Brands invest a great deal of time and resources when selecting a new color to represent their products. If the color doesn't match expectations after printing, runs are wasted, and everyone is left wondering where the color went wrong. Here's a typical scenario. A brand selects a season color for product packaging and communicates that color to the designer. The designer integrates the color into the design and hands it off to the premedia team to convert it into print-ready files. The files a...

디지털 텍스타일 컬러 프로그램을 통해 ROI, 디지털 변혁, 지속 가능성 향상 시장 진출에 차질이 발생하면 모든 종류의 사업에 치명적일 수 있습니다. 패션, 직물 제품, 의류, 신발 브랜드의 경우, 매출 제고 및 브랜드 신뢰도를 구축 / 강화할 기회를 놓치는 것이 가장 큰 우려 사항입니다. 브랜드사는 컬러 승인 프로세스와 같은 사전 단계의 지연으로 인해 디자인 실행 중에 불필요하게 업무가 지연되는 상황을 허용할 수 없습니다. "스타일 트렌드가 계절보다 빠르게 변하는 업계에서는 고객 기대치의 추이를 파악하고 끊임없이 변화하는 시장 요구를 충족하기 위해 신속한 TTM(출시 시간)이 필수적입니다"라고 Printful은 보고합니다. 물론 이러한 필요성은 브랜드사로 하여금 많은 이익을 얻고 입지 확보를 위해 "경쟁사보다 더 빠르고 저렴하게 최신 유행 의류"를 생산하도록 요구하는 시장 세력과 겹치는 측면이 있다고 Fast Company 관계자는 말합니다. 신발과 직물 의류 브랜드사에도 동일한...

스타벅스가 4가지 새로운 축제용 컵 디자인으로 다시 한번 연말연시 시즌을 시작했습니다. 올해 스타벅스의 크리에이티브 디렉터인 크리스티 카메론은 “전통적인 할러데이 컬러를 향상하고 빨간색을 더욱 밝게 보이도록 만드는” 마젠타색 액센트로 우리를 놀라게 했습니다. 할러데이 시즌의 쇼핑의 열기 속에서 패키징은 잠재 구매자의 시선을 사로잡는 데 중요한 역할을 합니다. 그러나 경쟁 우위를 유지하고 브랜드 품격을 유지하면서 끊임없이 변화하는 소비자 선호도에 맞춰 패키징 디자인을 조정하는 일은 어려운 작업이 될 수 있습니다.  이미지 제공: Starbucks Stories & News   오늘은 브랜드 업체가 품질과 매력을 저하시키지 않고 할러데이 패키징디자인을 신속히 제작할 수 있도록 도와주는 몇 가지 주요 전략을 공유하겠습니다.   패키징 디자인을 신속히 전환하기 위한 5가지 전략 민첩성과 유연성 유지. 변화하는 시장 요구를 충족하...

When all of final production packaging comes together on the store shelf, it’s a brand’s moment of truth. Do the stand-up pouches, overwraps, and corrugated POP displays match? How close is the color to its standard? We know you spend so much time and money designing, proofing, sampling, printing, and shipping… so where does the color go wrong? Is it an issue with accuracy, consistency, or both? Package designs come together on the shelf. Here you see pouches, labels, cartons, and corrugated wit...

소비자의 선택에서 모든 것은 2~7초 안에 결정됩니다. 그렇습니다, 소비자는 이 짧은 시간 안에 자그마한 스냅샷을 보고 상품에 대한 대부분의 구매 결정을 내립니다. 바로 이것이 마케팅에서 흔히 거론되고 연구되어지는 "First Moment of Truth" (FMOT) 입니다.      FMOT에서 컬러는 매우 중요한 요소이며, 그 영향력을 생각해 볼 때, 컬러가 소비자의 주의를 끌고 소통을 해야만 합니다. 이 것이 바로 올바른 컬러가 만들 수 있는 영향력이며, 브랜드와 소비자 간의 관계에 매우 중요한 역할을 합니다.  브랜드 매니저 또는 패키징 디자이너로서, 많은 시간과 에너지를 쏟아 제품의 알맞는 얼굴을 제작합니다. 제품의 패키징과 언박싱은 제품 어필 그 자체에 추가되는 소비자와의 경험과 소통이 반복적으로 이루어집니다. 이것이 제품과 소통할 때마다 소비자 경험에서 일관성이 생기는 구성 요소 입니다. 특히 패키징 대량 생산의 경우 출력된 패키징...

When someone says “apple,” do you think red, green, or yellow? What do you do if a customer asks you to produce a color using descriptions that are not specific enough? Check out how something as seemingly simple as color communication can determine whether your color program succeeds or fails. A picture may paint a thousand words, but words alone do not paint a thousand colors. Circular conversations about color happen everyday. They generally start with someone asking for a sligh...

Does your quality control program include visual evaluation? If not, it should. Using the SpectraLight QC as part of a color evaluation workflow. No matter your industry, judging color is more than just measuring samples with a color measurement device. Just because a spectrophotometer says your color is within tolerance, doesn’t necessarily mean it will look right to the human eye. To minimize customer rejects, your color control process needs to include visual evaluation in a light boo...

