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mistah_tee
mistah_tee
Participating Frequently
January 11, 2019
Answered

Does colorizing using Hue/Saturation make your image one color?

  • January 11, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 1570 views

I have an image that needs to be printed. The more the colors I use, the more expensive the printing. The images are quite intricate.

If I colorize the image in Hue/Saturation, does this make the print just 1 color? Do printers count this as just one color?

I hope it does. If it doesn't, what's the best way to get the least amount of colors for an image?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Stephen Marsh

The Hue/Saturation+Colorize command does not “separate” an image, so it will still be RGB and will come down to a CMYK or other “separation” method to create distinct/separate channels that would equate to a printing separation/plate.

Grayscale is one channel/separation/plate.

As mentioned above, you can create a duo/tri/quad image from a grayscale image, using special transfer curves to decide where the colour appears.

There are of course other methods.

Can you provide a sample image, this whole discussion is highly dependent on the source image.

How is this being printed? Screen printing?

2 replies

Stephen Marsh
Community Expert
Stephen MarshCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
January 11, 2019

The Hue/Saturation+Colorize command does not “separate” an image, so it will still be RGB and will come down to a CMYK or other “separation” method to create distinct/separate channels that would equate to a printing separation/plate.

Grayscale is one channel/separation/plate.

As mentioned above, you can create a duo/tri/quad image from a grayscale image, using special transfer curves to decide where the colour appears.

There are of course other methods.

Can you provide a sample image, this whole discussion is highly dependent on the source image.

How is this being printed? Screen printing?

mistah_tee
mistah_teeAuthor
Participating Frequently
January 11, 2019

Offset printing.

This is the image. So what i did was colorize the birds assuming it would then be counted as 1 color. And thought that this image just has 2 colors: the birds and the waves.

    Stephen Marsh
    Community Expert
    Stephen MarshCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 11, 2019

    Are you having this printed as spot colour, or standard four colour process CMYK?

    A 2 spot colour run will have half the plates, but the inks will be more expensive and there will be wash up time on the press, possibly ink mixing fees etc.

    You can have this as a 2 colour job, if you are willing to sacrifice the black beak and eye! There will be solid yellow waves and solid/tints of pink. You can of course overprint/mix the yellow and pink to form a “visual 3rd colour” from only 2 colours, but this will not be black, the beak and eye would be a redish hue.

    K
    Community Expert
    Kenneth KawamotoCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 11, 2019

    If you want to limit the print colour, duotone is the way to go.

    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 11, 2019

    Duotone is one option, but with certain images it may make more sense to separate them manually with Spot Channels (if certain elements should be b/w only and others have color for example).

    If I colorize the image in Hue/Saturation, does this make the print just 1 color?

    No.

    Please  post the image in question so people may actually be able to provide pertinent advice.

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