The Pantone matching system has been around now for almost 50 years, setting standards in colour production the world over. This month saw the release of the Pantone Plus Series which comprises of 566 new colours, a revised chromatic colour flow, and a set of digital tools.
Most designers I know would say that it was about time this update came around, after all the more options available, the greater the palette we have to work with on daily basis. The fact that they have addressed the order of colours to make colours easier and more logical to find makes this a welcome development.
This evolution provides designers and printers with new features and capabilities. Enhancements include the chromatic arrangement of colours for more intuitive selection, 224 new spot colors, the addition of 300 new premium metallics and 42 new ’neon’ inks. All books in the Plus Series are printed on text-weight paper (glossy 148gsm, uncoated 118gsm).
Ron Potesky, senior vice president and general manager of Pantone said in a statement announcing the update:
“Pantone Plus takes what designers and printers know and love about the Pantone Matching System and supercharges it with a host of new features, colours and digital tools…”
“The Plus Series provides designers with greater freedom for selecting, specifying and matching colour. And, since the Pantone Plus Series is based on the widely used Pantone Matching System, there’s no training or new equipment required to start pushing the boundaries of creativity.”
As part of the launch Pantone also released a fascinating mini documentary giving an insight into the way it works… view it here.