제품 또는 포장 인쇄를 담당하는 사람이라면 누구나 오렌지와 같은 일부 색상은 CMY 잉크만을 사용하여 재현하기가 너무 어렵다는 것을 알고 있습니다. 네 번째 색상인 검은색(K는 키 컬러(Key color)를 의미)은 종종 감산 색상 인쇄 응용 프로그램에 추가됩니다. C+M+Y는 실제로 C, M, Y의 잉크 불순물로 인해 탁한 갈색을 만들기 때문에, 검은색 잉크를 별도로 첨가하면 CMY만으로는 달성할 수 없는 깊은 색과 톤이 생성되고, 게다가 그림자에 밀도가 더해집니다. 이러한 4색 인쇄를 CMYK라고 합니다. 이번 포스팅에서는 프린터가 CMY의 영역을 확장하여 잉크를 절약할 수 있는 다른 방법에 대해 알아보겠습니다. 인쇄기에 Gray component replacement (GCR) (GCR)와 스팟 컬러를 사용하면 더 선명하고 생생한 색상을 만들 수 있습니다. GCR & UCR 1980년대에 GCR (Gray Component Replacement)라고 ...

This time of year, the internet is full of Top 10 Countdowns. It’s a tradition we’ve embraced since 1940 when the Billboard published its first chart ranking the top selling recorded songs. Since then, others have jumped on the bandwagon to highlight the most popular trends of the previous year.   We’ve been publishing our top-read blogs since 2016, and we’re happy to see some educational topics like color perception, tolerancing, and spectrophotometers continue to r...

It’s important to ensure design intent is realized each time and everywhere a product appears. But with so many variables to impact print quality, how can brands utilize suppliers around the world and still achieve consistent color? Our X-Rite Pantone Packaging Color Experts have designed a series of consulting services and workshops to help you get the most from your print, packaging, plastic or textile value chain.   Offered both online and onsite, these interactive sessions i...

브랜드 컬러 선택, 새로운 제품 라인을 위한 팔레트 제작, 계절 패키지 디자인 작업을 수행할 때 영감은 색상 선택의 핵심 단계입니다. 영감은 일상적 장소에서 얻을 수 있으며, 예를 들면 다음과 같습니다. 파티. 식료품점. 스포츠 이벤트. 대자연. 대자연은 가장 아름다운 컬러 팔레트를 만드는 재주가 있습니다. "2022/2023 가을/겨울 컬러는 풍부한 톤과 함께 편안하고 회복력 있는 다양한 컬러를 통해 고요함과 편안함에 대한 우리의 욕구를 활력 넘치는 에너지와 대비시킵니다."라고 Pantone Color Institute의 전무 이사인 Leatrice Eiseman이 말했습니다. “우리가 모순으로 가득 찬 환경으로 나아갈 때, 2022/2023 가을/겨울 색상을 통해 소비자는 다양한 대비 색조 사이를 유연하게 이동할 수 있으며, 따라서 그들이 자신의 정체성과 그날의 느낌을 자발적으로 표현할 수 있게 해줍니다” 디자이너는 소비자를 유혹하는 다양한 색조와 조화로운 ...

분광측색계를 교정하는 이유는 무엇일까요? 대부분의 경우 오늘날의 측색 장비는 100% 디지털 방식입니다. 실제로 내부에는 전구를 제외하고는 아날로그 부품이 거의 없습니다. 이전의 아날로그 제품보다 더 안정적이지만 허용 오차가 훨씬 작으므로, 이러한 엄격한 사양 내에서 유지하려면 정기적인 분광측색계 교정이 필요합니다. 전구 안정성 장비를 사용하면서 전구를 계속 켜고 끄게 되므로 그 특성이 바뀌기 시작합니다. 분광측색계 보정은 전구의 이러한 빛 생산 능력의 변화를 보정합니다. 신중하게 보정하면 전구의 수명이 다할 때까지 몇 달 또는 몇 년 동안 장비를 안정적으로 유지할 수 있습니다. 타일과 렌즈 청결 장비 내부에는 정의된 흰색과 정의된 검정색이라는 두 개의 색 공간 포인트에 대한 설정이 있습니다. 애초에 공장에서 백색 교정 타일을 정의하기 위해 전체 반사율 곡선이 작성되었고, 검은색 트랩 내부의 검은색 포인트를 정의하기 위해 전체 반사율 곡선이 작성되었습니다. 흰색과 검은색의 정확한...

색상이 중요하다고 말하지만, 중요한 이유를 아세요? 사실 색상은 제조 공정에서 매우 중요한 요소입니다. 유감스럽게도 많은 제조업체는 올바른 컬러를 얻는 것이 예전보다 훨씬 어렵다는 것을 깨닫고 있으며, 그들이 거래하는 브랜드는 더 엄격한 허용오차를 충족하도록 요구하고 있습니다. 그 이유는 다음과 같습니다. 색상 기술의 발전(예: 메탈릭 포장, 펄 광택 피니시, 맞춤형 직물 및 생동감 있는 새로운 컬러)이 고객을 유혹하지만 일관성 유지 작업은 훨씬 어렵게 만듭니다. 예를 들어 복합 데크를 생각해보세요. 예전에는 회색 또는 갈색의 두 가지 선택이 있었습니다. 그리고 데크 전체에 조화가 있는 한 고객은 만족했습니다. 그러나 이제는 짙은 나뭇결 패턴과 이국적인 컬러 등 다양한 옵션이 있으므로 제조업체는 두세 가지가 아닌 수십 가지 색상을 관리해야 하며, 일관성을 유지하는 것은 훨씬 어렵습니다. 포장도 또 하나의 좋은 예입니다. 예전에는 인쇄된 상자를 배치했던 매장 진열대에 이제는 호일...

