Considerations in Color Development
Translation of opaque color into a transparent tint of color is an effective option for taking advantage of the reflectivity of the metal substrate. Many target color chips are supplied as PMS colors chips, printed on a white substrate which impacts the overall color. The interpretation and translation of these colors is a subjective process with limitations and considerations.
Basic Match
A wide variety of PMS colors can be successfully translated into transparent tints of color. Many are a rather straight forward process as illustrated in the blue color chip shown here.
Pastel Colors
Translating a pastel PMS color into a transparent tint is a more subjective process since pale pastel colors rely on white for their muted effect. White is inherently opaque. Adding white to an ink formulation limits the transparency of the color. The challenge is to balance the transparency of the color with the muted pastel effect.
Saturated Colors
Translation of a saturated PMS color into a transparent tint is a slightly subjective process. Transparent tints of color are formulated by adding clear to colors. Adding clear to a saturated color begins to dilute the pigment in the ink. The relative darkness of the base substrate also impacts the overall appearance of the color.
Dark Colors
A guideline to keep in mind when specifying transparent tints of color is that the darker a color is, the less transparent it is. A dark tint requires more pigment and limits the transparency of the color.
Download your free copy of "Color Specifying for Product Identification" for additional information on color development for nameplates and labels.
