Choosing a custom color system (Photoshop)

The Adobe Color Picker supports various color systems:

PANTONE

Used for printing solid-color and CMYK inks. The PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM includes 1,114 solid colors. To select a color, use a PANTONE Color guide, printed on coated, uncoated, and matte stocks.

To simulate a PANTONE solid color in CMYK, use the PANTONE Solid to Process Guide, which displays a visual comparison of 1,089 solid PANTONE colors beside the closest process color match.

PANTONE process guides let you choose from over 3,000 CMYK combinations, printed coated and uncoated stocks.

TRUMATCH

Provides predictable CMYK color matching with more than 2000 achievable, computer-generated colors. TRUMATCH colors cover the visible spectrum of the CMYK gamut in even steps. The TRUMATCHCOLORFINDER displays up to 40 tints and shades of each hue, each originally created in four-color process and each reproducible in four colors on electronic imagesetters. In addition, four-color grays using different hues are included.

FOCOLTONE

Consists of 763 CMYK colors. FOCOLTONE colors help avoid prepress trapping and registration problems by showing the overprints that make up the colors.

A swatch book with specifications for process and spot colors, overprint charts, and a chip book for marking up layouts are available from FOCOLTONE.

TOYO Color Finder 1050

Consists of more than 1000 colors based on the most common printing inks used in Japan. The TOYO Color Finder 1050 Book contains printed samples of Toyo colors and is available from printers and graphic arts supply stores.

ANPA-COLOR

Commonly used for newspaper applications. The ANPA-COLOR ROP Newspaper Color Ink Book contains samples of the ANPA colors.

DIC Color Guide

Commonly used for printing projects in Japan.

HKS

Used for printing projects in Europe. Each color has a specified CMYK equivalent. You can select from HKS E (for continuous stationary), HKS K (for gloss art paper), HKS N (for natural paper), and HKS Z (for newsprint). Color samplers for each scale are available.