When customers are just getting started with color management, they often ask, "What is the difference between a spectrometer and a spectrophotometer?". With such a minute spelling difference, it's easy to make a quick typo and get the wrong answer for this color question. So...what's the difference? Spectrometers vs. Spectrophotometers    What is a Spectrophotometer? A spectrophotometer is a color measurement device that is used to capture and evaluate color on just about anything, in...

In this series we’ve been discussing the many factors that impact how we see color, and what we can do to ensure the color we see is accurate. Light, retinal fatigue and background effects can influence our perception of color. Today we’ll look at the limitations of the human eye and brain, and talk about how to detect these characteristics, especially for individuals responsible for evaluating and judging color. Are YOU color deficient? Read on to find out. (Spoiler alert: There’s a test at the...

There are many things that affect our ability to see color. In some cases, it doesn’t matter if the red you see is the same shade I see. A barn is a barn, right? But for those who work in an industry where color evaluation is part of the job, it IS important… VERY important. In our color perception series, we’re discussing the many factors that affect how we see color and what colorists can do to ensure that the color they see is the color they are supposed to see. Today we’ll take a closer look...

There are many things that affect what we see. Optical illusions aren’t just fascinating; they teach us about how we visually perceive our surroundings. In our Color Perception Series, we shared some of the factors that affect how we see color and the impact it has on manufacturing. In honor of April Fools' Day, we’re taking a closer look at some of the ways our brain, eyes, and the environment can influence what we see. April Fool #1: Your Brain Let’s start with the power of t...

Last week Pantone announced the Pantone Color of the Year 2020 - Very Peri (PANTONE 17-3938). The Pantone Color of the Year announcement isn’t just important for designers. Since this color will set the stage for upcoming trends, brand owners should also take notice to capitalize on this trending color. Bring Very Peri to Market, Fast. Is Virtual Design the Answer? The fashion and apparel industry began embracing virtual design years ago. Luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, ...

Color measurement is used to specify, quantify, communicate, formulate, and verify color quality for color critical work. Because everyone perceives color differently, color measurement is more precise than visual evaluation.  How to Measure Color Wavelength To measure color, a color measurement device called a spectrophotometer shines light onto a sample and captures the amount of light that is transmitted or reflected in the 380 nm to 780 nm wavelength range, which is the wavelength rang...

Learn about light, reflection curves, optical brighteners, and more.     Illuminants Electro magnetic radiation in the wavelength range from 380 nm to 730 nm is seen as light by our eyes. Low wavelengths show as blue light, then the spectrum continues from green to yellow, orange, and red. UV radiation is located in the range below 380 nm; the range above 730 nm is called infrared radiation. The visual impression of a colored body changes by the composition of the incoming light. ...

2020 forced manufacturers to rethink the way they work. Around the globe, COVID put a hard stop on the travel required to approve prototypes and delayed the shipment of physical samples. Many brands started looking for ways to use digital color samples to keep production moving but struggled with the inability to replicate how a color sample would look on a prototype. The PANTORA desktop application closes this gap. With PANTORA, users can capture or import spectral samples and store, manage, vi...

COVID-19 has forced many companies to rethink the way they communicate, approve, and produce color.  For some, that means trying to conduct “business as usual” from a remote location. For others, it means finding ways to manage color without travel. Either way, we know our customers are doing everything they can to sustain business while keeping their employees healthy and safe. We want to help. Over the past few months we’ve been adding new resources to our virtual resou...

Black Friday. Not only is it the much anticipated start to holiday shopping, it’s also a day manufacturers have been preparing for all year long. Whether mass-producing holiday cards, candy canes, plastic toys, or festive clothing, accurate color is a must. Manufacturers can’t ship two of the same toy if they won’t match on the showroom floor, and holiday sweaters that are a shade off will end up at a discount store instead of a fashion boutique. Perfection is especially import...

Recently we had the opportunity to sit down with Laura Guido-Clark, a consumer products designer of color, material, and texture. She has been dubbed an “Experience Consultant,” which reflects her interest and study of human reactions to the look and feel of new products.   Photo by Laura Flippen. We asked Guido-Clark to speak with us because we also appreciate the importance of color in our lives.   Q. What inspired you to pursue a career in color? A. When I wa...

How much time, paper, and ink do you waste re-printing images because the color isn’t right? Before you blame your printer, consider your monitor. When you work on an un-calibrated and un-profiled monitor, you can’t trust the colors you see on-screen, making it hard to make good editing decisions. Luckily, monitor calibration and profiling is a breeze with i1Profiler software. i1Profiler comes with i1Basic Pro 3 and i1Basic Pro 3 Plus. Wizard-based, it walks you through every st...

Softproofing – the ability to simulate how an image will appear in print right from your monitor – can save a lot of time and effort in your printing workflow. Although many photographers already rely on it, anyone who designs, approves, prepares or prints brand and color-critical images can also benefit. With softproofing, designers can create with actual specified colors (no more trial and error!), project owners can approve layouts without physical proofs (predictable color!), and...

