In digital printing, it can be a time consuming exercise to either try and match a known colour, or achieve a desired colour without plenty of trial and error. It usually means making adjustments to the artwork, printing it again, and determining if the colour is appropriate or not.

For this purpose, I’ve created a 2pp A3 file that you can download here that has all cyan, magenta and yellow values (in increments of 10%) as well as black values (in increments of 10% up to 70%).

Keep this file on your RIP for occasions where a sample colour needs to be achieved, or if a client would like to pick out a colour to match.

Using this tool is easy:

• Print out the two pages – I recommend doing two single sided sheets (to avoid colour bias that might happen with show-through with the paper stock) but it can be printed double-sided.
• On the first sheet, there are two black cards – cut out the cards, as well as the white holes.
• With the card cut out, place the hole over the printed charts until the desired colour is found.
• With the desired colour in mind, the final colour value can be determined by looking at the top of the particular grid to get the Cyan value, looking to the left of the particular grid to get the Magenta value, looking in the top left corner of the particular grid to get the Yellow value, and depending on the sheet, determining what grey quadrant is used.

If the colour you are trying to achieve isn’t on the chart, remember that:

• This chart is in increments of 10% in order to get a wide coverage of colours, but not all will be achievable;
• Only colours from the printer’s colour gamut will be achievable, so if trying to match a metallic, vibrant or fluoroescent PANTONE colour (e.g. PANTONE Orange 021 C or PANTONE 871 C) this won’t always be possible;
• Toner based printers will give a glossier look as the toner sits on top of the paper, whereas offset printers and high-speed inkjet printers use ink that is absorbed by the paper, so trying to match a coated ink on an uncoated stock printed in a particular way usually won’t be possible.