Pantone colour guide - enabler alert

[Digs]

Just a month ago I found out from a Pantone rep that they're discontinuing (or have already discontinued) production of the $19.99 shopping colour guide. Still, there must be some left out there, because the Yahoo group Fabrics and Notions http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FabricsAndNotions/message/85796 has just put up a signup database for these.  The next-closest colour guide, meant as the new improved version of the shopping guide, will be $175, according to Mr. Pantone. 

[lessalt]

I think someone must have posted this info somewhere because I read it and ordered mine just recently from www.firemountaingems.com.

[ejvc]

Too bad they've never been available in Europe - I have wanted one but will now miss the chance. 

[Digs]

Elizabeth, if the Fabrics & Notions offer actually goes through, you may be able to get one for the price of international shipping, which is about US$12 - I know, as I shipped one to Europe a week ago.  (edited to add, I just noticed that Fire Mountain Gems referenced above by Leslie ships internationally at cost plus a small handling fee)

I'm sure there's still some inventory out there (did you receive yours, Leslie?), so for a while at least it's about willingness to pay, not availability.

Perhaps, with some action, Pantone might be persuaded to change their mind on this little item.

[reanns]

Wondering if this is the full-size colour guide or a 'mini' version.  At the Fire Mountain site it looks rather small whereas the one that you see in paint stores is about 3"-4" high.

ReAnn

[lessalt]

Well, the one I received from Fire Mountain Gems is 2 inches tall and the bottom 1/8" inch is an index by Pantone Numbers which tells you what page the color is located on. I tried it on the emmaonesock.com site since she uses Pantone Numbers to clarify the fabric color(s). On all the fabric that I looked at I was able to find the Pantone Number in my guide. I didn't look at every piece of fabric but I was pleased to be able to look the colors up. It was interesting and gave me a much better idea of the actual colors.

[Elona]

That's probably the one I have too, lessalt.  It's two inches high and appears to have a stack of about 250 'leaflets" which can fan out from a pivot pin. Each one of these has 7 color chips or samples on it.   On the top leaflet, it says "Pantone shopping color guide--House and Garden."  I have good color memory so I don't use it too often, but every now and then it's really, really important!  If Pantone is really discontinuing it, I would consider that a major irritant. 

[reanns]

Thanks for the info.  I ordered on today off Fire Mountain.  They said they now have 55 left in stock.

ReAnn

[judith]

If anyone has an itouch or an itouch phone, you can download the pantone app for $10

I haven't tried it, since I alrelady have the colour chart, but I'm tempted.

[vtmartha]

It would be interesting to compare the color on your iphone to the color on the physical chart to see how true it is.  I have the physical chart but neither an iphone or itouch (yet  ).

[DebbieY]

I wonder how true the colours would be on the apps for itouch and iphone, especially as you can change the screen brightness etc

[Gorgeous Things]

I have the app. I also have the Pantone Color Cue 2. I've found the app to be slightly more accurate than the Color Cue, but I still double check both of them against the color guide to be sure.

HTH
Ann

[judith]

Well, I can never resist a gizmo, especially if it's somehow sewing related, so I bought the itouch app. The colours are no where near the same as the colour chart (pantone house and garden). I've written to pantone to see if there's a fix, but so far I certainly don't recommend it over the physical colour guide.

Pity, as $10 is rather a high price for an app.

[Eyesew]

I just got back from buying drafting paper from the local artist supply store.  I thought I would enquire about the Pantone colour guide when I saw a large one on the wall.  He told me that they range from $100 - $500.  He says Pantone issue a new one four times a year with additions and changes incorporated.   I found this very interesting and said "no thank you" so I guess I will not be ordering the newest one!

[janiceby]

I have the shopping guide and just downloaded the app to my iphone.  So how do you compare the colors on the iphone to the colors in the guide?

[BetsyV]

Janice I would pick a color and hold the guide next to the iphone and see if/how different they appear to you. You might try it under different lighting too.

[Gorgeous Things]

I take pictures with my iphone and have the app pick the best colors (it usually comes up with 5 choices). I compare that to the color I pick out of the Shopping Guide. The app does better in some shades (purples, pinks, blues), than in others.

[judith]

I have the shopping guide and just downloaded the app to my iphone.  So how do you compare the colors on the iphone to the colors in the guide?

on your iphone, open the pantone app
choose the top right option - it looks like a fan of the colour chart. That will take you to a screen with 7 rectangles. They represent the various pantone colour guides. The small guide that most sewers use is the house & garden, which is, I think, the same thing as "fashion and home", which is the last two rectangles (why 2? I don't know). Touch one of them, then "done". Now you should be back at a screen with a fanned colour chart - it will be the chart you just chose.

Tap what looks like a magnifying glass at the top right corner. Now you'll have a search screen.

Check your colour chart - the real one that you can hold in your hand - pick a colour. Type the colour number in your iphone/itouch. Don't forget the dash after the first 2 numbers.

Touch "search" - you'll get a little colour card. Touch it and it will get bigger.

Done.

Strange - this is an expensive App, but there's  no help file. Even my cheap little apps came with some help.

[judith]

I contacted Pantone about the colours not matching up at all to the cardboard colour chart, and here's their reply:

"If you select the PANTONE FASHION + HOME paper edition colors within the myPANTONE iPhone app, the colors will be consistent with the references in your Guide.  

Please note, however, that the myPANTONE iPhone app will not precisely 'match' any of the printed PANTONE guides, due to color limitations imposed by the iPhone display.  The app has been positioned as a fun, interactive way to work with PANTONE colors 'on the go', and capture inspiration.  In short, it is a compliment to the printed PANTONE guides - NOT a replacement.

Thank you for using the myPANTONE helpCENTER."

By "the colours will be consistent" I think they must mean blue will look blue and green will look green, but that's as far as the consistency goes.

Hmph. If I wanted a "fun" app, I would have bought a game, and probably for significantly less than $10. I am so not impressed!

My advice: don't buy this app