Press Dot Gain for Pantone Colors

[indy jones]

We calibrate our press based on G7 methodology. What should the dot gain for Pantone colors on press?

 

[gordo]

We calibrate our press based on G7 methodology. What should the dot gain for Pantone colors on press?

Many folks use the Black printer as the anticipated dot gain for Pantone colors.
Some use the closest process color (in L*) to the Pantone color as the anticipated dot gain for Pantone colors.
Others do a press test or keep records so that they can fine tune the dot gains for Pantone colors over time.

BTW, in my experience, Pantone inks are generally not formulated to be halftone screened (or wet trapped). When ordering the ink make sure you tell your ink supplier that the ink will be screened (and wet trapped if that is the case).

best, gordo

 

[chevalier]

There was a really interesting and informative article about spot colors and TVI in a recent IDEAlliance bulletin. I couldn't find it quickly but I'll see if I can dig up a link.

Here in folding carton land screening and overprinting with spot inks is pretty much an every day headache. Screening dark blues like Pantone 288 is always a nightmare and a complaint generator. If you reformulate the solids won't match and if you don't reformulate the screens look terrible. Try telling the designers they shouldn't screen colors like this? Dream on!

I implemented a policy where run a report on our enterprise system where spot colors are listed by volume used. We take the 10 top or so and create calibration curves for them if needed when we do our CMYK calibrations.

 

[chevalier]

Found it!

IPA Bulletin : 1st Quarter 2013, Page 20 "Measuring TVI of a Spot Color" by John Seymour