Convert PMS to RGB / Hex! : pms, rgb, convert

May 17, 2008 10:16am pdt

1. julianop... 20,989
2. D_Brugge 20,198
3. aneeshch... 13,500
4. lherrou 13,152
5. Zeffer 12,500
6. blue-genie 11,375
7. jason1178 7,564
8. wildbroo... 6,696
9. BongSoo 6,425
10. ddhamm 5,486
11. JoseParrot 5,000
12. najh 4,600
13. tagit 4,200
14. trigger-... 4,000
14. robbhill 4,000

1. weed 249,613
2. lherrou 249,437
3. Lobo 178,203
4. shamstar 115,597
5. BongSoo 101,605
6. JoseParrot 84,350
7. D_Brugge 79,783
8. Daydreams 73,921
9. lyonst 66,102
10. Slynky 59,930
11. ddhamm 53,642
12. benmcnelly 52,048
13. wildbroo... 46,096
14. j3one 39,367
15. billmercer 36,350

10.30.2002 at 07:10AM PST, ID: 20386136

	[x] Attachment Details

[x]

The Solution Rating System

With so many solutions, how can you tell which solutions are most likely to help you and which ones are not? To provide you with a tool to use, we rate our solutions based on various elements that most accurately determine if a solution is a quality solution. To explain what factors affect the solution rating, here are the elements we take into consideration when formulating our solution rating.

The Grade of the Solution
The Zone Rank of the Expert Providing the Solution
The Number of Author and Expert Comments
The Number of Experts Contributing
The Feedback of the Community

Your Input Matters
Because of the way the system is set up, the most important variable in this equation is you. As a member of Experts Exchange, you are able to cast your vote on the quality of the solutions in regard to how complete, accurate, helpful and easy to understand each solution is. When you provide your feedback, each rating is adjusted accordingly. So, if you see a solution that has a poor rating that you think is a good solution, let us know by rating it. As you do, the rating will be adjusted and will become more accurate for other members of our site.

If you have any suggestions that you would like to make for our rating system, please ask a question in the Suggestions Zone of Community Support.

Thank you!

6.2

Convert PMS to RGB / Hex!

Zone: Web Graphics Software

Tags: pms, rgb, convert

For our new website, I need a close web match to the PMS colors on our letterhead and other printed matter. Is there some kind of algoritm to convert one to the other, or a website matching PMS colors to RGB, Hex, HSB or CMYK?

(A previous Q, http://www.experts-exchange.com/Web/Q_20234522.html, answers this question using PhotoShop, but I don't actually have PhotoShop...)

Start your free trial to view this solution

Question Stats

Zone: Software

Question Asked By: FlorisMK

Solution Provided By: jbrucejr

Participating Experts: 5

Solution Grade: A

Translate:

Loading Advertisement...

Microsoft

Internet Protocols
Applications

Development
OS

Hardware
Windows Security

Apple

Operating Systems
Hardware

Programming
Networking

Software

Internet

Search Engines
File Sharing
WebTrends / Stats
Spy / Ad Blockers

Web Browsers
New Net Users
Web Development
Chat / IM

Anti Spam
Web Servers
Anti-Virus
Email Clients

Gamers

Tips
Online / MMORPG
Puzzle
Emulators

Action / Adventure
Role Playing
Consoles
Game Programming

Strategy
Sports
Misc
Computer Games

Digital Living

Hardware
New Net Users
New Users

Software
Digital Music
Gaming World

Home Security
Apple
Networking Hardware

Virus & Spyware

Vulnerabilities
IDS
Encryption
Anti-Virus

Operating Systems Security
Software Firewalls
WebApplications
Cell Phones

Operating Systems
Internet
Hardware Firewalls

Hardware

Handhelds / PDAs
Displays / Monitors
Components
Networking Hardware

Peripherals
Laptops/Notebooks
Storage
Servers

Desktops
New Users
Misc
Apple

Software

System Utilities
Industry Specific
Network Management
Photos / Graphics
Page Layout
VMWare
Misc
Web Development

OS
CYGWIN
Voice Recognition
Message Queue
Quality Assurance
Security
Firewalls
MultiMedia Applications

Development
Database
Office / Productivity
Business Management
OS/2 Apps
Server Software
Internet / Email

ITPro

OS
Storage
Encryption
Operating Systems Security
Apple Hardware
Laptops & Notebooks
Servers
Networking Hardware
Peripherals

Devices
Displays / Monitors
WebTrends / Stats
Search Engines
Firewalls
WebApplications
IDS
Vulnerabilities
Email Clients

File Sharing
Spy / Ad Blockers
Web Browsers
Web Servers
Networking
Anti-Virus
Chat / IM
Anti Spam

