color separations for output

[cory_weisskirk@adobeforums.com]

I design in a silk screen office and cannot figure out how to get the fill of the type to be separate from the stoke, so that when I output them onto a transparency, to burn onto the screen, one color does not touch the other. I use Illustrator 10 and Windows XP. If anyone knows what I am talking about and can help I would appreciate it greatly. It would be a great bonus if someone could explain how to do it with more than 2 colors, and where white prints black.
Thank you

[Philip_Peterson@adobeforums.com]

Not sure exactly what you mean, especially about the "where white prints black" but in the seperation dialog box you might change the image from positive to negative (or vice versa).

[cory_weisskirk@adobeforums.com]

Let's see if I can describe this better. Is it possible to Print each individual layer, rather than printing the entire image? Silk screens do one color at a time, and each layer needs to have it's own screen made. In order for it to work correctly, the layers/colors need to match up like puzzle pieces. I am printing out onto transparencies, so every color needs to register as black when printed out. I hope this helps.

[Tim_Cahill@adobeforums.com]

Cory I have to assume you are outputting your film (or vellum) on a postscript printer and your designs are spot colors (if not you have other problems). If that is the case, then most of your sep issues should be handled in the Separation setup dialogue box. Select separation setup from the print or print setup dialogue box . Once in setup, you should see all the colors used in your design. Set your page size, orientation, emulsion and image setting as required. For each color set your screen frequency and angle (these should be based on screen mesh) and make sure you have Use printer's marks selected. Also to make sure you have proper traps where colors touch, stroke the overlapping color and select overprint stroke or just select overprint fill from the Attributes palette (which way you go depends on ink colors and opacity). To have white print as a color I just use a light gray spot color and rename it spot white. If you need a white base under your design let me know and I'll let you know how to handle that.

[Harron_K._Appleman@adobeforums.com]

Cory,

Wouldn't printing to separations (rather than composite) do the trick?

In order to set up separations in Illustrator, you'll need to target a Postscript printer.

=-= Harron =-=

{Bumped by Tim}

[Jacob_Bugge@adobeforums.com]

Cory,

If I understand it in the right way you should put each colour in its own layer and make a separate print of it; this would be simple with PDF.

If you start with the whole artwork in the basic layer, with a marking outside the final silk screen area for alignment but inside the printable area (if you want to view the alignment of all transparencies at the same time you may use a set of hairline crosses, each cross rotated to a different angle for each layer), you may:

a) Duplicate the layer as many times as you have colours,
b) Name each layer after the colour,

and for each layer (hiding all the other layers):

c) Select each colour, changing the CMYK values to 0,0,0,100 for the colour to print and to 0,0,0,0 for all the others (you can separate fill and stroke in this way too),
d) Save as PDF, including the colour in the name of the PDF file,
e) Print.

[Dean Fritzel]

Cory, I too work in a design department that outputs to transparency to make silk screens. If there is any way I can help you, please let me know.

Dean F

[email]dfdesign@veizon.net[/email]

[cory_weisskirk@adobeforums.com]

yes white is a color, and from what i understand, white usually needs to be printed twice on the shirt or whatever, because of opacity issues. you all have been a great help, thank you.

[Timothy_Foolery®@adobeforums.com]

Did you ever sort out that halftone spot functions problem, Dean?

[Dean Fritzel]

Tim,

Not really. I was never able to get illustrator 10 to give me the correct halftone dot shape. I ended up importing it into Corel, and outputing it from there. (I hate Corel..is that too strong a word?)

So, I found a work-around. If I were working with halftoning projects, I would have spent more time on it. (I couldn't afford amy more time during that project...wasted 2+ hours on it)

If anyone has found a soulution to why I couldn't get Illi to output anything but little squares for halftones (as opposed to ovals) please let me know.

Thanks,

Dean F

[Kevin_J._Hartman@adobeforums.com]

Cory I do separations for Screenprinters all day long, I know exactlly what you need. give me a call at 1-800-574-3477. [url]www.westarsolutions.com[/url]

Kevin Hartman

[cory_weisskirk@adobeforums.com]

you have all helped me a great deal. thank you. for a couple of you i will keep your phone#/emails available so i may contact you in the future.

[Timothy_Foolery®@adobeforums.com]

I really can't understand it myself Dean. It works perfectly for me.

I'd hate to have to output from Corel. That kiddy draw program gets it right about one in five times. I could maybe print to the DesignJet from Corel, but the Roland SJ-740 would spit the dummy for sure.