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Jason_G2
Participant
January 31, 2017
Answered

Spot Color Monotone linked images from Photoshop change CMYK values in Illustrator

  • January 31, 2017
  • 4 replies
  • 5358 views

Ok, let me try to articulate this to the best of my ability. I am creating spot color background textures in photoshop using Pantone Color Bridge Spot Color (Pantone CP). When I choose the spot color in the photoshop monotone window, I can see that the CMYK color values match the values shown in my Pantone Color Bridge book. When this image is placed as a link in Illustrator and the spot color swatch is added to my swatch palette it is using the LAB value not the CMYK value. I need Illustrator to recognize and preserve the CMYK values not the LAB values as these two numbers are different. The end result is the RIP unit for our digital press is not printing the image accurately because the CMYK values of the background are being shifted somehow. Please respond with any advice how to reconcile this difference. It is important that the press operator not have to change/edit spot colors in the RIP.

See attached images below.

Photoshop creating monotone image:

Monotone image placed in photoshop as a link, spot color is recognized:

When I click to convert spot color to CMYK (just to check values) values are not the same as in first image.

This is the CMYK values that my RIP is also seeing, where the values should be 7, 100, 82, 26.

Any help is greatly appreciated,  thanks all!!

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer GraphicsGirl56

1. Select the color swatch in the swatch pallette

2. Swatch panel drop down menu (top right corner)

3. Swatch options

4. Change color mode from LAB to CMYK

5. Set CMYK values to desired values.

4 replies

J
Jason_G2Author
Participant
January 31, 2017

Thanks so much!! I haven't tested this through the RIP unit yet but I believe this should be the fix. Thanks again!!

    GraphicsGirl56
    GraphicsGirl56
    Participant
    January 31, 2017

    Just be sure that the colour name matches the colour name in your link file so that it sees it as the same colour separation in your RIP software.

    Ton Frederiks
    Community Expert
    Ton FrederiksCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 1, 2017

    FYI, This was Adobe's response:

    "Jason, I would like to inform you that this is expected behavior of the software. if you will create a image in PS and place in AI, then you will get different CMYK values"

    I have a hard time believing that this is a desired or intended outcome. I would expect the color to be the exact same, especially considering that the linked file is a .psd Adobe native file!!

    If that is the case, why does photoshop show the accurate values in the monotone image as shown in the first image of my post…?

    I don't buy that response.

    Again thanks for the tip, now I have to spend days sifting through flexo plate files and shifting colors to the accurate bridge values.


    First add the swatch to the Swatches panel and then Link the Monotone file when placing.

    This will merge the swatches and keep the original values.

    If you do add the swatch to the Swatches panel and then place the Monotone file embedded, I get very weird results in the preview and a corrupted file that cannot finish previewing when switching between previews.

    But why bother to make a monotone in Photoshop when you can just add color (or a Pantone swatch) to it in Illustrator?

    And why convert a Pantone color to CMYK when you can just use a CMYK swatch in Illustrator?

    GraphicsGirl56
    GraphicsGirl56Correct answer
    Participant
    January 31, 2017

    1. Select the color swatch in the swatch pallette

    2. Swatch panel drop down menu (top right corner)

    3. Swatch options

    4. Change color mode from LAB to CMYK

    5. Set CMYK values to desired values.

    J
    jdanek
    Inspiring
    January 31, 2017

    Make a copy of the spot color image file in PS > covert to CMYK (  Image > Mode > CMYK ); save using a different name > place the CMYK file in Illustrator ( instead of the spot color file ). 

    Mike_Gondek10189183
    Community Expert
    Mike_Gondek10189183Community Expert
    Community Expert
    January 31, 2017

    If your final  intent is to do spot color separations, does not matter what the CMYK values are as that will use the spot ink when printing, expect for before you go to final and are printing for example color laser prints. If you do not like the LAB values edit the swatch in Illustrator.

    If you have more questions you need to let us know exactly what inks/plates this job is printing to, and if indeed you are doing spot colors,  or using spot colors for global colors for CMYK printing. Even if you are printing to a large format Hi-Fi color, you need not worry about what the CMYK breakdowns are.

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