Developer

Web Servers
Web Browsers
Game Programming
Dev Tools
Industry Specific
Office / Productivity

Database
CYGWIN
Web Development
Search Engines
File Sharing
WebTrends / Stats

Programming
Content Management
Application Servers
Protocols

Storage

Removable Backup Media
Storage Technology
Servers

Grid
Remote Access
Backup / Restore

Misc
Hard Drives

Miscellaneous
Security
Development
Linux
VMWare

MainFrame OS
Unix
Apple
OS / 2
AS / 400

BeOS
Microsoft
VMS / OpenVMS

Database

Oracle
Miscellaneous
MySQL
Software
Sybase
Contact Management
PostgreSQL
Data Manipulation
Clarion
InterSystems Cache

Siebel
MUMPS
OLAP
SQLBase
SAS
GIS & GPS
4GL
Berkeley DB
DB2
Informix

Interbase / Firebird
FoxPro
Reporting
LDAP
Filemaker Pro
MS SQL Server
dBase
MS Access

Security

Misc
Web Browsers
Software Firewalls
Operating Systems Security
File Sharing

Spy / Ad Blockers
Vulnerabilities
WebApplications
IDS
Anti-Virus

Encryption
Anti Spam
Email Clients
VPN
Chat / IM

Programming

Editors IDEs
Installation
Handhelds / PDAs
Multimedia Programming
System / Kernel

Algorithms
Game
Signal Processing
Project Management
Open Source

Database
Misc
Languages
Processor Platforms
Theory

Web Development

Scripting
Blogs
Web Servers
Software
Search Engines
Web Graphics
Images

Internet Marketing
Images and Photos
Components
Document Imaging
Web Languages/Standards
Illustration
WebApplications

Fonts
WebTrends / Stats
Authoring
Digital Camera Software
Miscellaneous

Networking

Protocols
Apple Networking
Network Management
Message Queue
Application Servers
Content Management
File Servers
Email Servers
Misc
Java Editors & IDEs

Wireless
Networking Hardware
Backup / Restore
System Utilities
ISPs & Hosting
Web Servers
Storage Technology
Removable Backup Media
Servers
Broadband

Grid
OS / 2
Novell Netware
Unix Networking
Windows Networking
Security
Telecommunications
Operating Systems
Linux Networking

Other

Community Advisor
Lounge
Community Support
New Net Users

Philosophy / Religion
Math / Science
Miscellaneous
URLs

Expert Lounge
Politics
Puzzles / Riddles

Community Support

Suggestions
New to EE
New Topics
Community Advisor

CleanUp
Announcements
General

Feedback
Input
EE Bugs

10.30.2002 at 08:37AM PST, ID: 7388186

Rank: Guru

weed:

Not that I know of. Even Photoshop has to do a conversion through LaB when switching color modes. There might be a small 3rd party utility at versiontracker.com

11.06.2002 at 07:43PM PST, ID: 7418170

jbrucejr:

FlorisMK

This may seem stupid, but why not just hold your letterhead up to the screen and pick a color that is a decent match.

After you do this, have a few people around you display the page on their monitor and compare what you see to your samples.

If you only have a couple of colors this may be the fastest way. One thing to remember that 99% of the people who will view your web page will see different colors because of the way they have the monitor set up.

Color matching on computers is a whole science in it self and virtually no one outside of graphic artists and print shops even know about it. Every one else just assumes that every monitor shows the "same" thing.

I think that weed would agree with that statement - but I don't want to put words in his mouth.

Let us know if you have found a solution or need more help.

John

11.06.2002 at 11:50PM PST, ID: 7418676

FlorisMK:

Why not? Because I *do* know about color matching (-:

Seriously though: I have the PMS color numbers and was hoping for an easier way than holding my letterhead up to the screen...

11.07.2002 at 05:29AM PST, ID: 7419570

jbrucejr:

FlorisMK

Sorry about assuming that you were among the minority when it comes to color matching.

What programs are you using?

If you have about any Adobe graphics program you can see the RGB or CMYK value given to a Pantone color in the swatch library.

The only programs that I use that have Pantone colors are Adobe programs, but this method may work with other programs.

Create some item on the screen (like a box) and fill it with the Pantone color from the swatch list. Select that item and then go to the color menu and select the color system you want to see the values for.

