The PANTONE Portable Guide Studio brings all eight Pantone Graphics colour guides together in one compact, organised carrying case. Designed for professional colour communication across print, packaging, branding, marketing and digital design, it provides immediate access to 8,482 market-relevant Pantone colour references wherever colour decisions need to be made.
The set includes the Pantone Formula Guide Coated and Uncoated, Pantone Color Bridge Coated and Uncoated, Pantone CMYK Guide Coated and Uncoated, Pantone Metallics Guide Coated and Pantone Pastels & Neons Guide Coated & Uncoated. Together, these eight portable fan decks create a broad and practical colour system for designers, creative directors, brand teams, printers, production specialists and design schools.
The Formula Guides contain 2,390 traditional Pantone spot colours. These colours are used when a specific, separately mixed ink is required for accurate colour specification in logos, packaging, brand identities and printed communication. Each colour is displayed with its Pantone number and ink formulation, helping printers translate creative colour decisions into professional production.
The Color Bridge Guides show 2,359 Pantone spot colours beside their closest CMYK process-colour equivalents. They also provide CMYK, sRGB and HTML/Hex values, making them essential for projects that move between print and digital media. Designers can see how a Pantone spot colour may change when reproduced in four-colour process printing and define related values for websites, animation, video and digital brand systems.
The CMYK Guides add 2,868 four-colour process colours. These references are valuable when projects are planned directly for CMYK production rather than Pantone spot ink. They allow teams to select process colours from a physical printed reference, supporting more realistic expectations for brochures, packaging, labels, marketing materials, publications and other commercial print applications.
The Metallics Guide and Pastels & Neons Guide expand the system with 865 specialty spot colours. Metallics provide reflective, premium and high-impact effects for packaging, logos, signage and marketing. Pastels offer softer tonal options, while neons introduce vivid, attention-focused colour for graphic and packaging applications that require stronger visibility or a more expressive visual language.
This combination makes the Portable Guide Studio a complete mobile toolkit for colour exploration and specification. It supports comparison between spot colours, CMYK process colours, digital values and specialty effects, allowing teams to choose the most appropriate colour strategy for each project. A colour may begin as a Pantone spot reference, move into a CMYK print environment, require a digital RGB or Hex value, or be enhanced through metallic, pastel or neon alternatives.
The current collection includes 224 newer, market-relevant graphics colours. Colour pages are arranged chromatically, making it easy to browse related families, compare neighbouring shades and develop palettes intuitively. Numerical indexes at the back of the guides allow established Pantone references to be located quickly during specification, artwork development or production review.
Each colour is displayed with its corresponding number and the relevant ink formula or output values. This gives creative and technical teams a shared language for discussing colour. Designers can build palettes and communicate intent, while printers and production partners receive the data needed for matching, conversion and press planning.
The guides are printed on commonly used coated and uncoated paper stocks. This is critical because substrate strongly influences colour appearance. Coated paper usually produces sharper and more saturated results, while uncoated paper often creates softer, more matte impressions. By including both references where relevant, the set supports substrate-aware colour decisions before production begins.
The Color Bridge and CMYK tools are aligned with CRPC print reference conditions for coated and uncoated papers, supporting more realistic expectations for process-colour output. The guides remain professional references, not absolute production guarantees. Final colour should always be approved through proofs or press sheets on the intended substrate and under appropriate viewing conditions.
Lighting Indicator pages help users determine whether ambient lighting is suitable for visual colour evaluation. This is an important workflow safeguard because the same printed colour can appear warmer, cooler, darker or less saturated under unsuitable light. Checking viewing conditions supports more dependable decisions during presentations, supplier meetings and press checks.
The protective carrying case makes the system especially practical for mobile work. Instead of transporting several loose guides, users can keep the complete Pantone Graphics guide set organised, protected and ready for studio use, client presentations, design education, supplier briefings and production reviews. The individual guide format of approximately 4 × 23.5 cm is compact enough for frequent handling while still providing a clear printed reference.
For branding teams, the Portable Guide Studio supports colour standards across print and digital environments. For packaging designers, it enables comparison between spot, CMYK, metallic, pastel and neon options. For printers and prepress professionals, it provides ink formulations, conversion references and process-colour tools. For digital designers, animators and video teams, it connects physical Pantone colour choices with RGB and HTML values.
The PANTONE Portable Guide Studio is a complete portable reference system for modern colour workflows. It combines inspiration, technical specification, colour conversion and production communication in one organised toolkit, helping professionals make more confident colour decisions from concept to final output.
Key Benefits
- Eight Pantone Graphics colour guides in one portable case
- 8,482 market-relevant Pantone colour references
- Includes Formula Guide Coated and Uncoated
- Includes Color Bridge Coated and Uncoated
- Includes CMYK Guide Coated and Uncoated
- Includes Metallics Guide and Pastels & Neons Guide
- 2,390 traditional Pantone spot colours
- 2,359 spot-to-process colour comparisons
- 2,868 CMYK process colours
- 865 metallic, pastel and neon specialty colours
- Includes 224 newer graphics colours
- CMYK, sRGB and HTML/Hex values for Pantone spot colours
- Ink formulations for Pantone spot-colour production
- Lighting Indicator pages for checking viewing conditions
- Ideal for print, packaging, branding, digital design and education
FAQ
What is included in the PANTONE Portable Guide Studio?
It includes eight Pantone Graphics guides: Formula Guide Coated and Uncoated, Color Bridge Coated and Uncoated, CMYK Guide Coated and Uncoated, Metallics Guide and Pastels & Neons Guide.
How many colour references does the set contain?
The current edition contains 8,482 references, including spot colours, spot-to-process comparisons, CMYK process colours and specialty metallic, pastel and neon colours.
What is the difference between Formula Guide and Color Bridge?
The Formula Guide shows Pantone spot colours with ink formulations. Color Bridge compares Pantone spot colours with their closest CMYK equivalents and provides RGB and HTML/Hex values.
Is the Portable Guide Studio suitable for digital design?
Yes. The Color Bridge guides provide RGB and HTML/Hex values for Pantone spot colours, supporting web design, animation, video and digital brand systems.
Why are coated and uncoated references included?
Paper surface changes colour appearance. Coated references usually appear cleaner and more saturated, while uncoated references often appear softer and more matte.
Who should use the PANTONE Portable Guide Studio?
It is designed for graphic designers, creative directors, brand teams, packaging designers, printers, prepress professionals, digital designers and design schools.