Illustrator registration swatch not working

[Steve Haynie]

I create a registration mark.  Then I do a fill with the registration swatch.  The circle appears filled with black.  

The registration mark does not appear on any layer.  I only see a black dot.  

What could keep the registration mark from appearing, and what keeps it from appearing on all layers?  

[kglad]

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.

<"moved from using the community">

[Monika Gause]

You draw the registration marks?

Can you please show it?

[Anubhav Majumder]

Hello @Steve Haynie,

Thanks for reaching out. Would you mind sharing more details, like the OS/Illustrator version and details of your workflow, including a screen recording (https://adobe.ly/3TUkz32), as suggested by Monika, so we can better assist you?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Anubhav

[Ton Frederiks]

An object filled/stroked with the registration color will make sure that that object will appear on all color separation plates.

You will not see it on all layers, it is used during printing separations.

[Steve Haynie]

I never saw a registration mark other than my own that appeared black when I printed my separations on anything other than the first layer.

[Doug A Roberts]

What does the separations preview in Illustrator show?

[Steve Haynie]

I see a color dot with white cross hairs.

[Steve Haynie]

Thank you for your help. 

I am using Windows 11 Home version 23H2. 

I could record what I was doing, but cannot upload it to this forum because of its size. 

There are two images snipped from my screen.  One shows the registration mark, a circle with crossed lines, that appears to be filled with black.  The other shows that the registration swatch was chosen as the fill. 

[Steve Haynie]

I just bought a subscription in February.  The local colleges are not offering continuing education classes in Adobe products.  For the last month I have been trying to learn from YouTube videos and Adobe tutorials. 

My goal is to print T-shirts.  I have cheated on color separations by just moving colors to a different layer.  My own registration marks have to be placed manually on each layer. 

I have to leave for the rest of the day.  Thank you for all of the replies. 

[Monika Gause]

So you are making files for screenprinting in that weird way of separating on layers? So that you later hand the layers to the printing service?

In that case the registration swatch might not be the best option. But it would really depend on what the printing service tells you how to make the files. You need to talk to them. And if you are making the screens yourself, then please tells us about your process.

[Steve Haynie]

I create my own screens as I am the newbie screen printer.  Even if someone else designs an image and separations, it will be my responsibility to print the separations on individual screens.   

Until my skill level with Illustrator gets good enough to understand more of the videos out there, my process for color separation is built on what works to get the job done.  Objects are grouped.  Then in the Layers panel the top layer shows all the groups.  I look at each color within the grouped objects, then assign similar colors to their own layer.  Each layer gets printed on clear film. 

My homemade registration marks have to be placed on each layer.  Fortunately they can be assigned a specific location on the artboard to make alignment easier. 

Thank you for your help. 

[Monika Gause · Accepted solution]

In that case the registration swatch might not help you a lot and you need to assign the color that you have on that layer. Also put the marks on each layer.