transparency on spot colors

[mtinitigan]

Suppose I wanted to print a blue box and a copy of the box with the transparency set to N%. They do not overlap each other.

Do I...

A) Select a spot color that closely matches what would be the transparent color. Therefore choosing 2 spot colors overall

B) or is this a print company specific question and I would need to speak to them about their capabilities?

[urstwile]

Are you talking about transparency or opacity? There's a difference.

[PrintDriver]

Transparency = Opacity (at least it does in Illy :D)
Are you talking about Transparency or Tints (screens) of the same PMS. Tints are solid colors but a percentage of the original PMS.

Depends on what you're printing.
In 4-color, screens of colors are considered the same plate.
In large format, screens of colors are considered a separate color and you may get something totally unintended unless you call out a second spot color.

Transparency is a whole different animal because other than a general "look" there really isn't a way to guarantee how a transparent spot will interact with the layers below it. Proofs highly recommended!

Either way, it's always best to speak to the printer.

[mtinitigan]

Forgive my ignorance. I'm a web designer, so my printing knowledge is limited. I'm not sure what I am talking about in print terms. I'm guessing I talking about tints.

The client's logo is 4 different colors and she would like to have her profile photo on the business card. I'm guessing it would be cost efficient to print this as CMYK (unless she feels like printing the logo using spot and the photo as CMYK). I've been reading about process color printing and halftoning. So if I look at it closely, I will see tiny dots? Would this make type look fuzzy?

[urstwile]

Transparency = Opacity (at least it does in Illy :D)
Are you talking about Transparency or Tints (screens) of the same PMS. Tints are solid colors but a percentage of the original PMS.


Yeah, you're right, I don't know what I was thinking, I was trying to say tint. Doh!

mtinitigan, you would see dots only if you looked at it under a loop (unless you have eagle eyes). The type should look fine (not knowing how you've designed it), provided it's not done in a vector program, and not in Photoshop.

If your client wants their four-color logo done as spot, that would make the job 8 colors (is the photo 4/color). Which is a pretty expensive way to go. Unless her logo uses spot colors that are hard to reproduce as CMYK, I'd talk her out of that if I were you.

Have you talked to a printer? That's the most important thing you should be doing right now.

[Eggles1]

The type should look fine (not knowing how you've designed it), provided it's not done in a vector program, and not in Photoshop.

I hope you meant that the type IS done in a vector program!!

[urstwile]

I hope you meant that the type IS done in a vector program!!

For some reason, my posts in this thread have been doomed. :o Yes, I meant that the type should be done in a vector program.

Good catch, Eggles. :rolleyes: