Am I doing something wrong or what?
The former.
Most Pantone colors are not meant to be processed out; meaning that they’re not achieveable using CMYK color.
Also, colors used in Photoshop are always a built color UNLESS you set up a spot channel and designate the appropriate PMS color that way and save your final file properly. Unless there’s no other way to accomplish the effect you’re after in another program, I usually recommend against relying on Photoshop for spot color jobs.
Another reason why your colors may look different is that you might be using different color libraries. For example, you might be using a coated library in InDesign, but an uncoated in Photoshop. Also make sure that all your programs are utilizing the most current libraries. Pantone color libraries change yearly, so if you have, say, a newer version of Photoshop and an older version of InDesign… they might be referencing different color libraries.
Additionally, if you use a color managed setup, make sure all your programs are set up using the same settings, otherwise you could experience color shifts and unexpected output when printing.
HTH
Thanks for the reply. I have already considered all the things you mention in the last half of you message. I don’t typically work with spot colors in Photoshop, but I do when I’m trying to create a duotone image for a 2-color job I’m laying out in InDesign.
I don’t understand why photoshop cannot or does not display a spot color the same way InDesign and Illustrator do. All the libraries and color management are exactly the same. When using a spot color in InDesign or Illustrator it also displays the cmyk conversion values. Photoshop does as well, however they are completely different than Illustrator and InDesign… WHY? It doesn’t make sense. The integration between the 3 programs is so tight, why is this so off?
Jason,
Please state what versions of the 3 applications. (Pantone updated their colour definitions and so different versions of the apps CAN have different specs)
Additionally, please ensure that all 3 apps are using identical CM settings by saving your settings from Photoshop’s Edit>Colour Settings d/box to a colour settings file (.CSF) and then loading that .CSF into the Edit>Colour Settings d/box of the other 2 applications.
All three applications are CS. I have manually ensured that the CM settings are the same in all 3 applications, however I will try what you suggest.
I don’t think that this is a CM issue though, because of the fact that the CMYK values assigned to the spot colors are so hugely different. Our corporate color is PMS 647. InDesign and Illustrator assign the following CMYK values to this color:
C-100, M-56, Y-0, K-23.
Photoshop assigns these values: C-74, M-51, Y-20, K-3.
If I change the CMYK values to those of InDesign and Illustrator the color looks the same, however, now I have a process color instead of a spot color.
Jason,
All three applications are CS<<
At least that means all 3 will be using the same definitions….provided you are using the same libraries, of course.
One little ‘fly in the ointment’ is that Photoshop Pantone definitions are in Lab (and so device independent) whereas in Illustrator they are in an (unknown) CMYK colour space which has to be converted to your working space. However, as we don’t know the colour space of the Pantone library, that conversion will be less than perfect.
Of course, if you are printing spot colour, then it doesn’t matter a damn either what it looks like on screen or what the CMYK equivalents are…..
Is there a way to create a photoshop document using only two pantone colors? and what mode do I need to be in so that the resulting image will separate into 2 pantone colors?
In article ,
"Wendy" wrote:
Is there a way to create a photoshop document using only two pantone colors? and what mode do I need to be in so that the resulting image will separate into 2 pantone colors?
Yes.
Create a new grayscale file. Open the Channels palette. From the Channels palette flyout menu, add your two spot channels. Then delete the black channel.
Save the image as a DCS2 file.
Note that Photoshop treats spot colors as a special case of an alpha channel, which means you can not work in layers in spot color.
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Art, photography, shareware, polyamory, literature, kink: all at
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I have a customer that does a front and back newsletter in photoshop.
They use 100% black and 100% magenta and save it as a .psd. (They don’t have no other layout programs)
How can I put it in an IndesignCS2 or quark document and separate it into 2 colors?
Your prompt response is appreciated!
Thank you, Marie
P.S. Those are the only two colors they use in the newsletter is the 100% black and the 100% magenta.
Use the file as it is and tell the printer that Magenta is one of the spot colors and Black is the other. You do not need to put the image info into a spot channel since the print job doesn’t use cmyk.
alan
Believe it or not we are the printing company – but everytime i send it over in separations all the colors come over – i would be more than happy to upload a page to u and let u see if there is a way to do it – just let me know how to upload
I’m not sure what you mean by all separations. If it is not too many mbs (and/or send a lorez version) to my public idisk.
catman2u
alan
everytime i send it over in separations all the colors come over
Don’t worry about that.
Provided that all of the other channels (except the M and the K channels) are totally blank, a covering note can tell the plate-maker to generate only the M and K plates.
They weren’t Ann. There were two images that were 4c gray. Everything else was either only on the magenta or black channel.
I converted the two 4c process images to 1 channel grayscale and sent the file back to Marie.
I haven’t heard back from Marie, but I assume the job has gone to print.
alan
That was a very kind act and I am sure that Marie is grateful to you.
Yes, I am totally grateful!!
It was nothing, you are quite welcome.
Rent the movie "Pay it Forward". I in no way equate what I did with the magnanimous acts suggested and done in that movie . . . just rent the movie.
alan
