15/08/2016

AnIntroductiontoWorkingWithSpotColors|DesignShack
Areouamemer?RegisterorLogin

ARTICL

usiness
Design

INPIRATION

GALLRY

Freelancing

AOUT

Graphics

HTML

Laouts

Moile

Navigation

oftware

Tpograph

More

ecomeaMemer

An

Y:

JOHUAJOHNON

ON:

3F2011

TOPIC:

GRAPHIC

OCIAL:

11HAR

Joinour15,000+
memerstosumit
ourdesigns,collect
inspiration,andreceive

ourweeklnewsletter.

Introductionto
WorkingWithpot
Color

JoinNow

Getunlimitedaccessto
killsharewitha3month
trialonl$0.99!

Colorhasalwaseenapopular
topiconthewe.Weusedtothrow
aroundtermslikewesafecolors
alotmorethanwedonowsimpl
ecausethecomputerdisplas
ackthenwerentasgreatasthe
arenow.Inplaceofthese
discussions,designlogsrevert

Theestagencies
chooseCodeMViews

mostltodiscussionsofcolor

todeliveramazingdigital
productsand

theorandofcourse,freetoolsto
helpouuildcolorpalettes.
https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/anintroductiontoworkingwithspotcolors

experiences.Focuson
thecreativeandletus
handlethecode.

1/9

15/08/2016

AnIntroductiontoWorkingWithSpotColors|DesignShack
However,colorwasahottopiclongeforethe
wewasaround.Onceuponatime,m
discussionsaoutcolorrevolvedaround
printingpressesandprocessesforappling
ink.Idwagerthereareplentofreadersout

SourcingPrinting
Machine?
DigitalPrinters

therewhoareeitherinterestedinlearning

InkjetPrinters

aoutprintorstillworkinprinttodasointhis

OffsetPrinters

articleIllteachouallaoutthemagicofink.

More

4ColorProce
Printing
venifouknownexttonothingaoutprint,

AOUTTHAUTHOR

oucanproalguesswhatfourcolor

Johua
Johnon

processprintingis:printingwithCMYK.Can,
Magenta,YellowandKe(lack),ouveseen
thisthissetofcolorsineverpieceofgraphics

qualparts
editor,writer,designer,

softwareouveeverused,thoughifourea

&photographer.Hitme

weguouproalstickwithRG(Red,

uponTwitter,readm

Greenandlue),whichrelatesmoretolight
thanink.

Mactutorialsorcheck
outmphotos.

Itspretthardtoelievethefirsttimeour
realizeit,utmostoftheimagesthatousee
printedaremadeupoftinCMYKdots(sortof
likeextremePointillism).

Allofthecrazcolorsthatouseeinafullcolorimageresultfromthearrangementand
mixingofthesedotsinconjunctionwiththe
colorofthephsicalpage.

https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/anintroductiontoworkingwithspotcolors

2/9

15/08/2016

AnIntroductiontoWorkingWithSpotColors|DesignShack
Youcanseethisprocessatworkinan
Photoshopdocument.Tropeningaphoto
andclickingontheChannelspalette.Ona
asiclevel,Photoshopisshowingouhow
eachcolorwillefloodedontothepaper
usingdifferenttonesofgratoindicatethe
densitofthecoating.

potColor
WhamItalkingaoutprocesscolorsinan
articleaoutspotcolors?Theansweristhat
ouhavetofirstunderstandwhatspotcolors
arent,andwhatthearentisamixtureofthe
CMYKinkfromapresslikeeverothercolor
thatouseeonapage.

Instead,thepersonrunningthepressinsertsa
premixed,verspecificcolorintotheprocess.
Thisisdoneforavarietofreasons.For
example,oullfrequentlseetwo-colorprint
josasacheapalternativetofullcolor.This
processusestwospotcolorstogether,often
tocreateanimpressivefinishedproductthat
doesntgivethefeelingofalimitedcolor
palette.

https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/anintroductiontoworkingwithspotcolors

3/9

15/08/2016

AnIntroductiontoWorkingWithSpotColors|DesignShack

MixingCMYKandpot
Color
Whenouworkforlargercompanies,ou
dontusuallworraoutprintingintwocolors
tokeepcostsdown.Instead,ouoften
cominespotcolorsandCMYKintoasingle
jo.ThelogicehindthisisthatCMYKcane
prettunreliale.Ilearnedthehardwathat
evercommercialprinterisdifferentandthe
actualprintedtonesougetfromCMKYcan
andovarquitedramaticall.Further,CMYK
simplisntaletoreproducealotofthe
thingsthatoucanachievewithspotcolors.

Oneoftheareasthatouseethisthemostis
randcolors.Forinstance,Iusedtoworkon
adsforUncleensricethatshowedfullcolor
photographsoffoodcookedwithUncleens.
However,nexttothosephotographstherand
requiredoutoplacetheOfficialUncleens
Orange.Thiswasnotanoldorangeuta
codedspotcolorthatwaskeptconsistent
acrossalloftherandscommunication.

https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/anintroductiontoworkingwithspotcolors

4/9

15/08/2016

AnIntroductiontoWorkingWithSpotColors|DesignShack
everalcorporationsdothisspecificall
wherevertheirlogoisshown.

