40 year old spec... what exactly is Royal Blue?

[gabagoo]

I have to do a temporary construction sign and this ancient spec says sign to be "Painted" with Royal Blue lettering. 3/4" plywood too, for a 3 week project.
Any Idea what pantone number corresponds with Royal Blue?

 

[Johnny Best]

pms 286 coated

 

[gabagoo]

Thanks Johhny!!!

 

[kcollinsdesign]

According to contemporary color standards, Pantone 2748 C is close. I would tend to ignore the WWW Consortium color.

 

[Boudica]

Since the specs are ancient, I doubt he needs to worry about what is contemporary.

 

[Gino]

Hey gaba......

Are you gonna be painting the background and lettering what color it needs to be ?? As for getting a PMS color for your blue, just compare a PMS chart to a vinyl chart and get close and use vinyl, instead. With vinyl, it's as close as you can get, no exact science to it. Ya need to stand up and tell these people their specs are outdated and cannot be considered a source.

Also, royal blue is royal blue and anyone in the sign business should know what color that is. It's one of the most common colors used in lettering, next to black and red. Do you need a PMS chart for black or red ??

 

[Johnny Best]

My Pantone book only goes up to the 500 numbers and a few 800 numbers, it is older than the majority of the people on here.
From way back in ancient time you would use either Reflex Blue or Brilliant Blue in One Shot lettering enamels to paint it.

 

[Gino]

Those days, you couldn't give the customers the colors they wanted. Most 1Shot & Ronan colors were not real good and when mixing, they turned to mud. Signs were a different animal back then and the sign guy/gal ruled. They got whatever we gave them. Offset and screening was a different story. You can get better colors nowadays, cause they took all the good stuff outta the paint. Ya just need to give it 7 coats to make it cover. Paint is like snot these days.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

They are taking the chemicals out of paint and putting them in ink?

 

[SignosaurusRex]

They are taking the chemicals out of paint and putting them in ink?

 

[Z SIGNS]

Royal Blue is whatever blue you have on hand

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Royal Blue is whatever blue you have on hand

Pretty much the case Z SIGNS . . .And 3/4" "MDO" especially for a sign that's only gonna be up for 3 months? Wow. Is the customer even aware of current prices for substrates like that? 3mm Dark Blue Syntra (or even Dk. Blue Coro) slapped onto a piece of 3/8" scrap-ply would more than suffice. With 40 year old specs, the customer may not have even been born yet when the specs were created. "Royal Blue" ? Really, is that it? I could pull 5 or 6 old "Royal Blue" samples from customer files and they would all be different.

"I have to do a temporary construction sign and this ancient spec says sign to be "Painted" with Royal Blue lettering. 3/4" plywood too, for a 3 week project.
Any Idea what pantone number corresponds with Royal Blue?"

Gabby, you need to swap your panties for some big boy briefs and go back to your customer over color/tone clarification and educating them on substrates . . .THAT'S YOUR JOB! Get after it!

 

[Johnny Best]

Gabagoo wears panties? Must be a Canadian thing.

 

[Gino]

Ahh, the OP says the lettering is royal blue. He didn't mention the background color. The op hasn't responded, so maybe he's in over his head on this one. If he can't substitute the substrate or being painted, I highly doubt he can use vinyl. or

 

[Billct2]

Yep, we still get this spec too. The only part we follow is the 3/4" MDO substrate. Other than that we may do a full print, or vinyl letters. If it's a private contractor that's been handed those specs thye'll usually opt for a ACM sign

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Ahh, the OP says the lettering is royal blue. He didn't mention the background color. The op hasn't responded, so maybe he's in over his head on this one. If he can't substitute the substrate or being painted, I highly doubt he can use vinyl. or

um, yaaa...

 

[unclebun]

Royal Blue is a deep purplish blue. I would bet in the past when they painted it, they'd have used Reflex Blue One Shot straight. The matching color in vinyl would, depending on brand, be Royal Blue or Sapphire Blue. If you're printing the analogue would be reflex blue.

 

[Zendavor Signs]

These specs are boilerplate verbiage for lots of construction projects. I typically will ask if we can substitute ACM for the 3/4" MDO. One customer insists on using 3/4" MDO. Whatever, I don't care, they are paying the bill. All get vinyl prints, I don't even ask. Nobody is expecting a construction site sign to be painted.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Reflex blue is similar but more vivid.
I charge extra if they want MDO because that stuff is still pretty high.

 

[Gino]

I just got 2pcs 3/4"×48"×96" good two sides $74.00 ea.