What Goes Into Pink?
by Jesse Carson It's become a tradition for Arizona Cardinals Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald to honor his mother during breast cancer awareness month. This year, "#ThinkPink" is his motto on Twitter - and he is also backing up his words with his wallet: $1000 per reception and $10,000 per Touchdown for all 4 games in October. If you aren't a fan of the Cardinals, you should become a fan of Larry Fitzgerald. So - thinking pink: thought I'd spend a few minutes explaining PanelCrafters color-matching program, where you can actually get 100 shades of pink plates & panels (or blue, green, grey for that matter). From our "local job shop" roots, PC has been involved in color-matching for over 40 years. Although there have been advancements in technology, there is still no substitute for old school experience. Some colors are more difficult to match than others. Colors you see on your computer screen will never completely match a printed color. In some cases it still comes down to simple trial and error to reach an acceptable match. |  |
"Do or do not - there is not try" - this is the color-matching mantra. Our primary source for the "matchee" is a PMS guide. PMS = Pantone Matching System - a color matching system used for everything from fashion to football jerseys.
For the most part - the substrate (material to print on) is the biggest determining factor in matching a color. Stating the color requirement is PMS 362 is ideal when printing onto gloss-white paper. When you add the challenge of a black anodized rack panel - the ability to match a color can become more challenging. Certain bright colors - pinks and yellows - pick up the background color of the black, and that completely changes the color that was in your ink cup. For these types of colors we need to print a layer of white on the panel, and then print right over the top with the color. This helps yield a color-match that is acceptable.
In addition to the PMS color chart, we can match from a random sample. In the past - we've had customers simply cut the drywall out of the room and ship it to us. We can also work from color chips, samples, or common competitor colors (yes - we can match a Chocolate Brown wall plate). If you say - it's Sherwin Williams "Forest Moon Green" - we will go to the hardware store and get that color chip. [Forest Moon Green is fictitious - Ice Planet White - Desert Planet Sand - all not real] So - remember to "#ThinkPink", and never hesitate to challenge us with a new color-matching problem. It may take us time, but we can match just about anything. (Please - do not send us pets. Your Dog's shiny coat might be a fantastic shade of auburn, but we will not guarantee a 100% match).
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