WhenToUepot
Color
Letsreiteratetheaoveinformationinamore
concisewatoseewhenoushouldusespot
colors.First,considerusingthemwhenou
wanttosavemoneonasingleortwo-color
run.econd,considerspotcolorsformore
consistentcoloringacrossprintjos,
especiallifourecreatingarandandwant
tohaveitrepresentedproperlever
designerworkingwiththatrand.

Theresalsotheargumentthat,onlarge
formatjos,itsgoodtousespotcolorsfora
etter,moreuniformcoatingofink.Finall,ou
shouldusespotcolorsinspecialcaseswhere
oureallcantevengetclosetowhatou
wantwithCMYK.Thisisespecialltrueintwo
particularlfuntpesofink:Metallicsand
Fluorescents.

Metallicand
Fluorecent
https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/anintroductiontoworkingwithspotcolors

5/9

15/08/2016

AnIntroductiontoWorkingWithSpotColors|DesignShack

Metallicandfluorescentinksaretwover
importantsecretweaponsintheprint
designersarsenal,andthecanealotoffun
toworkwith.othoptionsareaimedat
drawingextraattentiontoprintedpiece.
Metallicsoviouslringasleekfinishand
shinenotfoundinnormalinkandfluorescents
provideanimpressiveglowingqualit(neon
colors).

Neitherofthesecanaccuratele
representedonscreensoitsjustaout
impossiletoshowouwithanimage.AllI
cansais,oullknowthemwhenousee
them!IfouvegotaPantonecolorookling
around,lookthroughitandseeifoucanspot
an.

Itseastogooveroardwithmetallicsand/or
fluorescentsandcreatesomethingthats
ultimatelhideous,utwhenusedwithskill
andreserve,theendresultscanequite
stunning.Justkeepinmindthattheseoptions
canecostl.

UingpotColorin
InDeignand
Illutrator
Nowthatouknowmorethanouever
wantedtoaoutspotcolors,oumighte

https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/anintroductiontoworkingwithspotcolors

6/9

15/08/2016

AnIntroductiontoWorkingWithSpotColors|DesignShack
wonderinghowtoimplementthemintoour
design.InInDesign,ousimpladdanew
colorswatchandchangetheColorTpe
fromCMYKorRGtopot.

Fromhereoullgetatonofoptions,ut
PANTONsolidcoatedisagreatplacetostart
(thesamecolorscomeincoated,uncoated
andmatteversions).Onceoucreatethe
swatch,hoveroverittoseetheclosestCMYK
equivalent.

IfoureusingAdoeIllustrator,clickonthe
littledropdownmenuinthetoprightofthe
watchespaletteandgotoOpenwatches
Lirar>Colorooks.Hereoullagainseea
unchofoptions,includingPANTONsolid
coated,metalliccoatedandothers.

Ineitherapplication,oucanusevarioustints
ofspotcolorsandevencleverlcominetwo
spotcolorsindifferentwas.Thethingis,ou
reallhavetoecarefulwhenexportingfiles
thatusespotcolorsinconjunctionwith

https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/anintroductiontoworkingwithspotcolors

7/9

15/08/2016

AnIntroductiontoWorkingWithSpotColors|DesignShack
transparenc.Makesureourprinterknows
whathesdoingandthatoureadupon
overprintingeforeouattemptthis.

WorkingWithOn-creen
FluorecentandMetallic
AsIsaidaove,fluorescentandmetallicscan
reallonleffectiveleproducedona
printedpage,ourscreensimplcantdo
themjustice.Thiscananddoesmakeclient
presentationquitedifficultintheconcept
stage.ssentiall,ousendthemadigital
previewoftheirlogowithdullcolorsandhave
topromisethemthatitwillturnoutrightand
amazing.

Thereareafewwasaroundthis.First,ou
shoulddefinitelownaPANTONcolorook
ifouregoingtoeworkingwithspotcolors.
Itllmakethewholeprocessaloteasierand
giveouarealsenseofwhattheprinted
colorswilllooklike.Youcanusethistoshow
theclienttheactualfinalcolor(thenspend20
minutesexplainingwhcomputermonitors
cantshowit).

Thesecondthingoucandoisslapafake
coloronthepreviewousendtoourclient
thatmorecloselrepresentswhatthellsee
inthefinishedproduct.Illustratorhassome
settingsthatoucantweaktogetaetter
preview,utwiththesespecialluminous
colorsIfindthatitsesttosimpluildan
RGorCMYKcolorfromscratchwhilelooking
attheprintedsamplefromourcolorookfor
comparison.Again,thisisonlforpreview
purposestohelptheclientunderstandthe
craznatureoftheendresult.Makesureou
sendthespotcolorversiontotheprinter.

https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/anintroductiontoworkingwithspotcolors

8/9

15/08/2016

AnIntroductiontoWorkingWithSpotColors|DesignShack

Concluion
Theinformationaoveisenoughtomakeou
holdourowninanjointerviewwherea
wisegutriestoseewhatouknowaout
printingwithspotcolors.ThoughIhopeat
leastafewofououttheresharemloveof
printandwillactuallputthisknowledge
towardssomepracticaluse.

Leaveacommentandletmeknowwhether
oulikearticlesaoutprintdesignorwould
preferitifwesticktowedesign.Doou
workinothweandprintorjustonearea?
Wewanttoknow!

MadeCompactCreative
2016

Home/Articles/Inspiration/Galler

Aout/Memership/Advertising/

InPartnershipwith
and

WriteForUs

https://designshack.net/articles/graphics/anintroductiontoworkingwithspotcolors

9/9