What are spot colours?
Colours created without screens or dots, such as those found in the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM, are referred to in the industry as spot or solid colours. From a palette of 14 basic colours, each of the spot colours in the PANTONE MATCHING System is mixed according to its own unique ink mixing formula developed by Pantone. You probably mixed yellow and blue paint to get green in your youth. Creating a PANTONE Spot colour is similar in concept, but with the added need for precision.
The precision begins with the printing ink manufacturers who are licensed by Pantone to manufacture inks for mixing PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM colours. To retain their license, they must annually submit samples of the 14 basic colours for approval by Pantone. Printers can then order the colours by number or mix it themselves according to the ink mixing formula in a PANTONE formula guide. A PANTONE Chip supplied with the ink and/or job ensures that the printer achieves the colour desired by the customer.
Colour numbers and Paper Stock
Each colour in the System has a unique name or number followed by either a C, U or M. The letter suffix refers to the paper...