Pantone / CMYK matching question.

[Inhouse Printing]

Hello folks,

We are running jobs for a large convention that has several printed pieces. The Design firm chose to use Paqntone 021c for the primary color. The jobs are color critical and need to match. Some of them will be going in a kit.

We were given files with the CMYK breakdown of 0-78-91-0. It does not match the Pantone 021c. Indesign, Photoshop, and QXP all gives us different breakdowns. 021c was only used for mugs, pens and other none paper products.


Is 021c out of the CMYK gamut?

Is the following true?
Pantone spot colors are intended to be printed as solid inks and not as mixed CMYK colors. Only about 50% of Pantone spot colors can be matched in CMYK. 25% of the colors will be close. And 25% are not even close.

My suggestion is to run them as a 5 color job to include 021c.

Thanks for any thoughts or comments.

Inhouse Printer.

 

[seanryder]

I only run a small 4-color press but you'll never be able to match 021 using cmyk. The design firm should know that if they deal with print. Making it a 5 color job is, I believe the only way. Unfortunately a lot of design firms don't consider press, web and other media when choosing colors.