Difference between Pantone Solid Uncoated and Pantone Solid Matte? - Adobe Tools

There may be a minor difference in the ink mix. All spot colors are "mixed" using a formula an ink mixer uses to match the spot color on press. The "swatch" itself may be the same percentages between the two, but the difference is identifying the type of spot color which will show up on plates when the file is separated to direct-to-plate setter.

Most spot colors are opaque, whereas 4c process inks are semi-transparent. In some cases, depending on the colored paper, an apaque White may need to go down first because the spot color is spec'd using a White paper stock. So, in order to keep the color's true color intact, it may have to go over a white. Pantone metallics look good on colored paper, but sometimes they need a double-strike to hold up on some dark colored stocks.

I believe the ink formulas will be the same for matte, coated, and uncoated. The only difference is the paper that the samples are printed on. However the computer formulations probably differ slightly in an effort to match the paper samples as closely as possible.

I was wondering if there are OPAQUE pantone inks that can be used over
colored paper stock?




You have to realize that there are not 2000 different Pantone inks. I think it is less than a dozen. These inks are mixed in various proportions to give the various Pantone colors. Therefore I doubt that you can match Pantone colors with fully opaque inks.

Not to scare you, but Pantoe Corp updates its colour definitions every couple of years...

most pressmen I know use the same recipes they have used for years and rely on their eyes and experience to adjust colour and press conditions...

The concept of PMS as a locked consistant system should be taken with a grain of salt.
The same PMS inks from different batchs can vary...

Trust your printer and follow his advice...if you can't, find another

I know they have changed definitions at least once, but I don't know that it is a regular occurrence. They recommend you buy new swatches every year, which is a sales ploy, based on the fact that printed colors fade over time, and only new swatches can be completely accurate.

I know in many print shops there is a hierarchy of swatch sets, where new ones are bought for the top salesmen and press foremen, who pass on their year old copies to lesser sales people and pressmen, and so on down to the bottom of the pile, the estimators who can work with an old set since they only need to calculate the ink costs for defined colors.

In addition to ink colors migrating off the mark, the paper they're printed on oxidizes. I've found that keeping my Pantone swatchbooks in a closed tin, in a cabinet, away from heat, etc., etc. considerably prolongs their lives. Clean hands with minimum handling of the inked swatches themselves keeps them in shape longer as well. And I never leave them out when not in use.

Neil