Printing & Pantone questions from a newbie

[radoslava645]

Thursday, May 9, 2019

7:56 PM

Hello!

I have a few questions regarding Spot colors, printing, and other topics.

I would really appreciate if someone can explain to me these issues and actually help me understand them.

Here are my questions:

1. I tried to look for a Pantone color replacement for Rich Black (C -35 M -35 Y - 35 K - 100), but I couldn’t find any.

In my designs, I usually use mainly this type of black, but recently my client requested using Pantone colors.

I have looked at the other Pantone Blacks but none of them seem close enough to the Rich Black I'm using.

2. Why when I try to change rich black (C - 35 M - 35 Y - 35 K - 100) in Pantone solid coated the color retains its CMYK values and doesn't turn into Pantone. Other colors like: C - 80 M - 10 Y - 45 K - 0 have immediate alternative value in Pantone color 777 23 C?

3. Let's say we have 2 PDF files with the same logo.

The first PDF is in CMYK mode and the colors of the design are in CMYK as well.

The second PDF is also in CMYK mode, but the design itself is made using Pantone colors.

My question is about the second PDF.

Are the Pantone colors used in the second PDF really Pantone if the color mode of the PDF is CMYK?

Color swatches show that the colors are Pantone.

4. Can you print a design using both CMYK and Pantone colors at the same time? If yes, how would you go about doing that and what is the process as a whole. How would you even go about preparing and setting the settings for a PDF that was meant to be used in this way?

Can you recommend any software for exporting multiple files at the same time, like: PDF, PNG, SVG, etc.

[Monika Gause]

radoslava645  schrieb

Thursday, May 9, 2019

7:56 PM

Hello!

I have a few questions regarding Spot colors, printing, and other topics.

I would really appreciate if someone can explain to me these issues and actually help me understand them.

Here are my questions:

1. I tried to look for a Pantone color replacement for Rich Black (C -35 M -35 Y - 35 K - 100), but I couldn’t find any.

In my designs, I usually use mainly this type of black, but recently my client requested using Pantone colors.

I have looked at the other Pantone Blacks but none of them seem close enough to the Rich Black I'm using.

2. Why when I try to change rich black (C - 35 M - 35 Y - 35 K - 100) in Pantone solid coated the color retains its CMYK values and doesn't turn into Pantone. Other colors like: C - 80 M - 10 Y - 45 K - 0 have immediate alternative value in Pantone color 777 23 C?

3. Let's say we have 2 PDF files with the same logo.

The first PDF is in CMYK mode and the colors of the design are in CMYK as well.

The second PDF is also in CMYK mode, but the design itself is made using Pantone colors.

My question is about the second PDF.

Are the Pantone colors used in the second PDF really Pantone if the color mode of the PDF is CMYK?

Color swatches show that the colors are Pantone.

4. Can you print a design using both CMYK and Pantone colors at the same time? If yes, how would you go about doing that and what is the process as a whole. How would you even go about preparing and setting the settings for a PDF that was meant to be used in this way?

Can you recommend any software for exporting multiple files at the same time, like: PDF, PNG, SVG, etc.

I don't understand your questions 1 to 3.

But #4: If you have CMYK in your file and then have Pantone colors, you will need a printing machine that has the necessary number of whatever its called in English, the German name is "Farbwerk". But then it will work. And it will be rather expensive to print 5 or more colors. So are you sure this is what your client wants?

[jdanek]

Pantone spot colors can be used in a CMYK document.  That is the preferred color mode.  Really means nothing, especially when you creat a stationery package using just 2 Pantone spot colors. The RIP that creates the press plates will image the 2 Pantone spot colors and nothing else, even in your PDF.

The concern with your rich black is the total ink percentage is 205. A process print job should be somewhere around 140 depending on paper.

[Monika Gause]

jdanek  schrieb

The concern with your rich black is the total ink percentage is 205. A process print job should be somewhere around 140 depending on paper.

140% ink coverage? Sounds really low. You couldn't even get red with that.

[jdanek]

Yes, I meant 240. Thank you.

Sent from my iPhone

[jdanek]

My point was just a bit of caution with the CMYs at 35%.

Sent from my iPhone

[radoslava645]

Could you explain why that is and how the total color coverage affects the prints? I am reading the replies, but I have no idea of some of the things they are talking about if I have to be honest.

[Monika Gause · Accepted solution]

Please get some general information about printing.

Please learn about color managing and transparency.

This is nothing that can be explained in a forum post, most of all because we don't know where to start.

This is a start: http://pdf.hemlock.com/CS6_PrintGuide.pdf (I hope the link works)

Then there are trainings and courses e.g. on LinkedIn (not for free).

It also helps a lot, when you spend some days at a print shop.

You cannot advise your client or prepare complex files without knowing how this works. It's just not possible.

Also: in order to give proper advise we would need to know what kind of print this is and how it will be printed.

[radoslava645]

Thank you for the link, it works!
I have no idea where to start, so I started out by asking my questions in forums like these.