Designs with 4+ Colors

[upperhandprinting]

Hey all. While daydreaming about printing, I came across a topic that I thought I would bring up to everyone.

To put it simply, if you were asked to do a print with 5, 6, or up to 10 colors, depending on the size of your press, what would make you want to print that design using 6 spot colors, instead of printing the design by process printing? If every color can be created using process printing (CMYK), why go over that? It would reduce the screens that needed to be made, reduce the amount of colors you would have to stock and deal with, as well as lower the number of screens you would need to register. As well as lower the size of press you would need, if you don't have one yet.

I understand there is a steeper learning curve to printing this way. It's a more precise process and lowers your margin for error. But if you could get really good at it, what would stop you from process printing everything over 4 colors that you receive? I know there would be some super easy 5 spot color designs that would be easier to set up and print doing them that way instead of process, but if the design already had halftones and blending in it anyway, why not process print it?

Would you get a less opaque image using process? Especially on areas where it's a solid color with no halftones? Is it really that much more of a pain to do that it's easier to only do it when necessary? I'm not saying I'm going to go this route, just kind of thinking out loud and wanted to get everyones opinions on it. I know there are probably some things I'm forgetting that would make me lean back to spot color, so please, if you have any ideas as to why not to go that route, let me know.

thanks guys! take care.

[Catspit Productions]

Actually I find CMYK printing not that difficult at all. It will be harder to get consistent results with a manual press but on an automatic they can be easy to print. The complication is having the CMYK color separations done correctly for the print to have the desired look.

Most CMYK done for textile printing is actually simulated process. We most often end up adding spot color printers to the CMYK set up to enhance the whites or to use spot colors in text or areas that require spot. So it is a fact that learning how to separate, when to add spot color printers and using a manual press can be challenging to say the least.

Then on top of that you need very dense film positives for process work or any halftone work for that matter. So you would want film output from an image setter or a thermal printer.

Plus it can change the final appearance by changing a 6 color job to CMYK and the darker colored shirts would need a very smooth white under base and a white highlight printer. In certain cases running CMYK would be necessary like for gradients, blends or continuous tone reproduction.

But yes, I am not afraid to use CMYK and with a customer looking for 10 colors it may be a wise recommendation for lowering costs from labor on press.

Anyone else have anything to add? Please feel free to do so

[Free Man]

what is the difference from what you called cmyk and simulated process? thanks.

[Catspit Productions]

Honestly it’s pretty much the same difference except with simulated process we might use some spot colors in addition to the process part of the job. Simulated process work may also not even have a CMYK configuration as it may take a few spot colors and mix those to achieve the colors desired.

The bottom line is that screen printed CMYK does not produce a rosebud pattern as it does in offset lithography. That’s true process work. With tee shirts the fabric cannot hold the rosebud pattern therefore larger elliptical or circular dot is used. The density of the dot combined with its size produces the tonal range and colors desired. So in a sense it’s all simulated process but for a more explicit definition see this page of the Catspit website:

http://www.catspitproductionsllc.com/sc ... thods.html

[Free Man]

Great! thanks, I think I will print that page off and put it on the wall in my office for reference. What is offset lithography? Is it sometimes just known as offset printing?, I have heard this term before, but never offset lithography.

[Catspit Productions]

Yes, offset printing. That is litho printing. Like color books or magazines, posters and such.