Pantone metallic drop shadow won't print!

[Simon123]

Hi, any help on this gratefully received!

I have a brochure page in which I need to do a white on white silhouette of a map with a pantone metallic (877c) drop shadow to show the edges. I used a Photoshop (CS2) file with a transparent background and plain white block colour for the map.

I then import this to Indesign (CS2) and use the direct selection tool to select then I placed a drop shadow around the edge of the layer. Then export using pass4press or Press Quality pdf settings.

Interestingly this shows up fine when viewed in Acrobat and if you use output preview it shows the spot plate and the various percentages of the shadowing.

However, this will not print on either postscript or even inkjet printers etc. My repro company also have the same problem.

Has anyone encountered this? Next stage is sending to the printers to try and get a 'wet proof' which they will no doubt charge for!

Many thanks
Simon

[Sherbert]

Can you upload the file?

[maynardsayswhat]

I usually make an 8-bit (greyscale) flattened Tiff for my drop shadows and place them on a layer between the object and the background. At least, I do this in the "mechanical" or pre-press stage.

You can then apply a spot color to the Tiff in InDesign (as well as Illustrator) as a "fill", as well as applying transparency modes (multiply for most of my shadows) without much issue outputting to any postscript 2+ device.

Transparency modes too easily cause issues when sent to final devices in my opinion and should be avoided when possible. They're great for design and comp layout, but when it comes time to prep a press-ready file I avoid special effects. Woe to the production artist saddled with multiple-source transparencies (layered photoshop + indesign shading mode, oh my!).

Anyway, hope that helps. Good luck and be sure to double press clean up after that metallic hits the rollers!

[Lukas Engqvist]

Your proof system is not handeling overprinting properly. Some digital 4-color simulation of a 4+spot job just can't hack it. This used to be a problem with most systems, but your proofer rip must be able to handle simulation of spotcolours overprinting, for you to view this correctly.

[ajr]

I think the problem lies in transparency not supporting spot colours!.

A

[zoran]

Change your repro house.
If your PDF shows separations fine, they have old Postscript rips that don't handle transparency well, they should be at least able to tell you why and how to get around it.
Both Lukas and Ajr gave you good reasons for why your postscript device is not printing it well.

[David Ingram]

Why not just import the whole thing with the spot color drop shadow built into the image.
instead of bringing it in and shadowing it in indesign?

Anyway, are you SURE your final file has the spot color separate?
I.E. QuarkXpress you have to CHOOSE Composite + Spot.

Also, you repro house has to put it into a SPOT color flow, even then, mosts proofs will be CMYK Equivalent, unless you get a Chromalin, or something where they can proof the color. By WET proof do you mean Press check, or, having something like an analog matchprint done from negs?

Final option, Do it all AS BLACK, the imager really does not care what spot the color is
if youre imprinting in Pantone whatever, the Master will be the same percentages no matter which spot color you decide to choose.

[DCurry]

You also need to make sure that whoever is processing the file is using PostScript Overprint (or equivalent setting) at the RIP. The is akin to you requiring Overprint Preview in Acrobat to display the file properly. Some RIPs will not automatically honor overprints by default.

[jrpoole]

If your pdf is viewing correctly when you view the different channels within the pdf. Then you are creating the files correctly. CS2 does have a problem with using transparency and spot colours tho. One way around it would be to create a seperated pdf. i.e a cyan, mag , yel and K, special. PDF you can do this by printing a separated PS and distilling it. When you view the pdf it will have 5 pages with the different colours in.