In Adobe Illustrator you can pick a Pantone color and see the "equivalent" values for the following color system: ( Pantone solid coated 5425C values in parens )
RGB ( 124 150 161 )
HSB ( 197.8 22.98 63.14 )
CMYK ( 30 4 0 31 )
Web safe RGB (7c 96 a1
Grayscale ( 42.36% )

Be careful though as once you pick a new color system the color for that item will be changed to the values that are the best match in that system. This means that if you want to see the RGB values for Pantone 5425C you should not then switch to another system with out returning the color the item is filled with to the Pantone color from the palette. Don't make an item with 5425C fill then click RGB then HSB as the HSB will likely not be the same as if you went directly from 5425C to HSB.

Let me know if any of this helps or if it even makes sense.

John

11.07.2002 at 09:39AM PST, ID: 7421015

FlorisMK:

Makes a ton of sense, John, but unfortunately Adobe is a stranger to my system - CorelSuite is the graphics package I have. No PMS colors there, not that I can find anyway, so here's the deal: how about I give you the values I need and you tell me the parameters like you did for 5425? That will give you the points...

11.07.2002 at 04:12PM PST, ID: 7422549

jbrucejr:

FlorisMK

That sounds great, and I was going to propose this exact idea in my last post, but though you might have some Adobe software.

Post a list - I am doing this from home, and I have some time every evening. I would rather not do 200 conversions, but 50 would not bother me a bit.

Glad I can help.

John

11.07.2002 at 04:50PM PST, ID: 7422646

jbrucejr:

Here is another option.

http://www.pantone.com/products/products.asp?idSubArea=0&idArea=3&idProduct=347&idArticleType_Products=0

Pantone has software that does exactly this - and it is only $40. The link above should take you there.

It can even give you a conversion for a less than full strength pantone color. Like 50% 5425C.

I will still do the conversions for you - I just found this program on the Pantone web and thought it would be of interest.

John

( they used to have 15 or 30 day trials in the past - you might look )

11.10.2002 at 08:27AM PST, ID: 7430795

jbrucejr:

FlorisMK

Did you find a way to get your colors converted??

Just wondering since I have not seen any response to my offer to do the conversions for you.

John

11.12.2002 at 09:39AM PST, ID: 7439175

FlorisMK:

Been enjoying a bout of flu, but here I am...

The colors I need are (according to the guy who produces our letterhead) PMS295 (blue) en PMS431 (grey).

Thanks!

11.12.2002 at 09:47AM PST, ID: 7439209

Rank: Guru

weed:

Pantone Solid Uncoated 295 = R49, G59, B96
Pantone Solid Uncoated 431 = R81, G85, B95

11.12.2002 at 05:51PM PST, ID: 7441128

jbrucejr:

FlorisMK

weed is too fast on the draw!

But I will give you the other color conversions for the 2 Pantone colors you listed.

For PMS 295 Solid Uncoated
RGB ( 6 42 94 )
HSB ( 215.4 93.62 36.86 )
CMYK ( 100 57 0 40 )
Web safe RGB (6 2a 5e )

For PMS 431 Solid Uncoated
RGB ( 82 87 89 )
HSB ( 197.1 7.87 34.9 )
CMYK ( 11 1 0 64 )
Web safe RGB ( 52 57 59 )

I used Adobe Illustrator 10.0.3 (windows) for my color conversions above.

I also checked them in Illustrator 9.0.2 (windows) and as I expected, the coversions were slightly different.

weed's numbers are different from mine - but only by an amount similar to what I saw between the 2 versions of Illustrator.

Hope you are feeling better - and I hope you did not infect this thread with your "virus" ;-)

Take care

John

Accepted Solution

11.12.2002 at 05:54PM PST, ID: 7441134

Rank: Guru

weed:

I did my conversion in Photoshop.

11.14.2002 at 01:50PM PST, ID: 7450254

FlorisMK:

For being thorough and for being the one I negotiated the terms with (-:

But thanks anyway, weed, for your contribution!

11.14.2002 at 04:16PM PST, ID: 7450915

jbrucejr:

FlorisMK

Thanks - glad I could help you out.

John

07.29.2004 at 10:18AM PDT, ID: 11668852

milo_:

Conversion tool from hex to RGB and PMS:

http://www.warpgear.com/pantone/

Sorry, it doesn't seem to go the other way, which is what the OP asked for,
but this may still be useful to some readers.

Milo

06.17.2005 at 11:20AM PDT, ID: 14243741

RoboRubik:

Actually the page milo linked to above does provide reverse lookup of Pantone color to RGB and Hex. It is toward the bottom of the page in the black box.

cvlashua

12.04.2007 at 11:13AM PST, ID: 20405422

warpgear has been stompt by Pantone. It's ridiculous that the PMS has become a standard ... that is, if it is a standard, then it ought to be in the public domain. If it's not, then, the design/printing/paint industries should either demand that it do so, or SWITCH to Lab.

20080236-EE-VQP-29