보정된 디스플레이는 사진 전문가들만을 위한 것이 아닙니다. 온라인에서 감성 사진을 검색하거나, 이메일로 컬러 샘플을 주고 받는 경우, 또는 공급자와 고객 간에 색상 파일을 주고 받는 경우 화면에 표시되는 색상을 신뢰할 수 있도록 디스플레이를 보정하고 프로필을 생성해야 합니다.     모니터 교정(Calibration)을 이야기할 때 많은 사람들이 조도, 휘도, 밝기를 혼동해서 사용하는 경우가 많지만, 사실 그 셋은 같지 않습니다. 여기 디스플레이를 올바르게 보정하고 프로파일을 생성하기 위해 알아 두어야하는 사항들이 있습니다.   조도(Illuminance)란? 조도는 빛의 양 또는 표면 위에 떨어지는 빛의 흐름입니다. 조도의 측정 값은 ㎡ 당 lumen(1lm/㎡)또는 lux(1lx) 럭스 단위를 사용합니다.     휘도(Luminance)란? 휘도는 주어진 영역과 방향에 투영된 발광 강도입니다.일반적으로 휘도는 광원에서 방출되...

Whether you’re producing textiles, automotive parts, or plastic pieces, color needs to remain consistent or the final product will be rejected. Unfortunately, there are many ways for color errors to creep in during manufacturing. Creating and using accurate digital color standards is one way to combat these errors. Digital color standards can be used in software to specify and communicate color, formulate colorants and raw materials, and control color quality. They give brand owners peac...

In a highly competitive marketplace, brands and packaging designers are looking for ways to differentiate their products on the shelf. This increasingly goes beyond color to include embellishment options such as foils, special varnishes, soft touch finishes, and more. Designers are also using more intense solid colors, fluorescents and iridescents, and not just with conventional print. Digital solutions allow more variation in packaging and the ability to address shorter runs and faster cycle ti...

Our customers who are now working remotely need to be aware that changing a small variable – such as approving color from home under a different light source, or emailing specifications instead of sending a physical sample – can introduce color issues that risk creating a larger color problem. The first and most critical stage to color control is accurate color communication. These resources will help you get started. The Importance of Color Communication Blog | Many color...

Spectrophotometers (“spectros” for short) are color measurement devices used to capture and evaluate color. As part of a color control program, brand owners and designers use them to specify and communicate color, and manufacturers use them to monitor color accuracy throughout production. Spectrophotometers can measure just about anything, including liquids, plastics, paper, metal and fabrics, and help ensure that color remains consistent from conception to delivery.   &nb...

Phone and computer screens are the window into the digital world of color, but if you are approving colors via email or text you need to be aware of the limitations.  For starters, each of your devices relies on a different color model to display color. Input devices – your camera and monitor – use the additive color model to display color. They start with darkness and add red, green, and blue light to create a spectrum of colors. Printers, on the other hand, use the s...

Does your quality control program include visual evaluation? Lighting plays a huge role in how we perceive color. It can help you verify whether the color of your product is acceptable and ensure it remains accurate in every possible lighting condition after purchase.     Many of our customers are finding visual evaluation to be even more important as they transition color reviews and approvals to a different location, such as in the home office or to another remote environmen...

So much goes into the way you perceive color, including light, genetics, the environment, human traits, and even fatigue. You may also be among the 1 in 255 women and 1 in 12 men who have some form of color vision deficiency. Our online color challenge is a fun way to better understand your color vision acuity.     Regardless of your color vision acuity, if you are communicating, evaluating, or approving color from a new location your eyes may trick you into making diff...

Color has always been a critical factor for our customers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many are now trying to design, specify, communicate and ultimately achieve accurate color from remote locations or with less staff and fewer resources. Are you having trouble maintaining your color program in this unprecedented time?  We've compiled our most popular resources – blogs, videos, whitepapers, webinars, and case studies – to help you connect with your supply chain and ...

Appearance is more than just color. It’s an all-inclusive look at everything inherent to an object, including texture, gloss, transparency, translucency, and special effects like sparkle and shimmer. When viewed from different angles or under different lighting conditions, appearance effects can change our perception of color. That's why it’s important to control both color and appearance throughout design and development.  Durable goods brands use appearance effects to captur...

지난번 포스팅을 통해 디지털 텍스타일 프린팅의 수요가 증가하는 이유와 이러한 시장의 변화가 디지털 프린팅 산업에 미치는 영향력 및 관련업체 종사자들의 당면과제들에 대하여 설명하였습니다. 이번에는 Onsight의 Digital Imaging Expert인 Scott Martin의 도움을 받아, 일관된 디지털 작업 흐름을 위한 디지털 텍스타일 프로파일링에 도움이 되는 팁과 도구를 공유하도록 하겠습니다.  비교적 부드러운 텍스처를 가진 직물의 경우에는, 기존의 디지털 프린팅 영역에서 사용되던 장비를 그대로 적용하는 것이 가능한 경우가 많습니다. 하지만, 표면 질감의 굴곡이 크거나 높은 표면 반사가 있는 직물(코팅된 캔버스)들은 기존 장비를 그대로 적용하는 경우 문제를 일으킬 수 있는 높은 가능성을 가지고 있습니다.    일반적으로 매끄러운 직물보다는 표면이 거친 텍스타일 상에서 색상의 일관성을 유지하는 것이 훨씬 어렵습니다. 또한 형광색상 계열의 표현은 좀 더...

