PANTONE

THE SCIENCE BEHIND COLOR

An observant reader of the pantheon// would have noticed that each issue has its own color that keeps coming back throughout the magazine. Just leaf through this very copy and you will notice that most pages contain some reddish elements. This color was carefully selected by the editors of the pantheon//, based on several requirements: the color should match the theme of the corresponding issue and should also be compatible with both black and white text. This recurring color is referred to as the pantone of the issue.

The official name of this issue’s specific red color, as defined by the Pantone Matching System, is “Tangerine Tango” and is coded by the cryptic label 17-1463. It was given the title Color of the Year by Pantone in 2012. But what does the company really do and how what is their relationship with color?

Pantone LLC is a company that systemizes and investigates color. They help creative people from all fields, from graphic to interior design to select a color for their product. Since all monitors display colors differently, Pantone provides fan books with high accuracy prints of colors with their appropriate code names. Designers use this name to communicate with manufacturers and presses, so they are able to reproduce exactly the same color.

The fan books are printed with spot colors. That means that in order to achieve the correct tint, 18 base pigments are mixed in specific proportions before being applied to the paper. This gives a more accurate representation of color than can be achieved through the conventional CMYK process, where cyan, magenta, yellow and black are applied subsequently to the paper. The difference becomes clear when you look on a CMYK and a spot color page through a magnifying glass. The first method will have dots of the four base colors, while the second will have dots of the same pre-mixed color. Furthermore the Pantone Color Institute performs research on color and its psychological impact on humans. The institute analyzes trends in the global market, that could potentially influence our perception of color. The field of research stretches from the identification of Minion Yellow to Tiffany’s Blue. Based on this knowledge the company makes forecasts on which colors will be popular in the future and provides color consultancy to companies, that need to make important decisions in the design process.

Each December the institute announces a Color of the Year which is meant to inspire designers. According to Pantone it is “…a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our global culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.” For example in 2016 two colors were chosen: a pinkish and a bluish tint, symbolizing gender equality. This year the color was Ultra Violet, representing ingenuity and the mystery of the cosmic future, lying ahead of us.

With similar enthusiasm the pantheon// selects its own Color of the Magazine. Tangerine Tango was chosen for its energy and life, for it’s warmth and friendliness, for the celebration of our 100th issue.//