Color seperations from Illustrator.

[Drawing a Blank]

Hello everyone, I just want to know what you think about this situation and get your responses to what I want to do. I designed a logo for a client who is now going to get things printed using his own printer. The logo is forclinical products so it is basic, two spot colors with no gradients or special effects. I sent the printer an EPS filecreated out ofAI with fully workable curves and text converted to curves. The printer has now asked me for color seperations which I will admit I don't usually have to do for vector artwork. Is that normal or am I just spoiled?
While the process is simple to make the color seperationsI just spoke with the printers rep and he told me that he needs color seperations because theplatemakers he works with don't know how to seperate the work. "These people can't even e-mail a proof for approval because they do not have that advanced equipment" is what he told me. My client is actually a client of my employer and so I have no personal stake in which printer he chooses, but I think I should tell him to go to a printer who can at least email proofs!! Has anyone else run into this type of situation, and if so what did you do?

Thaks, Greg

"Oooh Benson; you are so mercifully free from the ravages of intelligence."

[Kool]

Wow, any printer who can't separate the file you described is incompetant.

http://home.comcast.net/~rnick9/signew.jpg

'You don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way.' H. J. Simpson

[PrintDriver]

I wouldn't accept an email proof for anything other than content anyway. Color proofing via email is a bad idea.

Sounds like the printer's rep (broker?) is outsourcing something, either the plates or the entire print job.
Just something weird about that whole scenario.
No one can be that incompetant or backward and expect to remain in business..

Must be cheap.

PrintDriver is a large format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

[Drawing a Blank]

I should have specified that the proofs would be for content not color. I agree a color proof via email would be useless. I should have also mentioned that they want seperate EPS files of each color, but they don't want trapping done. I can't figure out why they would want that combination of elements, but I'm not a printer either. I agree with PrintDriver that somthing strange is going on. I think I have to advise the client to find another printer.


"Oooh Benson; you are so mercifully free from the ravages of intelligence."

[dakels]

Sounds like the printer/platemaker is still using a camera for film to plate. It's not a good sign and I would avoid them for your normal digital design workflow. If it is a specialty house like a small silkscreening house, I could understand it but for paper print, its pretty rediculous to still be using a camera.

lol does anyone here even remember what a paste up is?

[PrintDriver]

there are a few of us on here that know what paste up is all about.
Yech.
Rubylith.
Double yech.
And I still gotta use that for silkscreening sometimes.

PrintDriver is a large format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

[Kool]

How about the slanted, backlit drafting table. The hot waxer and those tape rolls of rules, ticks and crosshairs

http://home.comcast.net/~rnick9/signew.jpg

'You don't like your job, you don't strike. You go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way.' H. J. Simpson

[uncle carbunkle]

um...letraset?

...Ruffa' dan ruff, tuffa' dan tuff...

[Drawing a Blank]

Thanks to everyone who replied I appreciate you taking the time.


I found out that the printer is still using camera and film for everything including this letterhead. I find it hard to believe but that is the truth as far as I can tell.


I warned the client about using this printer and he has started looking for another print house to produce his material. WOW a client who realized he doesn't know sh!t about printing and was willing to admit it; will wonders never cease?


"Oooh Benson; you are so mercifully free from the ravages of intelligence."

[Mickey]

Glad to hear someone finally got thru to a customer!

Kool, I have one of those light tables in my home studio and I just moved my waxer and tape rolls last night at about midnight when I was cleaning up. I don't think I will ever use those items again but they really make me feel like a professional and people think that I must have some skills if I have all this crap laying around that they have no clue about! LOL!!!

http://home.wi.rr.com/mygraphics/konceptcreative.jpg

[dakels]

Good news greglearn. Sounds like they wre using a small local print shop... who is way behind the times. Nice to hear your customer values your opinion. Not only speaks for the customer but about you.


btw I still have a large light table too. I like it. I still use it as a slide and transparency lightbox although its major overkill. My apartment is looking pretty crazy... a huge drafting table, 3x4' lightbox, 3 computers, then all my music stuff... 3 guitars and a drum kit... all in one room. I find myself consolodating alot. I am giving away my light table and I am working on one tower and 1 laptop (powerbook). Even geting rid of the drums for now and getting a electronic sset... funny how digital just takes over and makes everything consolidates everything. We sacrifice creative feel for compact digital convenience...

[D-Zine]

Hey Kool....we had 3 of those backlit layout tables until VERY recently. I FINALLY got the bossman to part with them since we haven't had to use them for about 5 years...LOL!...but we also had the hot wax and the rollers AND the border tape too!!! That is tooo funny! And my office was actually the dark room where they produced the photos long before I was there!! haha! Hows that for history! ;o)

Boobie Island or Bust!