1. Pure violets, greens and oranges are very difficult to match using four-color process printing. To achieve vibrant colors, a fifth spot color or 6-color high-fidelity printing can be used.
2. Fluorescent and metallic colors cannot be achieved by using four-color process printing. A spot color is necessary for printing the fluorescent and metallic colors.
3. For a rich black use a mixture of 40%C, 30%M, 30%Y, & 100%K instead of just 100% black. The combination of all of these colors in the correct proportions will create a black with a darker appearance.
4. Only 50% of the PANTONE colors can be closely simulated using four-color process printing, but nearly 90% can be simulated with the use of high-fidelity printing.
5. Pantone colors in desktop software are not always the same. Always check the built-in percentages.
6. Never trust the color on the monitor. It is always best to use the color values and percentages.
7. Banding can often occur in gradient blends (vignettes). Banding is the visible lines between the color changes in the gradient. To help eliminate banding, limit the change in a color to no more than 75% from end to end. For example, instead of going from 0% cyan to 100% cyan, start at 10% and end at 80%. If you are using PhotoShop to create the gradient, try adding a pixel or two of noise from the noise filter.