HKS colour system

The HKS is a colour system which contains 120 spot colours and 3520 tones for coated and uncoated paper. HKS is an abbreviation of three German colour manufacturers: Hostmann-Steinberg Druckfarben, Kast + Ehinger Druckfarben, and H. Schmincke & Co.

HKS colours, similar to Pantone colours, can be used in any kind of print publication to produce predictable colours. As in the Pantone colour system, there are HKS colours that cannot be reproduced using the CMYK colour space, like bright orange or certain tones of blue.

The HKS colour system is based on the euroscale colourspace. It follows the guidelines of ISO 12647:2 2002 and the FOGRA Standards (such as Fogra27L). This means HKS colours are available on all PaperTypes of the 12647. This makes it easier to print the colours in offset and common digital printing technologies.

Use
Each HKS color can be z. B. in offset printing by using an industrial premixed by HKS or mixed by the printer from HKS pigments special color. Alternatively, their color effect (usually only approximately) can be simulated by appropriate mixing ratios of the four-color printing colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK).

Paper effect
There are various HKS color guides that can cope with the different color rendering depending on the substrate used:

HKS K (art print paper)
HKS N (natural paper)
HKS Z (newsprint)
HKS E (continuous paper)

Color Matching
The so-called color matching is a typical application that uses the HKS color fan. For example, HKS 47 K corresponds to the cyan of the CMYK scale, while HKS 47 Z is slightly bluer than cyan. In the print result, the same color perception is due to the adaptation to different substrates, achieved.

HKS number Color (approximately) CMYK (%)
HKS 47 K HKS 47 K 100/0/0/0
HKS 47 N HKS 47 N 100/3/0/0
HKS 47 Z HKS 47 Z 100/10/0/0
HKS 47 E HKS 47 E 100/0/0/0

If you want to use the HKS colors as a basis for other media that can / should not use spot colors, you can convert them using their l * a * b * values. However, it is imperative that the HKS color of the fan matching the substrate be used. These conversions can be done by professional DTP and graphics software. In addition, HKS regularly publishes updated color management software enhancements for color-accurate fitting, estimation and application of HKS colors. Furthermore, there are printing units that reproduce HKS colors in CMYK (on different substrates) and make it easier for creatives to work.

Although there are innumerable pages in the net listing RGB values for HKS colors, their use is discouraged since the RGB values differ depending on the RGB color profile used – there is basically no RGB value for an HKS – or other printing ink.

Source From Wikipedia