Duotone help
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- Nathan_Adams
Does anybody know how to do a duotone image - that's mostly plain greyscale, with an area with spot colour?
Basically in this image, the whole think is b+w greyscale, except his shirt, which I want black and yellow. Pantone 129U. This will be printed 2 colour. (the image will be placed into Freehand, with some type overlaid in there)
thanks
- johndiggity0
trace and copy the shirt onto a new layer and colorize it.
- Nathan_Adams0
yes, i realise that's how you do that in RGB. That's how I created that jpg (well, used multiply instead of colourize. not a huge difference).
I need to be able to print this in 2 spot colours though. And anytime I go into duotone mode (tricolours. black, white and the yellow) - I just get black and yellow. I can't find anyway to have certain areas on a black to white scale, and others on a black to yellow scale
- johndiggity0
you need to keep the one layer grayscale and the shirt layer whatever spot c you are using. if you are getting it printed, ask your printer to do a bump plate on the shirt and give him the pms or whatever you are using.
- Duane0
Just make a multichannel Photoshop document. Paste the greyscale image into the Black channel and then create a new channel and name it EXACTLY as the specfied Pantone swatch in Freehand (to make sure you only rip two plates). Make sure the new channel is set as a spot color and specify a color in the color picker. This color is only for reference. You usually have to provide a file saved in Photoshop DCS format. If you spec'ed your color right in Photoshop the color swatch will show up in Freehand or Illustrator once you place the image. Ask your printer's tech guys for help if you get stuck.
- airey0
send me the files if you need help. i can turn it around in about 20 mins.
- Nathan_Adams0
thanks guys. i think I got it.
I just did a quick try (did it roughly, I'm at home now, will do it properly with a proper mask tomorrow). Although I was a bit unsure on the settings it prompts me for. (DCD, Encoding, Include Halftone Screen, Include transfer function, Image interpolation).
Any particular settings that would be best?I've uploaded the file if you don't mind checking I've done it right:
http://homepage.mac.com/nuworld/…Also, I take it it's normal for it to do that wretched eps thing and look absolutely SHIT when imported to Freehand, but will fix itself when I print to Distiller?
cheers for your help, all of you.
- Duane0
I opened it in Photoshop and the image looks fine to me. I don't change any of the settings when I save them out. Good luck! And yes...the image will look like crap placed. I'd try ripping separations on your printer to ensure that the plates are right.
- Nathan_Adams0
ripping separations on my printer? I don't get any option to.
oddly, the image is causing more problems. Creating a PDF from Freehand, the image dissappears.
That's using the "export" option though, as my Mac here at home doesn't have Distiller. But that shouldn't make a difference, should it?
- Duane0
Illustrator lets you print separations - not sure about Freehand.
A DCS file is only for ripping plates. I had no luck getting a PDF of the stuff I worked on using them. My workaround was a CMYK version of the image for comping and approvals. I replaced the image before sending it to the printer.
- Nathan_Adams0
oh really? fuck
my boss insists on sending shit off as PDF's from distiller. everytime.you'd think something as simple as this would be easier to achieve....