인간의 색 지각에 관한 한 사람의 눈을 속일 수 있습니다. 이는 방대한 양의 정보를 관리하고 최선을 다해 처리하는 우리 두뇌의 속성에 부분적으로 기인합니다. 유전 및 환경과도 관련될 수 있으며, 우리 모두는 색을 약간 다르게 봅니다. 하지만 무엇보다도 빛(LIGHT)은 우리가 일상에서 보는 색상에 가장 큰 영향을 미칩니다.   지나치게 기술적 설명은 피하면서, 빛이 사람의 색 지각에 미치는 영향을 소개하겠습니다. RGB Color Circle 빛의 온도 우리가 무지개(RGBIV)로 알고 있는 가시 색상 스펙트럼은 약 380~720 나노미터의 빛 파장을 가지며 빨강, 녹색 및 파랑의 3원색으로 나뉩니다. 이 세 가지 색을 다양한 조합으로 혼합하여 수백만 가지의 아름다운 색을 만들 수 있는 것이죠. 모두 같은 양으로 혼합하면 흰색으로 인식됩니다.     이것은 가색(RGB) 모델의 기초이자 인간 색각의 기초입니다.   흰색은 색이 없는 것이 아...

지난 몇 년 동안 우리는 순환경제와 옴니채널 마케팅에 대해 많이 들어왔습니다. 이들 각각은 나름 하나의 트렌드이며, 빠르게 인쇄 산업에 수렴하고 있습니다. 2020년에 성공적인 상업 인쇄 비즈니스를 영위하기 위해서는 광범위한 인쇄 기능의 제공뿐만 아니라, 지속가능성에 대한 확신을 심어주고, 폐기물 감소에 대한 노력을 보여 주어야 할 것입니다.   순환경제와 옴니채널의 중요성 순환 경제의 목표는 낭비를 없애고 자원의 지속적인 사용을 극대화하는 것입니다. 폐기물과 오염을 최소화하기 위해 자원을 재사용, 공유, 수리, 재제조, 재활용하는 것에 중점을 두는 순환고리라는 개념입니다. 인쇄업계는 잉크, 재료, 생산 효율성, 폐기물 및 재활용을 고려하는 지속 가능한 녹색 인쇄 공정을 만드는 것이 당면 과제입니다.   옴니채널 마케팅1)이란 고객을 둘러싼 모든 접점에 걸쳐, 회사 메시지를 하나로 통합하고 고객 경험을 증대 키시는 것을 목표로 하는 마케팅 컨셉입니다. 이는 고객...

Durable goods and consumer electronics are no longer destined to be white, gray, and black. In fact, consumers are moving towards more classic colors and special effect finishes like metallics. To capitalize on this trend, brands need to bring innovative designs in new colors faster to market than ever before.   One trending color, the PANTONE Color of the Year 2020, is sure to capture the attention of durable good and consumer electronic brands. It is a simple, timeless, elegant, and endur...

따스하고 자연의 색상으로 가득한 이 방 사진과…  ... 밝고 딱딱한 사무실의 사진과 다른 느낌을 받으시나요? 건축물이 당신에게 "말"을 건넨 적이 있었나요?  색상은 세상의 중요한 구성요소 중 하나 입니다.  색상은 모두가 이해하는 시각적 언어입니다. 색상의 감각적 인식은 우리의 감정에 다양한 방법으로 영향을 미치고 있습니다. 종종 잠재 의식적이기는 하지만, 색상은 건축의 인테리어와 익스테리어 구성에 있어서 근본적이고 매우 중요한 영향을 끼칩니다. 새로운 건축물을 디자인하거나 기존 건축물을 리모델링 할 때, 인테리어와 익스테리어의 색상 조합을 선택하는 것은 단순히 데코레이션을 위한 것이 아닙니다.   돌과 나무 그리고 벽돌과 같은 자연 재료의 색상 및 세라믹 타일과 접착용 시멘트의 새로운 색상, 또한 창문과 문 및 인테리어 마감재의 전통적인 색상까지, 디자이너가 의도한 대로의 분위기를 연출하고 기능적인 면을 ...

Virtual reality has re-imagined the art of apparel and footwear design. 3D design programs like MODO, KeyShot, CLO, Browzwear, Optitex, and Lectra augment the creativity of color and material designers to virtually construct patterns and render realistic 3D garments.  This is exciting technology for brands that want to reduce waste for a greener footprint and accelerate design to keep up with fast fashion. However, designers are notoriously tactile. They need to touch, feel, and gain a...

컬러리미터(색도계) 와 스펙트로포토미터(분광측색계) 는 색을 읽고 분석하고 평가하는 컬러 측정 장비입니다. 색상 측정 장비는 본래 의도했던 색상이 패키징, 플라스틱, 등에서 올바르게 나타나고 있는지 확인할 수 있도록 도움을 줍니다. 이러한 색상 측정 장비들은 겉으로 드러나지는 않지만 플라스틱, 텍스타일, 페인트, 코팅, 프린트 및 패키징 등 컬러가 중요한 산업군에서는 모두 사용됩니다.  색상 측정 장비는 크게 2가지 타입이 있습니다: 컬러리미터 (Colorimeters) & 스펙트로포토미터 (Spectrophotometers) 컬러리미터 (색도계)란?  컬러리미터는 인간이 색을 인지하는 방식을 모방한 방식으로 색을 측정합니다.  장비에서 방출하는 빛이 색을 측정해야 하는 물체의 표면에 반사되면, 장비의 RGB(빨강, 녹색, 파랑) 필터를 통과할 때의 값을 측정해 사람의 눈이 색을 보는 값에 매치(match) 합니다. &...

