When should I choose spot color over process color?

Reach for spot color when a project lives or dies on exact, repeatable color, and use CMYK when the design is full of colors or photographs. The number of colors and the need for special inks are the deciding factors.

• Choose spot when: you have one to three colors that must match exactly, like logos, corporate stationery, or packaging.
• Choose spot for effects: metallic, fluorescent, or opaque white inks that process cannot produce.
• Choose CMYK when: the piece includes photographs or many blended colors.