Tips on how to change color teams to Pantone colors in Illustrator [video]

On the finish of final yr, I made just a few video tutorials for my Sample Kick clients, explaining some helpful ideas & tips to assist them benefit from their sample recordsdata. At this time I’m sharing considered one of them with you: Tips on how to simply change color teams to Pantone colors in Illustrator.

This video tutorial will present you, as described within the title, the way to convert Illustrator color teams in your Swatches panel, to Pantone colors. A really helpful trick for when you’ve some art work able to ship to the printers however didn’t work with Pantone colors from the start.

Pantone is a proprietary color matching system utilized in quite a lot of colour-critical industries, together with graphic arts, digital expertise, textiles, plastics, structure & contract interiors, and paint. It’s the usual system for figuring out, matching and speaking colors, which solves the issues related to producing correct color matches.

If all this it’s making your head spin, you may be capable to discover the method simpler to grasp by checking this web page: Pantone Colours: What They Are and Tips on how to Use Them.

As a result of I’m very conscious that I’ve a powerful accent and it could be obscure me generally, I’ve added the script beneath the video…

I hope you take pleasure in this tutorial and, higher nonetheless, discover it helpful… Please let me know within the feedback beneath when you’ve got any questions concerning the course of, when you’ve got any subject requests for small tutorials like this one, or if you wish to share your personal concepts about utilizing Pantone colors in Illustrator… I’d love to listen to them!

Tips on how to change color teams to Pantone colors in Illustrator

00:00 – Intro

Hello guys, on this video I’m gonna present you the way to convert your color teams into Pantone colors robotically.
This little tip is nice in case you wish to get your designs prepared for print with Pantone colors however you didn’t begin designing with them from the start.
So for instance, on this sample right here I used a color palette that was created with RGB color swatches.
You’ll be able to see that if I click on on considered one of these swatches, double-click, it should present us that it’s an RGB color.
So let’s say that we would like this sample prepared for print now. We actually don’t need to ship a file to the printers utilizing RGB colors as they in all probability gained’t print as the colors you’re seeing on the display.
We need to guarantee that the colors on a bodily print match the colors we meant for this design.
A method to do that is by changing these RGB swatches to Pantone colors. Then, when you’ve got a Pantone color guide round, you may make positive by taking a look at your color guide that the color chosen on the Illustrator file matches the color in your head.
So let’s do that.

01:10 – Change colors to Pantone

First, just remember to don’t have anything chosen in your artboard after which simply click on in your color group to pick it.
Then click on on the Edit Color Group button right here to open the Edit Colours window or double-click the color group folder.
Discover that if by mistake you’ve one thing chosen and click on on this button, it should open the Recolour Art work window which may be very comparable.
We don’t need that. For instance, if I’d chosen this after which select this, it should recolour.
Okay, let’s return to the edit colors window so, nothing chosen, group chosen, Edit Colours.
In right here, you’re gonna click on on this button: Limits the color group to colors in a swatch library.
Then select the Pantone color guide that you’ve a replica of or that you just need to use.
I’ll select Pantone+ Color Bridge Coated V3 which is the one I exploit.
Okay, you’ll be able to see right here now that the colors modified to replicate the truth that Pantone’s vary just isn’t as massive because the RGB color vary.
And what Illustrator is doing right here is selecting Pantone colors as near the unique colors as it might.
Now go as much as New Shade Group and click on to create a brand new color group with all of your beautiful Pantone colors.
You’ll see on the proper column that it created a brand new group and you’ll identify it no matter you need.
I’ll identify mine Pantone.
That’s it, now you can click on Okay to shut the window and when prompted click on Sure to avoid wasting adjustments to your new color group.
Your new Pantone color group is in your Swatches panel now. You’ll be able to see its identify by hovering over the little folder. And you may see the names for every Pantone color by hovering over every color swatch.

03:34 – Recolouring art work with pantone colors

One vital factor to note right here is that tiny little white triangle on the backside of every swatch.
That signifies that that color is a World color, which is precisely what we would like and I’ll clarify why in a minute.
We will see that if I double-click on considered one of our RGB color swatches, the World possibility is unchecked.
If I double-click on considered one of our Pantone swatches we will see that the World possibility is ticked.
Proper, so we now have our new Pantone colors however our sample right here continues to be utilizing the previous RGB colors. We need to change them with the brand new ones.
So let’s choose our sample, make a replica of it, be sure you have chosen the Pantone color group in your Swatches panel after which click on on the Recolor Art work button on the highest bar.
In right here select your Pantone color group on the proper and rearrange the colors on the left so every new color replaces the identical previous color.
So I put my crimson with crimson, this inexperienced with this inexperienced, cream with cream, that’s proper.
You’ll be able to try my video about the way to use the recolour art work characteristic if you would like a bit extra details about it.
In order that’s it, you’re accomplished. I’ll save the adjustments. You might have now transformed your colors to Pantone colors and recoloured your sample with them.
You’ll be able to nearly see the distinction between the two patterns however it should make all of the distinction in case you’re eager about printing your designs.
Be sure you test your new Pantone color swatches towards your precise Pantone color guide to ensure the whole lot is as needed and also you’re good to go.

05:42 – World colors

Okay, so one last item, international colors, as promised.
World color signifies that in case you change that color swatch in your Swatches panel, that change can be mirrored on all the weather that use that color in your file.
So for instance, let’s say that I want to change this inexperienced to an orange color.
First, be sure nothing is chosen in your artboard.
Then double-click the color swatch you need to change. I’m gonna change this inexperienced.
Be sure you tick the Preview field so you’ll be able to see the adjustments reside in your sample and tweak it till you discover what you need.
Okay, so I’m simply gonna select darkish orange.
Just be sure you rename your color accordingly, so I’ll identify this Orange, and if it’s worthwhile to, discover a Pantone equal for it.
Okay, so that you see right here that the sample has been up to date. There’s the orange, we modified the inexperienced for the orange.
If we tried to do the identical factor with our previous colors, like this inexperienced that’s not a World color, if I double-click and alter it to an orange, you’ll be able to see that the previous sample doesn’t get up to date because it’s not a World color.
So it’s very helpful certainly.
That’s it guys. We did it.
Hope this helps you just a little with modifying your patterns and I’ll see you quickly.

Let me know the way you get on and in case you discovered the tutorial helpful! And in addition, are there every other strategies you’d like me to create tutorials for? Pop them within the feedback…