As we move through spring and into summer, we’re revisiting Pantone Color Institute’s Spring/Summer 2019 Fashion Color Trend Report. This season’s report features the top 12 stand out colors as well as current takes on four classic neutrals.    Images extracted with permission from PANTONEVIEW Colour Planner Spring/Summer 2019.    According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, “This new mindset underscores a...

For the last few Decembers, we’ve provided you with a list of “top color measurement blogs” for that respective year. As we reviewed this year’s list, we noticed that your favorite/ the most-read blogs could be categorized into a few buckets. So, without further ado, here’s 2018’s top blog topics!  2018’s Most Popular Color Measurement Topic: Tolerancing Not to our team’s surprise, Tolerancing – what it is/what it means for your busines...

Each year, Pantone announces its highly anticipated “Color of the Year”. The selection is intended to serve as a strategic direction for design and color-conscious industries as well as a conversation piece around our culture, where it is going and what we collectively need…and it certainly gets everyone talking about color!  Color is no longer just something we see and appreciate - it enhances and influences the way we experience life. Color, as a strategic element of d...

위도, 경도, 고도 등의 지리적 좌표와 같이 컬러 또한  L*a*b* 값을 사용하여, 정확한 색상 값을 지정하고 그것을 기반으로 커뮤니케이션을 할 수 있습니다. What’s the history of L*a*b*? 1940년대에, Richard Hunter박사는 3차원 공간 모델인 Lab을 개발하였습니다. 이 LAB 모델은 인식된 색상 차이를 동일한 공간영역으로 나타내기 위해 구성되었습니다. 31년후, CIE는 Hunter’s Lab의 업데이트 버전인 CIELab을 발표했습니다. CIELab을 올바르게 읽는 방법은 “see-lab” 또는 “L-star, a-star, b-star,” 이지만, 일부의 색상측정 장비나 어플리케이션은 간략화 하여 L,A,B 또는 Lab이라고 표기하기도 합니다. What does L*a*b* stand for?  어떠한 식으로 CIElab을 부르던, 더 중요한 것은 L*a...

Warm weather is just around the corner and spring is in the air!   Fluffy yellow chicks…   Delicate pink tulips…   Soft green sprouts poking through the ground…   And, of course, spring M&M'S®! Advertisers target our springtime emotions through pastel colors. Pastels have a calming effect, and everywhere you look companies are using them to feed our desire to feel a bit of spring. Today we’ll take a look at the psychology of color, how marke...

A senior design leader at a large beverage company recently shared his thoughts on the definition of Design Thinking on LinkedIn, asking other members of the community to contribute their own thoughts alongside his. Hundreds of comments ensued. The post appears to be part of a multi-week campaign to position Design Thinking as a way to approach business problems and garner attention from business executives. And we know that this attention has been hard to capture. A survey of over 600 designers...

Recently we blogged about how appearance affects color. In this article we look at some of the characteristics that impact an object’s appearance, such as texture, gloss, transparency, and special effects, and explain why it’s crucial to describe appearance in the early stages of the design workflow.  While 3D programs have attempted to address appearance aspects for years, there has been a missing link in virtual product design: the ability to integrate characteristically &ldqu...

You think you’re doing everything right, but your color isn’t consistent. Why? Through the years, designers have used many tools to help them specify color. Color swatches, style guides and product prototypes have been effective, but with the advent of the digital world, these physical tools are no longer enough. To be efficient, designers need to be SPECIFIC. X-Rite Pantone President Ron Voigt recently published an article in MediaPost that explains why. To be effective, designers n...

Whether purchasing a new car, consumer electronics, or household appliances, color consistency influences the perception of quality. If the color doesn’t match from front-to-back and side-to-side, customers will likely question the quality and move on. That’s where color measurement can help. In today’s competitive marketplace, manufacturers are going beyond color to utilize extreme effect finishes to differentiate their products. But, as manufacturers are quickly learning, me...

Appearance is more than simply color. It’s a comprehensive look at everything inherent to each unique material we come in contact with, including texture, gloss, transparency, and special effects. Each of these characteristics plays a part and has an effect on overall appearance and understanding in relation to a single material. Objects may have several elements that affect appearance, such as the material’s surface texture, construction, overall geometry and micro-surface. The environ...

Color is our perception of reflected light across the visible spectrum. When light hits an object, it absorbs some rays and reflect others. The color of light that reflects back into our eyes is the color we perceive. The more light an object absorbs, the darker it appears. With black, very little light is reflected. Pure black in the presence of light wasn’t achieved until 2014 when Surrey NanoSystems announced the invention of Vantablack. This high-tech artificial substance absorbs 99....

If you’re reluctant to buy clothing and home decorating products online or in the store because you’re not sure how the color will look when you get home, you’ll love X-Rite’s newest color-matching solution. Color-Eye® uses a calibration card and smartphone app to help consumers shop for items that match or complement things they already have at home, like a paint color that looks great with the curtains, a handbag and shoes that coordinate with a special occasion dress, or a jacket that will ma...

