While for most print jobs CMYK is enough, some jobs are better suited to using a ‘spot colour’. Spot colours are printed using a single, pre-mixed ink colour, rather than a combination of the four basic colours in CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and key) printing.
This makes spot colour ink printing ideal for consistency, particularly on those important elements like logos.
It also allows for printers to use inks that cannot be made using the traditional CMYK process, such as fluorescent colours or metallic tones.
When picking a spot colour, be sure to decide whether you want to use the coated or uncoated versions, and consider what kind of paper you are having your work finished on.
Make sure you know exactly what you are looking at by sourcing a colour chart from a company like Pantone. If you are using spot colour information from a third party, make sure you use the right number to ensure that the printer uses the right type of ink for your print job.