Blues · spot ink
PMS Reflex Blue U
Pantone® Reflex Blue Uncoated: Pantone Reflex Blue on uncoated stock
Translucent: will not cover dark stock. Printers write it PMS Reflex Blue U; brand guidelines usually write it Pantone® Reflex Blue Uncoated. Same ink, same plate: the letter is the paper it lands on. On coated stock the same colour is PMS Reflex Blue C, and it does not look the same.
- Classic corporate blue
- Two-colour with a metallic
On-screen approximation: not a colour-accurate reference. Match to a physical PANTONE® chip before you sign off.
Coated vs uncoated, honestly
The same ink is not the same colour on the two stocks. On coated sheets the ink sits on a sealed surface: denser, brighter, sharper edges. On uncoated the fibres absorb it: softer, duller, slightly lighter, and warm colours lose the most punch. Some colours change character outright: brights go chalky, deep navies go grey-blue.
| Stock | Reference | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Coated | Reflex Blue C | Denser and brighter. Ink sits on a sealed surface, edges stay sharp. |
| Uncoated | Reflex Blue U | Softer and less saturated. Fibres absorb the ink; expect a step down in punch. |
How it behaves in production
- The most famous: and most troublesome: blue in the book. Reflex Blue dries slowly and is notorious for setting off onto the back of the next sheet, so heavy solids need extra drying time in the run.
- It also shifts violet under some light sources. If the brand lives in daylight and under warm interior light, look at it in both before signing off.
On dark stock
Offset and letterpress inks are translucent. On a dark or coloured stock a light ink will not cover: it sinks into the sheet and reads tone-on-tone. For light colour on dark paper the answer is foil stamping or an opaque screen pass, never a straight PMS hit.
See the foil directoryThe paper matters as much as the ink
A CMYK build of a spot colour is an approximation, not the colour. It matters most on large flat solids, on brand-critical marks, and in the brights and deep blues where process simply cannot reach. It matters least in small type and inside photography.
Browse the paper directoryCommon questions
- What does Pantone Reflex Blue look like on uncoated paper?
- Softer, duller and a touch lighter than the coated chip. Uncoated fibres absorb the ink instead of letting it sit on a sealed surface, so saturation drops across the board. The uncoated swatch here is modelled from the coated approximation: order the sample kit, or ask us to curate inks after you order.
- Can you print Pantone Reflex Blue on dark or coloured stock?
- Not as a standard ink hit. Pantone Reflex Blue is translucent, so on dark stock the paper colour comes through and the result is tone-on-tone. For this colour on dark paper we foil stamp or run an opaque screen instead.
- Can Pantone Reflex Blue be matched in CMYK?
- Process cannot reach it. Any large Reflex Blue solid must be a spot.
PANTONE® is a registered trademark of Pantone LLC. Print Peppermint is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pantone LLC. Codes are referenced to identify the inks we print.
Pairs beautifully with
Three combinations that hold up on press. Open one and the Studio starts with the stock, the foil and the ink already locked in.
Pantone Reflex Blue on Sirio Illusion Verdeoro
Pantone Reflex Blue on Sirio Illusion Verdeoro. Ink is translucent: on a verdeoro, pulp-dyed base with an iridescent, embossed finish on one side; colour flips between two tones with viewing angle (names pair the two tones, e.g. rosa+malva) sheet the printed colour shifts toward the paper. Sign off against a printed sample, not the chip.
Compatibility matrix
Start this combinationPantone Reflex Blue on Gmund Bio Cycle Wheat Stroh
Pantone Reflex Blue on Gmund Bio Cycle Wheat Stroh. Uncoated fibres drink the ink, so expect it a step softer than the coated chip — that softness is the reason to do it.
Compatibility matrix
Start this combinationPantone Reflex Blue on Gmund Colors Matt Matt 45
Pantone Reflex Blue on Gmund Colors Matt Matt 45. Ink is translucent: on a matt 45, through-dyed uncoated matt with a fine felt texture sheet the printed colour shifts toward the paper. Sign off against a printed sample, not the chip.
Compatibility matrix
Start this combination