Designing with questions about a color critical sheet-fed project

[HarveyDunn]

Hi, I'm a designer, I'd like to get your input on a few points so I can discuss them more intelligently with print companies who will be invited to bid on the job.

The project is color critical and will be done 4/0 on a sheetfed press. No spots.

1) I thought it would make sense to talk to G7 certified printers and have it printed in accordance with that spec. The very first printer I spoke to said "yes, that's us!". But just a few minutes later he asked me what color I wanted the paper to be. This rather surprised me - isn't the nature of the paper spelled out in the spec?

2) The second printer I talked to advised budgeting for a full wet proof and airfare and hotel for press checks during the actual run. Again, surprise. I guess I was under the impression that proofing technology had advanced to the stage where these things were unnecessary uses of time and money. In my mind, even if a project is color critical, once I've signed off on a proof, that is what the printer is going to produce, and the pressman doesn't me standing there looking over his shoulder at 3AM. Thoughts?

3) I'm getting contradictory advice regarding the best way to do my separations. I'm working in InDesign. On the one hand I've been told to use GRACoL2006v2 for color management and let InDesign determine the CMYK values. This produces colors that tend to be spread over all four inks. On the other hand, I've been told that those builds are less stable, and since almost all colors can be built multiple ways in CMYK, I should endeavor to do grey component replacement (GCR), e.g. make the same colors but build them with just one or two colors plus black - i.e. CMK, CYK or MYK, never all four of CMYK if possible. Again, any thoughts or opinions?

 

[gordo]

1- G7 is NOT a printing specification. Being a G7 certified printer doesn't mean they'll achieve critical color for your project.

2- The only proof of a press is a press proof. All other proofs are simulations created using entirely different processes. If there's a color issue on press then it's better that the customer make the decision if compromise needs to be made rather than the press operator. Wet proofs are usually done in Asia, is that where you'll be prinitng the job?

3- AFAIK all separations done today using published ICC profiles are GCR separations. If you're creating your own line color screen tint builds then yes, you should be using the minimum number of colors possible and replacing as much of the chromatic colors with black as possible.

best, gordo

 

[rich apollo]

You've stressed the color critical nature of the project, so printer no. 2 figured you'd want to be there for a press okay.

No, the paper color is not spelled out in the G7 documentation. Printer no. 1 may also have been trying to find out what would be an appropriate target colorspace.

Being G7 Master Printer Qualified doesn't necessarily mean that the printer will give you what you're after. It's a good exercise for printers to go through, but don't make it into something that it isn't.

I don't encourage performing any color conversions in InDesign. The controls are much too crude.

 

[HarveyDunn]

I don't encourage performing any color conversions in InDesign. The controls are much too crude.

What would you use instead?

 

[rich apollo]

Acrobat, and plug-ins like PitStop, offer better control. For prepress groups, I recommend running a color server. Setting up a color server is an expensive proposition, but it pays huge dividends. Having PROPER color controls cures a host of problems.

 

[HarveyDunn]

Thanks Rich. I'm happy to purchase PitStop if it will help. Can you give me of quick idea of how it works? I've had a look at their website. The layout has to be done in InDesign. Is it as simple as exporting from ID to a PDF, and then using PitStop to tweak the CMYK values to the correct numbers?

 

[rich apollo]

If you are working in the GRACoL colorspace in InDesign, you should have very little to correct.

I can't give you decent instruction here; the topic is too big to be covered in a thread. PM me and we can set up an online meeting where I can go over it more thoroughly. That would also give me a chance to better understand what you're up against.