Color Atlas Illustrator Script

[mazengh]

Dear members,

I am creating an illustrator script to generate a color atlas but I would like to know what the requirements for such a color book should be... If you have any input or suggestions please let me know.

 

[M@CK]

Is going to be like a target finder ...
Like say a customer wants you to match a Pantone color on a digital press,
you give it a starting value and it will generate different variations of that color to view and print.

If you tell us more of what it does, maybe post a screenshot or 2, we will be more able to help.

 

[mazengh]

Is going to be like a target finder ...
Like say a customer wants you to match a Pantone color on a digital press,
you give it a starting value and it will generate different variations of that color to view and print.

If you tell us more of what it does, maybe post a screenshot or 2, we will be more able to help.

it's more of a CMYK patches with different percentages so that designers better communicate and show what printed CMYK colors will look like on press.

check Gordo's link below

The Print Guide: The Color Atlas - helping designers to specify color

 

[chevalier]

If you are successful I'd like to review your script and see if I can build something with it akin to the Esko Dynamic Marks slug that I use. It currently does not support "discreet" color values (blends of spots, CMYK builds, etc.) that the swatches panel can recognize by using "add used colors". The functionality should be near the same to do what you want but only generate these "discreet" used builds.

 

[mazengh]

If you are successful I'd like to review your script and see if I can build something with it akin to the Esko Dynamic Marks slug that I use. It currently does not support "discreet" color values (blends of spots, CMYK builds, etc.) that the swatches panel can recognize by using "add used colors". The functionality should be near the same to do what you want but only generate these "discreet" used builds.

Do you mean mixing CMYK values with a fifth or sixth pantone color? like multichannel patches? ex. C:10, M:15, Y:50, K20, P 105-7 C

 

[Stephen Marsh]

it’s more of a CMYK patches with different percentages so that designers better communicate and show what printed CMYK colors will look like on press.

What are the intended benefits of having a script generate the atlas on the fly offer over a fixed atlas? Or is that the question? :]

Put another way, are you after input/feedback of features that a colour atlas may contain?

Or are you after suggestions for making this “dynamic” when run as a script with a GUI and different end user options, rather than what is currently offered by static artwork?

Or both? Or something else?


Stephen Marsh

 

[Stephen Marsh]

If you are successful I'd like to review your script and see if I can build something with it akin to the Esko Dynamic Marks slug that I use. It currently does not support "discreet" color values (blends of spots, CMYK builds, etc.) that the swatches panel can recognize by using "add used colors". The functionality should be near the same to do what you want but only generate these "discreet" used builds.

chevalier, have you tried the following script from John Wundes JS4AI site?

wundes.com

First, remove all unused swatches palette, then run the script!


Stephen Marsh

 

[mazengh]

What are the intended benefits of having a script generate the atlas on the fly offer over a fixed atlas? Or is that the question? :]

Put another way, are you after input/feedback of features that a colour atlas may contain?

Or are you after suggestions for making this “dynamic” when run as a script with a GUI and different end user options, rather than what is currently offered by static artwork?

Or both? Or something else?


Stephen Marsh

generating on the fly will help you generate custom patch sizes and custom page sizes for different needs. Also you can choose the stepping from patch to the other....

 

[WharfRat]

surrounds

surrounds

I like this one.
One selects a build and it shows you builds around that build.
So if your output device is "not quite right" the customer can quickly find what is close for that machine.
I use it on a per instance basis when we are not quite happy with something
I think it is a bit much to create a swatch book of all possible colors to mull through.

MSD

 

[Stephen Marsh]

And the script can be found where…?


Stephen Marsh

I like this one.
One selects a build and it shows you builds around that build.
So if your output device is "not quite right" the customer can quickly find what is close for that machine.
I use it on a per instance basis when we are not quite happy with something
I think it is a bit much to create a swatch book of all possible colors to mull through.

MSD

 

[mazengh]

And the script can be found where…?


Stephen Marsh

I am still creating it... right now I am collecting ideas to create it, if you need a copy of what I have so far send me a private message.

 

[Stephen Marsh]

I am still creating it... right now I am collecting ideas to create it, if you need a copy of what I have so far send me a private message.

I was referring to the script that created the PDF sample posted in the post prior to my reply by wharfrat. :]

That being said, I am interested in your script too mazengh!

OK, I’ll post some other ideas and reference samples for you as feature suggestions…


Stephen Marsh

 

[Stephen Marsh]

I presume that the script will be driven by a GUI…

* Variable page size selection

* Variable margin selection, which takes into account facing pages with a greater left/right margin for binding

* Selectable patch sizes, space between patches, keylines or not, label text colour etc

* Selectable increment steps (1%, 2%, 3, 5%, 10%, more useful for digital printing than offset I guess)

* I presume that you will use a fixed XY grid of magenta and cyan, with different fixed values of yellow for a pure CMY chart?

* What about GCR, adding in K?

* What about showing pure CMY with K variations in the same swatch (pdf attached).

* How about a “gray finder” option to create near neutrals at different luminosity values to find gray balance for different tones.

* How about a “TAC finder” for total area coverage, rich black values so that K density of K only can be compared to CMYK blacks and for finding visual DMax (some toner/printers have weaker density for CMYK blacks than for K only).

* How about a colour finder for very dark colours, nearly black blues, nearly black reds etc.

Sample Gray and TAC targets here:

Images


Stephen Marsh

 

[Shawn]

I was referring to the script that created the PDF sample posted in the post prior to my reply by wharfrat. :]

That being said, I am interested in your script too mazengh!

OK, I’ll post some other ideas and reference samples for you as feature suggestions…


Stephen Marsh

That scatter looks like it's based on some old pure postscript programming that was floating around many years ago.

At the time I plugged it into an AppleScript that used TextWrangler to kick out a .ps file on the desktop that could then be made into a PDF. It'll ask you for a page size and then a base C, M, Y, K starting color. Since the work is done in pure postscript you can edit the percentages in a txt editor for whatever starting value you want.

Just pulled it out -- and what do you know -- it still works. Warning, its a rough and simple hack job but here it is if anyone wants to take a look. The base PS scripts are inside the app if you "show package contents" and look in the Resources folder they are called "CMYKsurround-ltr" and "CMYKsurround-tab".

I always meant to go back and remove the TextWrangler dependency but never got around to it. Kudos to whomever did the original Postscript programming.

 

[rich apollo]

I like this one.
One selects a build and it shows you builds around that build.
So if your output device is "not quite right" the customer can quickly find what is close for that machine.
I use it on a per instance basis when we are not quite happy with something
I think it is a bit much to create a swatch book of all possible colors to mull through.

MSD

I use this one, too. You need the attached PostScript file.

Open it in TextEditor, change the beginning values, and save. Then double-click (on Mac) and a PDF file will be created.

 

[Tim-Ellis]

Hello Stephen,

i think it is here....

http://printplanet.com/forums/prepress-workflow-discussion/27205-handy-little-color-viewing-file

 

[Stephen Marsh]

Thank you!

I thought it was a script, I had forgotten about “useless old PostScript” that has been surpassed by modern PDF. :]

Looks like the old dog still has a trick or two left!


Stephen Marsh

Hello Stephen,

i think it is here....

http://printplanet.com/forums/prepress-workflow-discussion/27205-handy-little-color-viewing-file