Known Participant

Question

Spot color screened in Illustrator

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
February 24, 2021
3 replies
1370 views

I'm totally baffled! I have artwork that I originally created in Illustrator 2019, I didn't realize but I've made revisions to the balance of the file in 2021 (v 25.2) and it's printing almost gray when it should be a 10% screen of PMS Green 343. I've tried to just darken the screen to get the color to print correctly but even when I try to make the green 100% it doesn't change!!?

The transparency and opacity are set at 100%.

What am I missing?

This topic has been closed for replies.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

Are you actually printing with spot ink? The ink is actually green, so it can't really change colour unless it's an optical effect, mixing with the paper dyes or whatever. But if you are printing to a desktop printer you should not design in spot inks, I agree.

T

Test Screen Name

Legend

Using a spot colour in a design for CMYK printing is risky at best. What you are seeing is an attempt at proofing the true colour, and this could have weird effect. Designers do this all the time, and pre-press people constantly curse and have to fix it. So, make your swatch CMYK.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Maybe it is possible to show a file that has the problem, just the problematic part.

Dan Rodney

Community Expert

The file looks fine, and you said it only prints gray. So maybe it's something in the printing process. Check the settings when you print. Has your operating system changed since you last worked with this? Maybe the printer driver changed, or does it print OK does it print OK from Illustrator 2019?

PMS colors are meant to be printed using special Pantone inks, so something is happening during the conversion to CMYK for your printer.

— Adobe Certified Expert & Instructor at Noble Desktop | Web Developer, Designer, InDesign Scriptor

P

printerladyAuthor

Known Participant

I print this file as CMYK on a high end digital printer, I last printed in January with no issues at all. The only thing I changed is two words, Investment Banking to Wealth Management that print in black. There are two ruled lines that also print in a solid Green 343 & there isn't an issue with that.

Aside from probably having rollers replaced, nothing on my machine has changed, it's only the issue of the screen area between Illustrator 2019 & 2021

Dan Rodney

Community Expert

Can you post the Illustrator file for us to look at? It doesn't have to be the whole thing, even part of it with one problem object would help us troubleshoot. Is this only a problem when you print, or does it also look wrong onscreen?

— Adobe Certified Expert & Instructor at Noble Desktop | Web Developer, Designer, InDesign Scriptor

P

printerladyAuthor

Known Participant

It also doesn't change on screen. 2019 & 2021 screen shots attached with color & opacity settings showing.

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

Please use the Insert Photos button instead of attaching images.

After downloading I hardly see a difference between the 2 (please select the problem object)

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