Quick tip: Finding Pantone, LAB, HSB and HEX equivalents from RGB or CMYK files using Photoshop

Often I am asked by a client 'what is the Pantone reference' of a logo or something that I've created in 4 colour. This tip takes you to the computer's 'best guess' Pantone equivalent. It is still advisable to agree on a swatch colour with a client from a Pantone book for absolute 100% accuracy but it is normally pretty near. I am using Photoshop here for my tip but it can also be done in other softwares like Adobe Illustrator.

Also this tip will give you the HSB, RGB, HEX (colour code for web) and CMYK equivalent colours for files.

1. Open the file in Photoshop
2. In the 'tools' window click on the eyedropper tool (pipette icon)
3. Click on the colour you wish to convert on your image
4. Go back to the tool window and click on the square that has changed to the colour (the foreground colour square)
5. A Color Picker window will appear.
6. Click on 'Color Libraries'
7. Scroll down from the 'book;' drop down menu to your required Pantone library. Photoshop will automatically jump to the closest Pantone colour in the list.

To find HSB, RGB, LAB, CMYK and HEX equivalents follow steps 1 to 5 above and in the color picker window it will give you all the values for the above. Note: the box at the bottom with the # sign in front of it is the HEX code - the colour code for web.