If you recently invested in a spectrophotometer or colorimeter, you know there’s a lot more to learn about color measurement than just how to use your new device. To help you begin exploring the exciting world of color, we’ve compiled seven blogs that explain how to set up your color measurement device, care for it, and use it to its maximum potential. 5 Tips for Setting Up Your Spectrophotometer Using a spectrophotometer (“spectro” for short) to measure color doesn...

Did you read our blog: Are You Using The Right Tolerancing Method? If not, check it out. Today we’re taking the topic one step further to investigate how tolerances are chosen in different industries. A pass-fail tolerance is the amount of color variation that is considered commercially acceptable. In part, tolerances are driven by customer expectations. While color tolerances are very tight in the automotive, plastics, and paint & coatings worlds, they can be much less strict in other...

Consistent color is a journey. A few weeks ago I blogged about the most common pitfalls people run into when starting a color program… Wrong lighting Less-than-perfect color vision Inaccurate physical standards Inconsistent device color measurement …And introduced some inexpensive color tools to help overcome them.   But the journey doesn’t stop there. Even if you’ve been successfully managing color for years, advances in inks, dyes, and substrates are introducing new challen...

At X-Rite Pantone, we pride ourselves on our ability to help customers specify, communicate, formulate, and produce consistent color. You’re probably familiar with our major markets, like plastics, industrial coatings, and print & packaging. You may also be aware of the more “common” things we measure, like paint, printed surfaces, and textiles. But, as you look for the emergency exit on a plane, watch a butterfly float by, or choose the freshest package of cheese from the ...

At X-Rite Pantone, we love color, and we’re passionate about helping you get yours right. That’s why we offer a full-service training program, staffed with Color Experts from many of the industries we serve. From beginner to advanced, lowest investment to highest return, we offer a variety of options to teach you everything you need to know to be successful. Are you new to color, wondering where it fits in your business objectives? Do you already have a color workflow, but ...

If you didn’t catch my Industry 4.0: What Commercial Printers Need to Know article, you’ll want to check it out now. Today’s blog is a continuation, touching on the most interesting print color management tie-ins: PQX, iccMAX, mobile control and new materials. Here’s what on the horizon for color-managed workflows. Image courtesy of Esko.com. Print Quality eXchange PQX was a global effort developed by Idealliance, and is now moving to ISO to be issued as a standard. It ...

As we close out 2016, it’s time to look ahead to 2017 and the upcoming manufacturing trends that will influence how we do business in the New Year. With rapidly changing technology, it’s difficult to know exactly what’s coming next, but we can definitely make some predictions. Over the past year, I have interviewed many customers across a variety of manufacturing industries to learn more about their industry concerns, the design and manufacturing challenges they face, and the t...

Our color measurement devices are used by designers, brand owners, formulators, printers, and manufacturers around the world. Ranging from portable handheld devices, to large benchtop instruments, to spectrophotometers mounted inline, they can measure just about anything to help formulate and maintain a perfect color match. Many of our customers, especially those in the paint industry, are asked to color match some pretty interesting things, and we love to hear about them. We recently asked 40 p...

Our society loves customizing its surroundings. Personalized merchandise preserves memories, and when given as a gift, shows the recipient that you put a lot of thought into the choice. It also creates an emotional bond, and (if done right) encourages brand loyalty.  Image courtesy zazzle.com While the personalized merchandise market used to be dominated by photo books and calendars, advances in technology have opened the door to personalizing a wide range of materials like wood, ceramics,...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! A time to reminisce… to celebrate our successes, and to explore areas that may need a little more attention in 2017. If color accuracy is on your list of things to improve, this article is for you. We’ve compiled a list of the blogs our readers found most helpful and interesting in 2016, so you can start working toward your goal of more accurate color in the New Year. Did your favorite blog make the list? Top 10 X-Rite Blogs of 2016 ...

When judging color, background can be a major distraction for the human eye. In fact, surrounding colors and patterns can actually change the perception of the color you’re trying to focus on. One of the wonderful things about color measurement instruments like colorimeters and spectrophotometers is that they can’t be distracted. They aren’t susceptible to variables such as fatigue, age or color vision deficiency. They aren’t even aware that a surround exists – they...

Passionate about color? We are too. As a company that prides itself on its color knowledge and enthusiasm, X-Rite Pantone is excited about the various ways ArtPrize showcases the power of color. Each fall, ArtPrize installs over 1000 works of art in downtown Grand Rapids, attracting thousands of visitors. By using consistent colors in its guides, signs, banners, flags, and merchandise, ArtPrize creates a colorful map that helps both visitors and locals see the city through a different perspectiv...

Whether it’s using Munsell Color Standards or one of our many color measurement devices, X-Rite helps manufacturers around the world achieve accurate color. We talked to our support team to learn about some of the most interesting ways people have used our equipment to measure and control color. From archeologists to fur traders and gastroenterologists, here are a few of our favorites. In 2014, the city of Los Angeles used one of our handheld spectrophotometers to help remove more than 37 millio...

For many of us, fun in the sun can lead to a summertime tan. The science behind this sun + skin interaction is melanin, a skin pigment our body releases to block the UV rays found in sunlight. The more time we spend in the sun, the more melanin is released, and the darker (or more freckled) our skin becomes. This shift in skin tone doesn’t matter for most people, but for prosthetic wearers even a slight change can be a big deal. Here’s how Royal Preston hospital in the United Kingdom is using co...

