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DebbieBerne
Known Participant
April 26, 2023
Answered

Spot colors from Photoshop to Indesign / Pantone Connect quagmire

  • April 26, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 3790 views

I am a Pantone Connect subscriber and, well, we all understand that it is exponentially worse than the previous workflow. But it's what we have and I am trying to use it. Here's my current issue:

 

I am working with monotone, spot color art in Photoshop. I use LAB values to get close to a Pantone color, I name it a Pantone number and save it. When I bring it into InDesign I get an error message that says:

 

The spot ink "PANTONE 7684 U" cannot be represented correctly within InDesign. The ink will color separate corectly, but will appear gray on screen and in composite output. Do you want to import the image anyway?

 

That's all fine and good, but I actually need to see the illustration in the (approximate) color to work on my design, to show it to clients, etc.

 

Has anyone run into this issue and found a workaround/solution?

 

Any help much appreciated.

Debbie

 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Peter Spier

What happens if you go to Ink Manager and conver the spot to process? Does it render? If it does you can do that to work on the file and show tyhe clienbt, then un-convert for output.

2 replies

rob day
Community Expert
rob dayCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 26, 2023

Hi @DebbieBerne , How is your Photoshop Spot color setup? Is it a Monotone or a Spot Channel? Are you saving the file as a .PSD?

 

Can you show screen captures of your setup as I’m showing below or share the file?

 

Monotone:

 

Spot Channel:

 

 

D
DebbieBerneAuthor
Known Participant
April 26, 2023

yes, my setup basically looks like yours. See screenshot attached. Any thoughts?

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DebbieBerneAuthor
Known Participant
April 26, 2023

p.s. HOWEVER if I add the PMS as a spot channel, when I bring it into ID, I get a blank box. If I don't add it as a spot channel (just keep the monotone channel), it appears as it should.

???

Peter Spier
Community Expert
Peter SpierCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
April 26, 2023

What happens if you go to Ink Manager and conver the spot to process? Does it render? If it does you can do that to work on the file and show tyhe clienbt, then un-convert for output.

D
DebbieBerneAuthor
Known Participant
April 26, 2023

that worked! totally annoying, but workable! thanks so much. 

 

Does anyone know if there is a training or somewhere to learn to use Pantone Connect more efficiently with Adobe stuff? I would pay good money to get more or a grip on the new processes.

Peter Spier
Community Expert
Peter SpierCommunity Expert
Community Expert
April 26, 2023

I'm really glad that worked for you. I just tried placing some old spot color Illustrator logos and got nothing, even with converting spots to process. Might be because you built the colors yiourself and my logos were built using the old swatch books.

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