Spot Color (Definitions for Designers) Naming Conventions Spot colors are simply colored inks. The range of ink colors available and means for specifying these inks depends on the color system used by your printer. Printing Services uses the Pantone color system. There are over a thousand colors available in the Pantone color system. Each color is specified with a label which usually takes the form PANTONE xxxx CVC  The xxxx is usually a number in the hundreds but can be in the thousands. A Pantone color can also have a label like PANTONE Reflex Blue CVC. All designers should definitely have a current version of a PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM color guide. These are the best way to see what the ink you choose is going to look like once it is printed; choosing the color by its appearance on your computer screen is unreliable and inaccurate. Confusing Spot and Process Colors Since each spot color results in a different piece of film when the job is sent to the image setter, it is critical that the colors be specified correctly in all your software packages and graphics. One common mistake is to confuse spot color definitions and process color definitions. You have to explicitly tell the software one way or the other. People often just go into the color definition window and make a new color without considering whether it is a spot or process, and the result is the color is set to whatever the default for the software was. Your odds are not good for ending up with the correct default; less than 50:50 since there are often more choices available. [Back To Articles]