spot color question

[wilmsab]

I am having a time with a Newsletter design. For printing purposes, we use one spot color. Could someone walk me through the steps on how to convert a jpg CMYK image into a one color spot panetone image?

I am attaching the image and would like to convert it into 356 CVC spot color.

I would greatly appreciate the help!

I am on a PC.

Thanks!!!!

 

[dubya]

I can help answer your question, but perhaps someone who knows a little more about spot color printing could give some advice and tips. I recently did a 2-color print job using spot color and through dialogue with the print house, was advised not to use Photoshop for spot colors (Illustrator was their preferred app). It had something to do with the colors not always accurately translating at press. I'm not sure how this would affect a single color job, however, so here goes:

1. Open your image.
2. Image>Mode>Grayscale
3. Adjust Levels/Contrast/Curves until you are satisfied with the tonality of the image.
4. Image>Mode>Duotone
5. You should see a color swatch and an image curve. Click on the color swatch. In the box that pops up, choose "Custom" or "Color Picker" (Can't remember exactly what it's called), the bottom button on the right hand side.
6. Type the Pantone # you want to use and it should automatically select it. Click OK.
7. If your image appears washed out, go Image>Mode>Duotone again and click on the Curve box. Adjust the image curve until the tonality looks good.

That's how we resolved the issue. Hope it helps in your situation.

Dub

 

[Rantin Al]

For normal offset press printing you only need supply a greyscale file.
First check with your printer for the required file resolution, probably a minimum of 300 > 600 dpi. Might as well ask about the best format at the same time.

If you have the original CMYK file in non-jpg format then start with that. If the file is highly compressed it will reduce the final quality of your print.

1. Open the original file.
2. Image Mode > Lab Colour.
3. Open the Channels palette. Discard the a & b channels.
(Click and drag onto the bin icon)
4. Back to image mode and change to Greyscale.
5. Save as (a copy). This is so that you do not over-write the original.
Specify the file format as TIF.
6. Include a specification in your print order for the Pantone colour.

Using CMYK > Lab > Greyscale retains more tonal value than straight CMYK > Greyscale.

Illustrator files are usually only required when the file goes through an Image Setter for plate printing. This is because of the higher resolution used, typically 1200 dpi.

HTH, Al.