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chelsiefcj
Participant
June 12, 2024
Answered

Black vs Registration black problems

  • June 12, 2024
  • 4 replies
  • 1186 views

I work for a newspaper. I make the ads in photoshop, and the printer likes us to use indesign. They request not to use registration black. I'm struggling to figure out how to do ads in CMYK for the color parts of the ad, and then how to switch the black to just black, so 0, 0, 0, 100% for the black is what's needed. I have tried everything. I need help! 

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Correct answer D Fosse

Here's the 3 different types of black in InDesign:

 

 

The first, to the left, is 100K black, prints on the black plate only, and, crucially, overprints the other plates. Routinely used for text.

 

The second is rich black, or 4 color black. By using all four inks you get a deeper black - but there's a catch: you absolutely must make sure you're not exceeding the total ink limit for the particular CMYK profile you're working in. The numbers here are the ink limit (TAC) for ISO Coated 300% (eci). That's the deepest black you get. Any more ink, and you get smearing and drying problems.

 

Which is why you can see that the third, registration black, is an absolute no-no. It prints 100% on all four plates. That's OK for registration marks, but absolutely not in the document.

4 replies

D Fosse
Community Expert
D FosseCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
June 14, 2024

Here's the 3 different types of black in InDesign:

 

 

The first, to the left, is 100K black, prints on the black plate only, and, crucially, overprints the other plates. Routinely used for text.

 

The second is rich black, or 4 color black. By using all four inks you get a deeper black - but there's a catch: you absolutely must make sure you're not exceeding the total ink limit for the particular CMYK profile you're working in. The numbers here are the ink limit (TAC) for ISO Coated 300% (eci). That's the deepest black you get. Any more ink, and you get smearing and drying problems.

 

Which is why you can see that the third, registration black, is an absolute no-no. It prints 100% on all four plates. That's OK for registration marks, but absolutely not in the document.

    Gusgsm
    Gusgsm
    Inspiring
    June 14, 2024
    @chelsiefcj  ha escrito:

    I work for a newspaper. I make the ads in photoshop, and the printer likes us to use indesign. They request not to use registration black. I'm struggling to figure out how to do ads in CMYK for the color parts of the ad, and then how to switch the black to just black, so 0, 0, 0, 100% for the black is what's needed. I have tried everything. I need help! 

     

    Hi,

     

    To get help you've got to give a bit more of information:

     

    1. Sorry, what software are you using to create the final ad files: Photoshop or InDesign? It's not very clear.
    2. Which kind of files do you send to your printer? (format: PDF? PDF/X...? TIFF? JPEG?) then... Which kind of colour does it have? (RGB, CMYK, if so... with or without a colour profile?). 
    3. Your printer asking you to use InDesign is, in a general sense, right. It is a more flexible tool to make "ads" than Photoshop.
    4.  "Registration black": If you are using InDesign (I hope so), it's quite easy: Never ever use the swatch called [All], use [Black]. Not "Black", black or any other variation that you may have build. Use the default [Black].
    5. Build your file with InDesign, place there your pictures (that you have made with Photoshop, I guess), place your texts ([Black]) and export the ad as a PDF/X-4 with the proper ICC color profile for a newspaper in your neck of the woods (the printer can tell you about which one to use). The web is full of tutorials about exporting a PDF/X-4 for press. It's not rocket science. Send them a trial to see if you are in the right track if you can.

     

    Best regards

     

    PS, Next time, I'd use the proper forum. If it is a doubt about InDesign or Photoshop, this is not it. If it is about the quality of colour or someting related to it, then this is the forum (and your question is not related to that, I am afraid).

     

     

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 12, 2024

    So you have an artwork that contains the registration color? 

    Select an object and then Select > Same > Fill color and set that to 100 K does not work?

    kglad
    Community Expert
    kgladCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    June 12, 2024

    in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

    p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.



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