It is a top priority for designers worldwide to have a simple solution to ensure that print-ready files are perfect. By implementing a comprehensive review process for color separation plates, you can effectively mitigate unnecessary expenses and prevent the detrimental effects that errors in packaging design can have on your brand and the reputation of the designers involved.
PageProof, the market leader in online proofing, offers an innovative solution for your design team with the world’s first color separation feature that’s inside your online proofing tool. Providing a simple, yet powerful, way to preview color separation plates for artwork files, along with valuable color and file information to assist reviewers. The latest enhancement to PageProof ColorSep® allows users to view the ink coverage breakdown as you review the color plates. Designers will be thrilled with how easy it is to ensure packaging artwork proofs are perfect before printing.
What is color separation?
Color is a powerful marketing tool that influences 93% of customers’ purchase consideration. Color separation is the technical process for effectively and correctly ensuring that the colors used on printed artwork are precise and vibrant. This technique, employed by the printing industry, involves the meticulous identification and isolation of four basic colors, CMYK, as well as spot colors, to ensure accurate reproduction during the printing process. By implementing color separation prior to printing, they can effectively control and manipulate each color’s intensity, saturation, and placement, ultimately resulting in a flawless and visually appealing end product.
CMYK colors
CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black, representing the four basic colors used in color printing. To attain a diverse spectrum of hues, individual screen plates are created for each color. During the printing process, each color is applied separately, layer upon layer, for seamless blending. This meticulous layering technique allows for the creation of an infinite range of colors by combining different ratios and intensities of CMYK. By leveraging this approach, printers are capable of reproducing vibrant and vivid images that faithfully represent the tones of the original artwork.
Spot colors
Spot colors are often used when a unique color is needed. It refers to a single or solid ink used to produce a printed image. The pre-mixed color is printed using a single run versus process colors which are printed by a series of dots of different colors. There have been several spot colors registered over time to ensure that a brand has exclusive rights over the use of that color. A good example of this is Tiffany Blue, which was registered in 1998.
Why choose PageProof ColorSep®?
PageProof offers the most comprehensive color separation preview feature for proofing print-ready artwork and is highly optimized for packaging files. This world-first feature has been designed to simply provide professional-grade precision. Meaning you no longer need to go back and forth between different software tools to ensure color accuracy. On top of this, PageProof ColorSep® adds an abundance of smart features to the proofing process:
It provides easy review of:
- Artwork composition and CMYK color separation plates (in color)
- Spot colors, including Pantone colors
- Dielines
- Embossing plates
- All your CMYK Adobe PDFs, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign files
And recently, further exciting feature enhancements were added, including breakdown of ink coverage. Essential for reviewing packaging. You can now use your mouse to hover over the color plate preview to see the breakdown of ink coverage. In addition, on the proofing screen the color profile of the file is displayed, as are the details of the linked assets in the original file. Perfect for checking artwork is created with the correct linked files.
PageProof has many additional powerful features for ensuring your packaging files or other printed artwork are pixel-perfect. With smart analysis of dimensions, fonts, and colors, as well as tools such as rulers for measuring and grid lines for checking alignment, they make it easy to check every detail of your document.
Discover the incredible power of PageProof’s ColorSep® feature, designed to save you hours in the review and approval process as well as reduce the risk of errors on printed artwork. Start your free trial below to see the time-saving magic with your own eyes!