Pantone Plus Series offers new colors, chromatic arrangement
updated 06:35 pm EDT, Mon May 10, 2010
Next generation of Pantone Matching System
Pantone has introduced the Plus Series, the latest version of the company's popular Matching System color space. The Plus Series has been modernized and updated with a variety of new features, colors, and integration options.
The latest edition provides all of the original colors of the Pantone Matching System, which utilize the same reference numbers. To make the system more organized and intuitive, the broad range of colors have been reorganized into a chromatic arrangement. All guides also include a ColorChecker Lighting Indicator which can be used to determine if ambient lighting conditions are acceptable for accurate color evaluation.
The Formula Guide and Solid Chips include 224 new solid colors, bringing the total up to 1,341 colors. New additions are formulated with the same 14 ink bases familiar to the Matching System, while each new color is produced using consistent ink-film thickness for better printing results.
The Premium Metallics category has been expanded with 300 new, non-leafing metallics designed for greater brilliance without sensitivity to coating. The Pastels & Neons also includes new offerings, with 154 pastels and 56 neon colors.
Pantone includes its Color Manager software with every purchase, enabling users to update third-party software with the latest colors. A public beta will be available in June, alongside Digital Libraries for Adobe and Quark applications. Users can also download myPantone and X-Ref companion apps for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
The Pantone Plus Series is now available directly from the company or resellers, while the new Color Bridge is expected to ship in June. Pricing varies by package options, with specific guides as low as $69 and certain sets up to $259. Through the Pantone Chip-in program, customers can trade in old Pantone products for a discount on upgrades to Pantone Plus Series.
