What is "100% K" and how do I set that up for my images?

Forum|Forum|11 months ago
March 28, 2025
4 replies
3591 views

Hi!

I'm having a hard time understanding what this means and how to fix it:

"On some pages, the data is composed of CMYK, mainly barcodes or photos. For the books, a 1+1 (b/w) print is planned. The EAN should be in 100% K, as well as the images."

How do I change this? Does this also apply to vector graphics?

This is for a book project for print.

Thank you!

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

Another viewpoint *might* be to ignore the worry and export to a print-flavored PDF using the GRACOL icc profile. This profile does a good job of interpreting black objects onto the black plate of an output. It employs a lot of undercover removal and leaves black objects only on the black plate.

You don't actually say, but you hint that the print job is going to be black ink plus 1 other ink color? 1 other spot color on press?

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

Shapes like that should not be pixel-based PSD files. Since they are vector bar shapes, I was imagining that you would say they are from Illustrator (or at least generated and opened into Illustrator and saved as AI files).

If so, I would make (in Illustrator) an Illustrator *global* swatch that is 100K and apply that pure black to the fill of the vector bar shapes. Save as an AI file, and place into InDesign. This will ensure that the black barcodes stay 100% on the black plate.

Mike Witherell

M

MateomonoAuthor

Known Participant

@Mike WitherellOk, then I would need to ask for an SVG file. But how do I make these updates if it's an image that should only be 100% K?

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

@Mike WitherellOk, then I would need to ask for an SVG file. But how do I make these updates if it's an image that should only be 100% K?

By @Mateomono