How to convert CMYK Black to 100 Black

[Italgraphica]

Hi,

there is a way to convert this cmyk black background to only 100 black?

Thank you for help

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Image quality will suffer. So yes, but why? Some CMY is desirable, for increased density and registration on press.

The sample provided above is RGB and PNG (PNG does not support CMYK).

What file format is the original (TIFF, PSD, JPG etc).

What CMYK ICC profile?

How will the file be printed?

[Italgraphica]

In printing process I will use a rich black pantone, so I don't need a cmyk black.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

How will the rich black be created with the supporting spot colour plates?

Via a multi-channel profile conversion or manually?

[Italgraphica]

It's the black of cmyk, but instead of using a simple black during printin process, I will use a specific rich black pantone.

So file can be in cmyk, but its black must be 100 black

I hope you get the point.

Thank you!!

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

I understand, I have been in prepress for 35 odd years.

So you are printing with K, but what other colours?

How many and what colours?

Will spot colours be replacing CMY as well as adding undercolour density to the K?

What printing method? Flexo or Gravure? Litho/Offset? Digital?

What screening, AM or FM?

And again, how will you create the other colours, profile conversion, manually or otherwise?

[Italgraphica]

This is the original one

Thank you

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Thanks, it can be better to work from RGB rather than reseparating... But that PNG is a screenshot? The two files are slightly different in pixel size.

The CMYK file has no ICC profile. What is the output condition?

[Italgraphica]

Ok, so waht's the procedure?

Thank you again

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

There are many ways to do it, however, I prefer to fully understand the project first.

[Italgraphica]

This image will be linked to an Illustrator file that use 100 black.

If the AI project use only 100 black, even the psd linked image must use 100 of black and not rich black created using all four values of cmyk.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

OK, but what about all my other print production related questions asked earlier?

If you tell me not to worry then fine, I just don't want to "hand a loaded gun to a child".

I'm just trying to offer the best advice that I can.

[Italgraphica]

Sorry I didn't saw the message.

Our printing process its' offset using AM screening.

This file will be printed in cmyk using COATED FOGRA 39

Conversion color it's made through RIP, but file the I prepare it's a simple high quality pdf.

The only spot colour used it's a rich black pantone that will be replace K of CMYK

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

So the example I presented has a K only background, just as requested... But shouldn't the spot colour background be created in Photoshop?

So the RIP will remap the K elements to a multi-ink separation? What will happen to the K in the hero image? The rest of the hero image is not CMY, it is CMYK.

[Italgraphica]

Can you send me back the file you just modified?

I have to try, thank you

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

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@Italgraphica wrote:

Can you send me back the file you just modified?

I have to try, thank you

---

My advice is free, my professional services are not 🙂

Edit: I'll meet you halfway... Attached is a low-resolution version, you can drag the adjustment layers to the high-resolution original, but it is up to you to create your own channel mixer mask. I did mine from an inverted copy of the black channel which was edited with curves.

Note: I set a minimum highlight dot and I have just noticed that there are some funky shadow reversals inside the hero image that would need to be fixed.

[Italgraphica]

It works!

Thank you again for help, very appreciated!!

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Your welcome, I'm always happy to talk shop on this, I have been away from the shop floor for 10+ years as I am now working in the supplier side of the industry.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

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This image will be linked to an Illustrator file that use 100 black.

If the AI project use only 100 black, even the psd linked image must use 100 of black and not rich black created using all four values of cmyk.

---

Say what? 

Do you mean that the ai-file has a solid background of 100% of some Pantone black that the psd image has to match that? 

[Italgraphica]

Yes correct

[Stephen_A_Marsh · Accepted solution]

I am reluctant to post this without knowing the project details, however, as you just wish to change the background and the foreground and transition from background to hero image does not appear to be a concern... Here is an annotated screenshot of one possible method:

[c.pfaffenbichler]

I wonder how dense any Pantone Black can actually be in, for example, offset printing. 

Lots of open questions … 

[NB, colourmanagement net]

Yeah c.p,  intriguing, I suppose if the Pantone "special" Black really is a "rich black" it must be made up of coloured inks as well as black (when mixed).

So this is not a 5 colour print run, I understand (am I right) that the standard CMYK black is being replaced by "Pantone Rich Black" in this scenario. I wonder if that’s a nice black for text?

And the press can take 100% too! Surprising.

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer:: co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

[Italgraphica]

This "rich black" it's more dense than normal black, so we replace normal cmyk black with this one.

By doing this, we can reproduce a more consinstent and precise black colour during printing, avoiding some normal deviation of colour using rich black created in cmyk.

Text it's not a problem, because of black "pantone", we can avoid out of register if we have to print it in cmyk.

Visually, you can't tell the difference between this two blacks for text, normally text it's small.

[NB, colourmanagement net]

So, this is a 4 colour process, CMY + [Rich Pantone] K, right?

The Pantone "Rich" black seems interesting [not much on google, though] if, as you wrote, it has a better density and looks 'black'.

Of course, for imagery to attain accurate printed colour balance, it's important to have an accurate CMYK icc profile for the press and inks/ media.

I don't suppose that running with, say, a FOGRA 39L based icc for the separations is going to work with a different black.  Black underlies the neutral component [due to GCR] of many printed colours, so the "colour" of the black must remain consistent with the one used in the characterisation process (when the icc profile was made).

I wonder

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer:: co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management