GOLD color definition

[Petar Petrenko]

Hi,

I know this of topic but I would like to know what CMYK/RGB values you use to print gold color not using CorelDRAW definition, PANTONE or any other color matching system.

Thank you in advance.

[Alfred]

Do you mean just a golden shade of yellow, without the shiny look of metallic gold? :unsure:

[Petar Petrenko]

Do you mean just a golden shade of yellow, without the shiny look of metallic gold? :unsure:

 

Yes. You get metallic gold with PANTONE and other color systems.

[Alfred]

OK, try these:

 

C=18 M=37 Y=81 K=06
R=194 G=145 B=33
H=41 S=70 L=44

[MikeW]

Use the RGB, LAB or CMYK definition from a Pantone you like. Or, use the Pantone swatch and allow it to convert to RGB or CMYK when exporting depending upon the output type/intent.

[Petar Petrenko]

Use the RGB, LAB or CMYK definition from a Pantone you like. Or, use the Pantone swatch and allow it to convert to RGB or CMYK when exporting depending upon the output type/intent.

 

Have you read my post #1?

[MikeW]

Yes, I did read it, Petar.

 

Point is, where do you think the basis for the definitions that Alfred gave you came from? Most all come from spot color definitions then tweaked to fit the output gamut--which is what converting them at output does.

 

But, other than if Alfred had them on the tip of his tongue, how do you think he dug them up? Try Google, you'll get plenty of flat color mixes.

[Petar Petrenko]

Once, I used to scan books that contained gold colors and analize them in PS. So, PANTONE is not the only way to find gold color definition. In the other hand, experience has a big influence in defining colors to fit yours expectations.

[Petar Petrenko]

Yes, I did read it, Petar.

 

Point is, where do you think the basis for the definitions that Alfred gave you came from? Most all come from spot color definitions then tweaked to fit the output gamut--which is what converting them at output does.

 

But, other than if Alfred had them on the tip of his tongue, how do you think he dug them up? Try Google, you'll get plenty of flat color mixes.

 

Once, I used to scan books that contained gold colors and analize them in PS. So, PANTONE is not the only way to find gold color definition. In the other hand, experience has a big influence in defining colors to fit yours expectations.

Anyway, thank you for your answer.

[JimmyJack]

How about a Google image search.

Find something that does fit your expectations... and take a sample.

U don't even need to leave Affinity. Eyedropper can sample from anything on the screen.

 

[gdenby]

Peter_MK

 

Your question intrigued me. I tried to come at the question as a physics question. It appears to me that from a full spectrum of light, colors bellow 570,  nanometers, blues thru greens are only slightly reflected. Between 570 and about 630, the reflectance increases almost to an average of 90%, w a rapid shift above 600. There is complete reflectance above 700, which is red.

 

In normal daylight, which has a strong blue component, this means pure gold reflects a slightly orange yellow. In fire light, it might appear more orange, or even red. The average color I could find from various reflectance charts seemed to be a hue of about 51 in the HSL model, and a luminance of 45, saturation 100. 

 

But there are many other things to consider. Most gold is not pure. In manufactured objects, it is usually mixed w. other metals to make it harder, which also modifies the color. 18K gold might be part silver, or part palladium, both of which reflect differently. And the light environment changes everything. Since gold reflects almost no blue, under a blue light, would gold look like a dull grey?

 

Here is a story that might interest you. I went to a symposium where one of the presenters was demonstrating a method of photographing antiquities under very low light levels. He had started out making pictures in ancient Hindu temples, where the mural pigments were too fragile to be exposed to bright light. Often, the murals had gold leaf on them. He found a method to produce very long exposures in an area that was almost pitch black. He demonstrated his method using a medieval manuscript. 1st, he made the photo under dim room light that would not damage the antique document.  The gold lines on the document appeared a dull yellow green, some almost brown. The other colors were much like one could see. Then, he reset his camera, closed the door to what he needed as a demonstration, and had every one leave. He stopped the process at 90 minutes, and we came back when the film was developed. The ordinary colors were a bit more saturated, but the gold was glowing as it should have been.  So, what gold looks like depends an awful lot on ambient light and how the recoding device works, and how well burnished it is.

[Petar Petrenko]

Thank you gdenby. I didn't expect the the discusion will take this way, but I am glad. I learned something new just starting with an "ordinary" question.