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Fluorescent colors behave fundamentally differently than "ordinary" solid colors. They do not only reflect light but convert part of the UV radiation into visible light. This makes them spectacular in application — and challenging in color measurement, color formulation, and quality control.
The following points of attention will help you gain more control of fluorescent colors in production and assessment.
Fluorescent pigments:
Use only high-quality fluorescent pigments that have been developed for your application (coatings, plastics, ink, textiles, etc.). The choice of pigment has great influence on lifespan, intensity, and discoloration behavior.
You never assess fluorescent colors only under standard office lighting.
Pay attention to:
Only then will you see how the color will behave in practice.
With color meters, you can also quantify fluorescent colors, but:
Record at minimum:
Consistency is more important than one "perfect" number.
Create separate color recipes for fluorescent colors:
Document everything so that a future batch can be reproduced under the same conditions.
Fluorescent colors react strongly to:
Therefore, always test on the actual material or a representative test panel. A color that looks good on a white card can appear completely different on a colored or transparent substrate.
When multiple fluorescent colors are used next to or over each other:
Therefore, always check important combinations visually and, if possible, instrumentally.
Determine in advance:
Adapt your pigment choice, binder, and quality criteria to these practical conditions.
For control of fluorescent colors, process discipline is essential:
This way, you can trace, analyze, and specifically correct deviations.
Are you new to working with fluorescent colors, or are you stuck with:
Then consult a specialist in color measurement and color technology or your pigment supplier. A brief analysis often prevents much rejection and discussion.
In the Applied Color Technology course, we go deeper into:
👉 More information and current dates can be found at kleurenschool.nl.
Questions about fluorescent colors or color measurement? Contact us via info@kleurinstituut.nl or call +31 (0)70 364 98 02.
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