White...

[monq]

Rich Apollo, Correct Color: you have clarified entirely what I was after. Please be aware that (as you have probably have noticed), I am extremely newbie when it comes to the praxis of printing (although I have been involved in artwork creation for years). I am just now trying to fix these voids in my knowledge to be able of what happens in the other side.

I was (stupidly) assuming that screening meant CMYK screening - when of course, the application of screening in this particular case (using Pantone and pantone tints in my artwork) will happen using that pantone colour only, NOT CMYK.

To simplify: our artwork has currently far too many colours because someone decided previous to me taking over to use CMYK images, when a solid PMS with a few lines / logos in a tint of that PMS would have sufficed. Knowing that this screening will only apply in the selected Pantone (instead of using CMYK which increases the number of plates) is all I need to know.

The whole "white" subject is now completely incorrect of course: I will use a selected Pantone for background colour plus tints of that Pantone for detail / not transparent white...

Thanks to everyone!

[monq]

Transparent white ink is unpigmented vehicle. It is used to dilute an ink mix - ... or more club soda to your Mojito - or...

This is probably the sentence that made me realise the futility of using white. Adding soft drinks to nice alcohol is sinful, in my books!