When visually evaluating color, everyone accepts or rejects color matches based on their color perception skills. In manufacturing, this subjectivity can lead to confusion and frustration between customers, suppliers, vendors, production, and management. Are these acceptable color differences? This is why color measurement devices are important in so many industries. By measuring colors using a spectrophotometer, you can communicate and compare spectral data for exact results. To aid in color...

1930 년대 무렵부터 패션 규칙으로 메모리얼 데이 전에는 흰색 옷의 착용을 금지했습니다. 부유층이 겨울 옷을 뒤로 하고 가볍고 편안한 옷을 입고 여름을 보내기 위해 해변으로 향하는 것은 지위의 상징이었습니다. 이 규칙이 약간 느슨하게 여전히 적용되고 있지만, 현대 패션은 흰색 옷을 입기 시작할 당시보다 흰색의 밝기에 더 관심이 있습니다. 그렇다면 제조업체는 어떻게 제품을 최대한 흰색으로 만들까요? 형광 증백제란? 형광 증백제(OBA)는 리넨 슬랙스와 실크 블라우스부터 양말과 속옷에 이르기까지 모든 것에 첨가되는 화학 물질입니다. 이 제품은 형광 처리를 통해 옷이 실제보다 더 하얗고 밝게 보이도록 눈을 속입니다. 옷의 하얀색을 강화하고 더욱 하얗게 보이도록 하기 위해 많은 세탁 세제에도 형광 증백제가 들어 있습니다. 이 물질의 작동 원리를 이해하려면 초등학교 과학 수업으로 돌아가야 합니다. 이것은 가시 스펙트럼(우리가 육안으로 볼 수 있는 빛)이며 전자기 스펙트럼의 아주 작은 부...

X-Rite Pantone® brings together the art and science of color to empower brands and packaging converters to deliver on design and color intent for their packaging. Last week we were in Atlanta at HOW Design LIVE 2016, introducing a few new tools that can help designers achieve color fidelity. HOW is a more than just a conference for designers and brands – it’s an inspiration-packed, global creative gathering of the industry’s best. This made it the best place for us to showcase Panton...

Real or fake? When it comes to medicating children, consumers need to know the products they choose are genuine. When you hear the word counterfeiting, do you automatically think of counterfeit money? Unfortunately counterfeiting goes much farther than that. It’s impacting just about every industry worldwide. It is a huge problem for product integrity and results in financial loss. Estimates put counterfeited and pirated goods at some 2 to 2.5% of world trade, with a value of $600 billion or mor...

You’re at the grocery store, trying to choose a new snack. With so many brands on the shelf, how will you decide? If you’re like most consumers, you’ll probably reach for the most attractive package. Color and packaging play a leading role in brand success, and metallized substrates are more popular than ever. Consumers love them because they convey quality and offer additional strength and protection, but for printers, metallized substrates are expensive and make print color ...

Have you ever walked out of the house wearing two black socks, only to arrive at work and realize one of them is navy blue? If so, you’ve been a victim of metamerism. Metamerism is a phenomenon that occurs when two colors appear to match under one lighting condition, but not when the light changes. Metameric matches are quite common, especially in near neutral colors like grays, whites, and dark colors like these. As colors become lighter or more saturated, the range of possible metameric ...

No matter what you’re manufacturing, taking spectral measurements will help ensure your color remains accurate and consistent throughout your production run. When choosing the best spectro for your needs, your first consideration should be the type of surface you’ll be measuring. Measuring reflective surfaces poses a challenge because the effect of gloss can actually change the color appearance of a sample. The surface reflection of light is what causes the gloss effec...

Today is Earth Day. You know the buzz phrase – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – but do you know what it means for your manufacturing process? Designed by Freepik Here are the top three places in a color workflow that can sabotage a company’s sustainability efforts. Not monitoring color throughout production, which leads to expensive rework and wasted raw materials. Incorrect colorant formulation. Are you using too much? Are you wasting the leftovers? Sending color samples back and forth and long approv...

Physical standards are one of the most precise ways to communicate color in many industries, including textiles, print, automotive, paints, food, chemicals, packaging, and plastics. Many brand owners and designers communicate color expectations using physical standards, and suppliers and manufacturers rely on them to capture spectral data for formulation. While physical standards can be a great help, they can also hurt business if they’re not cared for properly. Today we’ll look at five tips to...

Sharing a strong passion for how color can transform a face, mood or even an attitude, Pantone® has once again partnered with Sephora, the leading beauty specialty retailer, to create another extraordinary PANTONE Color of the Year cosmetic collection. Launched on December 26th, the SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE collection includes a 24-color eyes palette, a matte lipstick in each color, and a 5-piece lip gloss set. The first SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE collection was released in 2011 with Tangerine...

Which of these swatches would you call bright red? PANTONE FASHION, HOME + INTERIORS Color Specifier pages Speaking the language of color isn’t like giving someone your phone number and expecting they’ll remember it. Our minds just don’t process color like that. While vague color descriptions are sufficient for many people – “Turn left at the blue house” or “choose the reddest strawberries” – if you work in an industry where color is important, you need to know how to speak a much more spe...