Design for print - Illustrator

Using software to correct specification for commercial print


Illustrator

Colour mode  - CMYK for print 

To fill a shape either select fill or stoke double click use colour picker to chose colour

Use options bar to chose preset swatch colour

Use the CMYK sliders on the colour picker

Can use the swatches pallet menu to delete swatches or simply select all and delete all

Or select all unused colours / delete

Important not to use Registration black for colour work as 100% CMYK which will result in too much ink on paper

To add a new swatch - select colour on Colour pallet , click on menue, create a new swatch

OR

Directly from the Swatches pallet

The Global box on a colour if ticked can be useful.  If you change the % of CMY or K every area coloured with that colour will change colour

Another advantage of a Global colour swatch is you can also change the tint. 

SPOT colours

A single ready mixed colour applied using its own printing plate,

1.  often used when a colour outside the CMYK colour gamut is needed.  
2. Cost - ceaper to use a 2 colour print job 
3. Corporate/brand colours which are not mixed so consistancy across literature

Colours can be depicted using Pantone reference numbers which are different for difefrent stocks ie Coated, uncoated, metallic

To access Spot colours use the Swatch menu

Swatch library

Colour books - Pantone

Pantone solid = Spot colour

Pantone process = CMYK

Select small list view from the menu

Can use the find field to search a specific ref. no.

 Always keep the Pantone spot colour correct ref no. so can be identified by a printer.

Saving the pallet

Swatch menu save library as AI (other illustrator file)

Ensure saved in home folder 

Choose in Swatch library (User defined) or look in another library

Can save as .aes format to use in Indesign and Photoshop

Printing with Spot Colours at the Commercial printers

Produce separations - Individual positives

For a grayscale PO

Use 'Output' option

Mode - Separations (Host based)