Anybody know how to convert CMYK to PMS colors?

[weiv0004]

I'm working on some letterhead for my boss. I'm not really a designer or anything, I just happen to know how to use the Creative suite. Anyhoo, I put something together in CMYK color mode and now the printer tells me he needs the PMS color codes. Right now I've just eyeballed it like so:

Red (CMYK Code: C=15, M=100, Y=100, K=0) = (PMS 187)
Purple (CMYK Code: C=73, M=100, Y=0, B=0) = (PMS 526)

Can anybody confirm these, or tell me a better way of doing this?

 

[DVK916]

Shouldn't red be only Only Magenta and Yellow. Red is a secondary color formed by Magenta and Yellow.

 

[weiv0004]

Well, It's kind of a brick red. I would imagine that little bit o' Cyan is what makes it that darker slightly purply brick red.

 

[homercles337]

I was a press operator for about 7 years and had to mix ink all the time to pantone specs. This should help. If not, i can find the appropriate conversion for you after Heroes.

 

[weiv0004]

I was a press operator for about 7 years and had to mix ink all the time to pantone specs. This should help. If not, i can find the appropriate conversion for you after Heroes.

Thanks! This is quite helpful.

The Red (PMS 187) matches up with what I'm looking for, but for some reason the Purple (PMS 526) is quite blue on this chart. The CMYK colors match up pretty well, any idea why this is?

 

[homercles337]

Its probably a bad CMYK -> RGB example. You will notice that C/M ratios are quite close. THis would make purple. I guess i can say is "trust me?"

edit: look up additive versus subtractive colors.

 

[DVK916]

Originally posted by: homercles337
Its probably a bad CMYK -> RGB example. You will notice that C/M ratios are quite close. THis would make purple. I guess i can say is "trust me?"

edit: look up additive versus subtractive colors.

Why would it make purple and equal mixture of True C and True M would make True Blue.

 

[homercles337]

Yea, its a bad RGB representation. Nearly all blue (B: 257, R: 64). That is not what a back of the envelope guess gives me for CMYK -> RGB.

 

[GoingUp]

PMS colors and all we're talking about is red eh? 😉

 

[weiv0004]

I vaugly understand the difference between onscreen colors, and printed colors. If I do a google image search for PMS 526, the third Sample appears very close to the color I'm looking for. Do you think this is closer to what PMS 526 prints as, than the blue that shows up on your linked page?

Based off of your linked page, PMS 519 seems to be quite a bit closer to my desired color than 526, do you think I should just go with that instead?

Thanks!!!

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: DVK916

Originally posted by: homercles337
Its probably a bad CMYK -> RGB example. You will notice that C/M ratios are quite close. THis would make purple. I guess i can say is "trust me?"

edit: look up additive versus subtractive colors.

Why would it make purple and equal mixture of True C and True M would make True Blue.

There is about 25% more magenta in the CMYK ratios. This versus the 75% more B than R in the representation on that website.

 

[homercles337]

Originally posted by: weiv0004
I vaugly understand the difference between onscreen colors, and printed colors. If I do a google image search for PMS 526, the third Sample appears very close to the color I'm looking for. Do you think this is closer to what PMS 526 prints as, than the blue that shows up on your linked page?

Based off of your linked page, PMS 519 seems to be quite a bit closer to my desired color than 526, do you think I should just go with that instead?

Thanks!!!

Without a perfectly calibrated monitor and an excellent press operator there is some error with the RGB <-> CMYK thing. I would trust the true pantone color if youre looking at a pantone book. That is where you want to pick your colors. Just go to your local print shop and ask if you can look at their pantone book. Hopefully, you will get one that is well cared for and not ratty.