Any suggestions??

[jln32]

I have 2 questions:

First of all, I've created a spot channel of the letter "X" in gold but now cannot go back and arrange the "X" to the back since this arrangement is not viable in PS. I need to have the spot channel of the X behind a layer of text but in front of an image (essentially 3 layers). Right now the X has positioned itself on top of all the other layers....not where it needs to be

Any ideas on how I can create this in PS?

My second question is that I want to step up and get a graphics programs since PS cannot offer a lot of the things i need to do. Should I try and buy Illustrator or Pagemaker? Quark? (sorry Adobe!) I'm just starting out but the more work I do, PS is not performing all the tasks that are needed.

If someone can answer/other suggestions, I'd appreciate it!

[Sonny Donato]

What kind of things will you be needing to do? This information will help those who can suggest which programs can accomplish the necessary tasks.

[YrbkMgr]

Quark is powerful, but it's nickname is Quirk - something to consider. If I had to do vector work, I would use Illustrator. I don't know if it can be used as a page layout app since I don't use it, but one of the Design Collections from Adobe should be able to help. I suspect that the decision would be between Pagemaker and InDesign. Check out Adobe's products for Print and that may help guide you.

[Carl B. Johnson]

> If I had to do vector work, I would use Illustrator. I don't know if it can be used as a page layout app since I don't use it,

I have a friend that uses Illy exclusively for her page layout work,
even though she has Quirk and Pagemaker on her Mac. She has even
designed newsletters using Illy, and she does free-lance work for
several large corporations.

--
Carl B. Johnson
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Respectibility in art is appalling.
[url]www.wuli.com[/url]

[Cheesefood]

I use AI for page layout, and I find it does a great job as long as the brochure is no more than 1 page.

We just got ID, and if there was a rhyming name like Quirk, I'd call it that. InDesign is a great program, but more bugs than a Kremlin bathroom.

[jln32]

Colin-

Thanks for your suggestions on the various programs.

I created a spot channel because the printer told me to do it! (haha)

I am creating an invitation, and there is a background image with a huge X (to indicate it is the 10th year) and over the bottom of the X is a layer of text. I need the layout to be the background with the image underneath, then the huge X, and lastly the layer of text.

The printer told me to create a spot channel of the "X" because it needs to be in a metallic gold while the rest of the text layers are in white.

Does that make sense? Can you suggest how to fix it?

thanks

[Colin Walls]

As I understand it, you can't just have one spot channel and dot he rest in RGB/CMYK - that doesn't make sense. You need a spot channel for each colour you are going to print. 2 in your case (?): gold and white.

[jln32]

Can I cry now???

The printer does not know PS very well either, and unfortunately he is the one we have to use for this project.

He told me that I need to set up the files in CMYK and that I only had to create one spot channel for the gold X (or any other huge Xs i am using throughout the design that show up in the background). If there was a place to post what I am talking about, it might be easier to see.

He also told me that I need to choose just any yellow Pantone color, since there is no matching gold in anything but CMYK, and at the time of printing, we would pick out a true gold.

????

[Cheesefood]

Your printer is goofy.

If you're looking for a true Metallic ink (not foil) there's an entire Pantone library devoted to metallics. What you should do is:

1. Find a new printer. If he doesn't know PS, what does he know?

2. Ask them to send you a Pantone Metallics book that you can borrow.

May I ask why you're choosing PS to do the layout? If you're applying text to the design, you're better off using a page layout program that can better handle text.

[Colin Walls]

I suppose that you can print in "CMYKG" ...
I just tried this and I get my "gold" channel at the bottom, so that it is covered by the CMYK stuff.
Surely the order doesn't really matter, as the printer will determine which one gets printed when?

[Cheesefood]

You mean the trapping order? Yes, your printer should be able to trap the files.

[Colin Walls]

No, the gold was underneath.

[jln32]

You were able to make it work??? What did you do that I did not?

Please explain!

:)

[Colin Walls]

Dunno. I just started with a clean CMYK doc and added a spot channel. It won't let me move it above the existing channels.

[Colin Walls]

Don't understand. A channel doesn't have this option. [Nor does a background layer - I didn't "normalise" mine]

[Phosphor]

It's not the channel that determines "In front" or "In Back", it's Layer order.

Move the Layer with the gold "X" where it needs to be in the Layers Palette so it reveals and hides in the manner you're after. The Spot channel is merely a selection, and when you save your file in DCS2 format it will separate out as its own plate.

EDIT: One more thing...please read my post in the thread linked below:
Phosphor "Problem! Help please! =(" 7/10/03 9:13am </cgi-bin/webx?50@@.1de9dc91/1>

[jln32]

geez Phosphor...thanks for the help, i guess. i really didn't need a lecture.

[Phosphor]

That wasn't a lecture at all; it was a couple of friendly, pertinent suggestions made to smooth out the forum interactions for everyone.

And by your nebulous thread title, I'd say you, and the rest of the visitors to this forum could only benefit if you were to apply those suggestions to your posts in the future.

All I'm aiming to do is educate you, not bust your stones for what you don't know.

[LenHewitt]

Colin,

>>I suppose that you can print in "CMYKG" ...<<

That is on of the most common uses of spot channels. It is often necessary
to go to 5 or 6 ink printing on Corporate jobs where logos etc have to be in
a specific Corporate Colour, or where metallics are required in addition to
full colour.