Imitating 'electric' lime green.

[peterpica]

Customer supplied an RGB label image that I'm trying to print CYMK. Problem is a major league shift in the background lime green to a dull, also tan green.

Any ideas as to what values (or PMS) I should use to substitute? Original image attached. Trying to come close as possible in CYMK for printing.

Thanks.

[Bo_LeBeau · Accepted solution]

Peter,

Your "Electric Lime Green" is out of gamut for CMYK. Bright RGB colors like these simply can't be printed using normal inks.

On the bottom is your original image, on the right is the image soft proofed to CMYK (US Web Coated (SWOP v2)

Notice how the green dies?

On the left is the image with Gamut Warning tuned on. Everything that is gray is out of gamut, even the red & blue of the flag.

The only thing that might be close is to print this on a press with a Fluorescent Green Pantone spot color ink. This is an ink made specifically for printing a bright green that cannot be printed any other way.

There are NO values you can use to print this using CMYK. Just ain't gonna happen!

Now your problem is trying to explain to the customer why what he sees on his screen can't be printed.

Good Luck with that!

[JJMack]

I see the same in RGB mode soft  proofing for my epson 4800 in RGM mode.

[postrophe]

Hi

I concur with Bo LeBeau.

On what kind of press and subtract material is this suppose to be printed to ?

Pierre

[peterpica]

Thanks much gents... you've confirmed what I suspected but was still hoping... I think I'll use a PMS365 just for the background & pray or something like that! And all of this for just a print run of 50 stickers that go on construction hard hats. 😉

Regards & thanks again.

[postrophe]

Hi

Sound like a Flexography print job. It usually need a special channel for that PMS color, and the printer to have that special ink.

Pierre

[peterpica]

Thanks... customer would never spring for $ like that for 50 labels!