I am doing a 4X8 foot ad sign for a local go cart track. The bank, that is ad is for, wants the blue called reflex blue. Do any of you know what shade or hue of blue this is? I want to use the Oracle 651 color chart but I am not suppose to contact the client directly. Could anyone help me with this problem? It is a strange situation but I have completed 6 signs for them and may do up yo 400. The way business is I can't afford to make waves with them. Thank you for any help in this matter.
Posted by jimmy chatham (Member # 525) on :
i don't have an oracal color chart but reflex is a standard color in avery and a lot of other vinyl and paints.
Posted by Mick Classen (Member # 2917) on :
cynthia........ spend $150 and buy a pantone color formula guide you'll never have problems matching colors again cheers
mick
Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
Cynthia...Any time someone specifies "reflex blue" I use Sapphire blue vinyl. Never had an objection. They look virtually the same in my pantone swatch book and my Avery or 3M charts.
Posted by Cpack (Member # 2011) on :
Thank you so much. I agree about the pantone color book. I have never seen one to make a decision on if it was a good tool or not. Now I know for sure. Maybe Santa will bring me one for Christmas if I can wait that long. Thanks so much guys for your help.
Posted by Carl Wood (Member # 1223) on :
I would use 086 oracal - brilliant blue - spent 15 years in printing business & used Pantone charts daily - but have never had to use one in the sign business - take that back - used one last year for a Fed Ex sign, I wouldn't spend the bucks to just have one laying around. Any printing co. should have one they would let you take a glance at if need be - Carl
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
I agree, my pantone chart doesn't have Reflex labeled in it. Although it a handy tool, It wont tell you what Reflex looks like.
Reflex is a Dark blue with a red tint to it, it may even look a little purple to some.
Saphire Like Dave said is a good match. 3M makes a saphire that matches Reflex.
Next time you order supplies order a one shot color chart. They're free most of the time. Reflex is in there.
Posted by Linda Silver Eagle (Member # 274) on :
Cynthia. howdy neighbor!
Reflex blue is the standard blue when printing business cards.
Posted by Diane Crowther (Member # 120) on :
Bob, my Pantone chart has Reflex Blue in it. It's one of the basic colours at the front...right between Pantone Blue 072 and Pantone Process Blue. All the Pantone numbered colours are mixed from the basic colours (which have names). For example, Pantone 267 has the formula Purple 72.7%, Reflex Blue 24.3%, Black 3%.
We use our Pantone chart a lot because it's the only way to communicate colours over the phone. We have a lot of corporate clients who already have their colours specified, and we're in a rural area so we can't just pop over to the nearest print shop to look at their chart. If you're mostly working with original design where you're choosing colours for the customer, a Pantone chart is probably not necessary.
Sorry I can't provide an Oracal equivalent, but as Dave said, it would be Sapphire Blue in Calon.
Posted by Rich Stebbing (Member # 368) on :
If you ever need it for backgrounds 1-shot has a Reflex Blue also.
Posted by Starr Bright (Member # 3166) on :
Hey everybody,
Reflex Blue is a pantone color....pantone colors are SPECIFIC to the printing trade...and cost about $75.00 to own the color chart...everybody uses pantone colors now( dumb decorators and even dumber architects)... they're not printers HELLO!but every one uses it....so it's a good investment for anyone trying to match colors. 99% of the time on a job, you'll be required to get a pantone number to match, so fork out the dough and get a pantone chart...
At any rate, they, being specific to the print trade, do not apply to any other trade...as they specify print on a paper product...usually a blank white sheet(great for printers,not for anyone of us...Oh Well, we make do)...but they do have color ratios on each color, on how to arrive at that color...so if you have a basic knowledge of a color wheel and the colors they start with,...you can get pretty damned close...REMEMBER EVERYBODY,....there are three PRIMARY colors!That's all, so mix accordingly!
Now, if you want to spend the money and buy pure pigment( this is what the paint companys buy and mix in a vechile like enamel or laytex or lacquer, and market to you.)Go for it, mix your own...in the end,depending on how much painting you do,..you will save big bucks.
Pantone, unfortunately, has become the standard for color matching...a printers tool...good for them...not so good for everyone else...deal with it..... Starr
