You can modify the appearance of a spot color, print and compare the color reproduction of neighboring colors that have slightly different hues and saturation or brightness levels, and choose one to use.

1. In Spot Pro, under Group, click to select one custom spot color or shift-click or cmd-click to select multiple custom spot colors to generate 21 or 70 variations.

   For variations of a single color, the currently selected color is reflected in the center patch of the center hexagon in the lower area of the Spot Pro color editor pane under Variations.

   The active controls for changing the color are the poly-hexagonal shapes. The target color is highlighted. The hexagons to the left and right represent the next variation of saturation or brightness. The color variations arrows (red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow) show the direction of the color hue shift from the center patch. Clicking on an arrow moves the targeted color in the direction of the arrow.

   For variations of multiple colors, the currently selected color is reflected in the center patch of the 21 or 70 patch rectangular layout.

2. Select a tuning mode, Saturation or Brightness.

   The tuning mode allows you to make changes to a spot color based on brightness or saturation.

   Move the Less arrow or More arrow to increase or decrease the percentage of saturation or brightness.

3. To control the magnitude of variation in the neighboring patches, move the slider closer to Fine (for smaller variation) or Coarse (for larger variation).

   The Fine or Course slider provides the increment of edit that will occur per click. The default setting is in the middle.

   Note: When you select certain colors, an exclamation point icon may appear in the upper-right corner of the Spot Pro color editor pane. This icon indicates that one or more colorants have reached their maximum values.
4. To print variations for a single spot color, click the Print icon next to Variations, or to print variations for multiple spot colors, either right-click or click Send to Ready to Print in the menu bar and select Variations, then choose a paper source and select either 21 or 70 variations.

   For variations for a single spot color, you may choose the patch layout for the variations, and select the media or substrate source. Variations for multiple spot colors print in either a 3 x 7 rectangular grid for 21 variations, or 5 x 14 rectangular grid for 70 variations.

   Matching spot colors accurately on a monitor is very difficult. Always print a test page to get the proper color match.

5. To print variations for a single spot color, select one of the following pattern layouts:
   • Color search pattern - Prints three groups of color patches that are arranged similarly to the honeycomb pattern.
   • Color neighbor pattern - Prints color patches in a 3 x 7 grid. The middle patch of the top row shows the original spot color. Furthermore, the grid pattern provides details of each color patch's color values.
6. To print variations for multiple spot colors, the Color neighbor pattern prints color patches in a 3 x 7 rectangular grid for 21 variations, or in a 5 x 14 rectangular grid for 70 variations.
7. Select the media or substrate source.
8. Click OK.

   You can print color neighbor patterns for multiple iterations, and then select which color patch to use from each chart by typing in the desired color values.

   Note: If you print the color search pattern, do not exit Spot Pro until the chart has been printed and you have selected the color patch you want to use.
9. Identify the spot color patch with the best color reproduction and do one of the following:
   • Click once on the corresponding patch.

     This step updates the spot color definition at 100%.

     Note: Be aware that the selected color patch becomes the new basis for further spot color variations. Therefore, if you inadvertently click a color patch more than once, further spot color variations are created, based on that color patch. Click Reset icon () to return to the original spot color and its variations.
   • Type the color values of the corresponding patch.

     This step is only possible if you have printed the color neighbor pattern.