Vector Halftones

[jcprinting]

I do NOT have a RIP program such as AccuRIP. I use Gutenprint and occasionally ghostscript. My question is regarding vector halftones:

I have created halftones in Photoshop (raster). I have created halftones in Illustrator but it was using the filters so this was technically raster. I also followed tutorials on how to do it in Inkscape by making a second layer and drawing a dot, etc.. 90% of all of my artwork is done in CorelDraw X6. Is there a very simple and few step process to make halftones? Also is there a way to take a raster image and create halftones that are vector within CorelDraw?

Lastly in CorelDraw, lets say my artwork has 10 colors and I want to do process colors, CMYK and white underbase. How do I take my artwork in CorelDraw X6 and output the 5-6 films needed to print those garments? I do know how to output multiple color jobs and print a film per each color. But when we are talking process colors I am guessing that halftones need to be involved. I have yet to find a video or help with this subject. Also I can't afford expensive software, so I need to do this all manually. I do own QuikSeps for Photoshop (I stumble with it). I do own CorelDraw X6, Illustrator CS6 (actually the whole Adobe Master Collection). I also use free software such as Inkscape, Gimp, Gutenprint. If there is a free or cheap separation software for vector and raster I would love to know about it. Thanks for the help!

-Jim

[Catspit Productions]

I can’t help much with Corel Draw. I only use it to open files AI can’t... LOL.

But I do know that in AI we can take a full color image and with RIP software installed we can use the AI print dialogue to do host separations in spot color or CMYK.

Basically AI is very powerful and can do many things in the print dialogue if you have RIP software installed. If you do not have RIP software those options will not be available.

[jcprinting]

I have done some really nice halftones in AI, but it is all raster. My issue is that I have some vector designs that I would like to do halftones with. So here is a better description of what I am needing to do:

I can take artwork and create a gradient of black to gray and a RIP would convert those to halftones. BUT lets say my artwork has 2 colors of orange and 2 colors of green. Of course I can just buy those different shades of the colors of ink and make screens. But couldn't you just take the graphic which is a lighter shade and create halftones to make it look and appear that it is a different color?

I have used a trial of AccuRIP before. See when I started my business back in 2009 we started with dye sublimation and then DTG (T-Jet 2), and then a direct to substrate, hot foil stamping, pad printing, crystal solidification, embroidery, etc.. Needless to say the business was still barely making it. So last October (2012), I took out a loan and spent another $10,000.00 on a Vastex shop setup. Screen printing was my best decision and it has proven to be the most profitable. I haven't used the T-jet 2 in over a year now. The problem is: I budgeted inks, screens, film scoops, even an $80.00 Kiwo Exposure Calculator. But I was surprised and actually speechless when I later found that I couldn't print dark films. There was never a mention of a RIP for screen printing back when we were purchasing everything. So we used AccuRIP trial for 15 days, and then called and extended for another 15 days, and then installed on another computer for another 15 days, etc.. I just couldn't budget (and still can't) $500.00 for anything else. So I went the ghostscript/gsview way and that does do halftones. But I had to print the films twice to make them dark enough. After a lot of research and work I have the perfect solution with Gutenprint, well almost perfect... Halftones are the only imperfection. I might see if it is possible to run my files trough ghostscript and then through gutenprint. I know this sounds like a LOT of trouble but it really isn't. We print our films just as quick as the AccuRIP trial used to and they are perfect every time. Eventually in time I am sure we will buy a RIP. I wish I had know back when I got the loan I would have just added it. But if I do figure out how to get Gutenprint to do auto halftones then I will never need to buy a RIP. I have been making all of my halftones manually by myself. But I would like the auto option someday.

Thanks!
-JIm

[Catspit Productions]

Well, all that driver and software stuff is beyond me.... LOL. Is Gutenprint for Linux, Unix and Mac? I really couldn’t help there.

But when you make a single color into what I call a spot and dot then yes it would either have to be a color gradient or if you want a percentage of another spot color. If the color is the same but a different intensity or percentage then the RIP should print it as a halftone of the color.

I can’t help too much with art as it is not my forte. But Illustrator works very well for me with most designs. I don’t know anything about what you’re working with.