Participant

Question

RAL Pallete

Forum|Forum|15 years ago
July 1, 2010
3 replies
54247 views

I have need of a RAL Color

Pallete.

One particular color we've needed is a safety orange RAL 2010. When I try to convert that to CMYK or RGB, I get 4 different results depending on which web site I use. I might get more but I stopped looking at that point. Some are more red, darker, lighter, yellower, browner, bluer, upsidedown, or backwards. Which one is right?

We will be upgrading from CS3 to CS5 later this year, we think, along with going to 64 bit computers. Is there a RAL Swatch Pallete available in CS5.

Can anyone advise?

This topic has been closed for replies.

G

Gernot_Hoffmann

Participating Frequently

Meanwhile, RAL colors are defined by Lab = CIELab values.

A subset can be found here:

http://www.dirp.cz/de/farbenmustermappe-ral-und-rgb-umsetzung

Ignore the unspecified RGB-values, use only Lab. I didn't check

the Lab numbers.

Whether a RAL color is out-of-gamut in any other color space

can be tested by Photoshop:

Make New doc1 in Lab

Specify foreground color by Lab values

Fill

Duplicate doc1 --> doc2 for a comparison

Select doc1 for soft.proofing

View > Proof setup (choose any RGB or CMYK space)

View > Proof color (for a visual comparison of doc1 and doc2).

If the color is out-of-gamut for the monitor (maybe near to sRGB),

then the test is not reliable. If differences are observed, then this

indicates problems to be expected.

View > Gamut warning (out-of-gamut in target space is indicated

by an alarm color of your choice). This is a reliable test, but it's

sometimes too 'strict'.

RAL colors are defined for varnish in 'real world'. Like for any other

real world colors, a description by CIELab is well suited (except

for fluorescent colors and colors with other effects like metallic).

Search further (Google) by both words 'CIELab' 'RAL' simulta-

neously.

Complete color bases with varnish samples and data systems

for Lab, including newer developments like RAL Designer may not

be available for free.

Best regards --Gernot Hoffmann

G

Gernot_Hoffmann

Participating Frequently

According to the link in my recent post, Signal Orange RAL 2010

has Lab values L=54.2, a=41.4, b=46.2.

This is in-gamut for sRGB and for the common offset color space

ISOcoated-v2-eci (or just ISOCoated, doesn't matter).

It's a rather dull orange!

Color software as mentioned by Monika Gause (1), by me (2) or

here (3)

http://www.dtpstudio.de/ral-designsystem.htm

isn't necessarily compatible with Photoshop or Adobe CS#.

Adobe CS# uses for the CIELab conversions the CIE standard

observer 2° and reference light D50. The mentioned color software

uses at least definitely in case (3) the 10° observer with reference

light D65.

This post is more a case for the color management forum.

Sorry for bothering the folks here, eventually.

Everything could be fine, if I didn't measure RAL 2010 in my

real world RAL swatch book. Here I found by two instruments the

value b=60, approximately - instead of b=46.

Best regards - Gernot Hoffmann

_

_AlphadogAuthor

Participant

Thanks Gernot and others

. I need to do some research to figure out what you are talking about,

but I appreciate the response. :-) When I get over the hump, I'll have time to do that. I do get that RAL does not neccessarily lend itself to digital, I'll cope.

The color RAL 2010 is specified in ISO 3864-2 Annex E as the safety orange. I am writing/illustrating an equipment manual and need to format safety notices for the text. (pictograms drawn in AI).

Thanks

Mylenium

Legend

Which one is right?

Neither. For all intents and purposes, RAL colors are realworld colors (as in FS colors for paints), not even print-specific spot colors, so anything on screen can at best be an approximation. Safety orange cannot be simulated properly, anyway. It's a reflective luminescensce color just like DayGlo orange.

Mylenium