, and everyone in the printing business will have a pantone book on hand, so if you spec a color, and it comes out not-that-color, it's the printer's fault.

Also, on large runs, don't be afraid to ask for press checks. That way, you can see the first strike-off, before they all get screwed up.

CV

[art_director]

"Just bite the bullet, and spring for a Pantone book."

-- take those words of wisdom, especially if you plan to do a lot of design work. it is one of the most important tools in your arsenal.

as for getting your screen to match the printed color: forget about it. you will never get a perfect match. a screen image is made with additive color -- the image is made of light. printed pages are partitive color -- the image is physical and reflects light. with today's technology the two will not match.

also, have you calibrated your monitor? that's a good place to start bringing the screen and the printed color closer together.

if you have trouble or if your color doesn't match don't worry. there are too many variables for you to control. they range from the type and age of your monitor, to the vendor that separates your color (4/c that is) and the press operator to name a few. in time you will learn to compensate for these variables.

good luck.

[wwwkianoushcom]

thanks for the repl guys,

I kinda figured that I had to get the Pantone books, I just thought there might be another way that I wan't aware of... and there isn't.

So for the moment what I plan to do, is to go to the printer and ask him for a colour chart and use the code.

But I think the best idea would be for me (or anyone else who might do a lot of this type of work) is to get the pantone colour chart fans.

Thanks again