For many designers, using a pantone color swatch is just not going to be the default choice. CMYK is much easier to use, but is it really the best choice? The picture to the left represents a one color logo with the color choice made in CMYK.

Pantone colors have several advantages when you compare it to the CMYK color process. For instance, the client and you are able to save major cash. When I did the Rock Island Grand Prix logo, I designed it in CMYK and didn’t think twice about it. It contains one blue color. By changing my color pallet from a CMYK color to a Pantone color, I am able to create a more vibrant logo with colors that I know will never differ after the print. I know everything will always be on spot, unlike CMYK where things can be iffy if they so choose. Nobody likes the unexpected from the print shop.

To the right is the logo with the Pantone 539. Here is the kicker. By looking and actually searching for your colors with the swatch book, you are able to make a better, more professional decision about the colors you end up using. Say the client wants pink. It’s very easy, and not as time consuming to just select the pink from the CMYK pallet in the program that you are using. There isn’t any telling what that is going to look like in print until you have printed it. When I look for a pink in my swatch book, I see the varieties between a hot pink and a pig pink. A magenta from an electric pink, etc. This allows me to not only visualize the final product and pre-plan, but it also improves the natural ability of the graphic designer when it comes to making color choices. A strong sense of color in your designs is always a good thing!