Spot Colors:

So if I can't use RGB, how do I get vibrant colors? Spot color, also called pre-mixed inks, are the inks used for printing a specific corporate or accent color. Spot color inks are useful for colors that Four Color Process Printing (aka: CMYK) cannot adequately re-produce.

CDman says: Typically it is harder to print CMYK on a disc face and easier to print SPOT colors which is why it is usually cheaper to use spot colors vs. CMYK on the CD face. The opposite is true for paper parts as print shops all use CMYK as standard inking. Spot colors on paper incure additional charges.

Companies that produce spot color guides (maps) include Pantone, DIC, Focaltone.

Pantone (Spot) Formula guide book.

CDman can reproduce any color from the Pantone Color Formula Guide 1000 (1000 of the most popular colors) as well as the Pantone Metallic Color Guide. We strongly suggest that you do not use any fluorescent colors since they rapidly lose their luster. Please be aware that slight color deviations may occur between color printed on a white surface and the same color printed on the CD’s aluminum colored surface. This is due to aluminum reflecting light (the color might seem darker on the disc than on white paper).

• Pantone 285 is a blue ink that's mixed from the ingredients Reflex Blue (6 parts), Process Blue (2 parts) and Transparent White (8 parts).  In most swatch books, you'll find that Pantone 285 appears more than once, as 285C and 285U.  Pantone 285C is Pantone 285 printed on coated paper. Pantone 285U uses the exact same ink formula, but is printed on uncoated paper, resulting in a different apparent color. If your designing for the CD label face use the "C" version as it simulates more closely the shiny plastic of the CD surface. Note the use of the word 'closely'.
  
  
• Pantone numbers with a dash are not accepted. A Formula number is either 3 or 4 digits NO DASHES (eg: Pantone 185-7 is not available with our company)

When to use spot color on the CD face?

• Always - unless you have been quoted for 4 color CMYK CD face printing.
  
  
• You want to guarantee the color tint for corporate logos.
  
  
• You need three or fewer colors and you will not be reproducing full color photographs.
  
  
• You want clarity in text and crisp lines.
  
  
• You want a metallic effect (fluorescent PMS colors not advised as they rapidly lose their luster).

When to use spot color on the booklet or paper parts?

• You want to guarantee the color tint for corporate logos
  
  
• You want a metallic effect (fluorescent PMS colors not advised as they rapidly lose their luster.
  
  
• You want amazing BRIGHT! colors on paper and have been quoted for PMS spot colors, and are willing to pay associated up-charges.

When not to use Spot Colors?

• When working on your any of your paper parts, unless you have been quoted.
  
  
• In Photoshop do not attempt spot colors unless you are very experienced and can work with Photoshop DCS files. Quark and InDesign templates can import DCS spot colors but expect additional up-charges for us to deal with them.
  
  
• Advanced users tip: if you rely on 3rd party plugins to deal with spot colors in your page layout program we will NOT have the plugins to deal with the file. Simple solution: work in CMYK mode then sub out colors. Eg: Black equals WHITE ink and Cyan equals PMS265.

Pantone Swatch Book Suffixes:

C = coated paper

U = uncoated paper

CV = computer video

CVC = computer video simulating coated paper

CVU = computer video simulating uncoated paper