Adobe InDesign CS3 Bible

Working with Color Models

Once you understand color terminology ‚ and the difference between process and spot colors ‚ you can start thinking about the type of colors you create in InDesign. You will define colors in the Swatches palette. The color models fall into two broad classes:

• Those that let you define a color by selecting a color from a color wheel (which represents a spectrum of available colors) or by entering specific values for the color's constituent colors (the colors that the color is made up of), which include CMYK, RGB, LAB, and Multi-Ink.

• Those that have a predefined set of colors, which you select from a palette of swatches. These swatches include seven variants of Pantone, Focoltone, Trumatch, DIC (Dainippon Ink & Chemical), Toyo, four variants of HKS, and seven variants of Pantone. There are also two sets of colors meant for use on the Web.

  Note ‚

  Most North American publishers use Pantone color models. Focoltone, HKS, and Trumatch tend to be used in Europe. DIC, Focoltone, and Toyo tend to be used in Asia. And everyone uses CMYK.

Keep in mind that the colors displayed are only on-screen representations; the actual color may be different. The difference will be particularly noticeable if your monitor is running in 8-bit (256 hues) color mode. Check the actual color in a color swatchbook for the model you are using. (Art and printing supply stores usually carry these swatchbooks. See the "Using color swatchbooks" sidebar for lists of other sources.)

Anyone who uses a lot of color should have a color swatchbook handy. You probably can get one at your local art supply store or from your commercial printer (prices typically range from $50 to $100, depending on the color model and the type of swatchbook). But if you can't find a swatchbook, here's where to order the most popular ones:

• Pantone: Several Pantone swatchbooks are available, including ones for coated and uncoated paper, and for spot-color output and process-color output. If you are converting (called building in publishing parlance) Pantone colors to CMYK for four-color printing, I particularly recommend the Pantone Process Color Imaging Guide: CMYK Edition or the Pantone Process Color System Guide swatchbooks. Pantone, 590 Commerce Blvd., Carlstadt, NJ 07072-3098; phone: 201-935-5500; fax: 201-935-3338; Internet: www.pantone.com .

• Hexachrome: Pantone also created the Hexachrome standard and sells Hexachrome swatchbooks, as well as the $299 HexWare software that adds Hexachrome output capability to Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Because InDesign uses Illustrator color swatch files, you can add Hexachrome support to InDesign via HexWare. (See the contact information for Pantone in the preceding bullet.)

• Trumatch: Based on a CMYK color space, Trumatch suffers almost no matching problems when converted to CMYK. Variants of the swatchbooks for coated and uncoated paper are available. Trumatch, 50 E. 72nd St. #15B, New York, NY 10021; phone: 800-878-9100; fax: 212-517-2237; Internet: www.trumatch.com .

• ANPA: Designed for reproduction on newsprint, these colors also are designed in the CMYK color space. Although InDesign doesn't have an ANPA color library predefined, you can create these colors using the swatchbook's definitions. Newspaper Association of America, 1921 Gallows Rd., Suite 600, Vienna, VA 22182-3900; phone: 703-902-1600; fax: 703-917-0636; Internet: www.naa.org .

• Focoltone: Like Trumatch, this color model is based on the CMYK color space. A & P Publishing Network, No. 6 Aljunied Ave. 3 #01-02, Singapore 389932; phone: +65-6746-0188; fax: +65-6746-1890; Internet: www.apmedia.com .

• HKS: This new-to-InDesign color model is used mainly in Germany and other European countries , with variants for industrial printing such as on plastics. It uses various combinations of cyan, magenta , and yellow with black overlays to achieve different shades. Hostmann-Steinberg, Bremer Weg 125, D-29223 Celle, Germany; phone: +49-5141-591-0; fax: +49-5141-591-202; Internet: www.hks-colour.de .

• Dainippon Ink & Chemical: Like Pantone, the DIC color set is a spot-color-based system. Dainippon Ink & Chemical Americas, 222 Bridge Plaza South, Fort Lee, NJ 07024; phone: 201-592-5100; fax: 201-592-8232; Internet: http://dicwww01.dic.co.jp/eng/index.html .

• Toyo: Similar to Pantone in that it is based on spot-color inks, this model is popular in Japan. Toyo Ink America, 710 W. Belden, Addison, IL 60101; phone: 630-930-5100; Internet: www.toyoink.com .