Hexachrome Proofing

[herbert]

Hi All

We have just bought a new epson with all colours + green and orange. The intention is to proof Hexachrome on this proofer.

How do we do this, ive tried to be very basic with this, because the tech talk does lose me sometimes!!

Is there a Profile available for proofing hexachrome ?

If the presses are in line with ISO Labs / dot gains, will this then match the proofer with a standard profile attached - We use image control to manage the colours (including hex colours)

Any help would be great....Gordo do you have any ideas




Thanks


Dan

 

[gordo]

Hi All

We have just bought a new epson with all colours + green and orange. The intention is to proof Hexachrome on this proofer.
[SNIP]

Any help would be great....Gordo do you have any ideas

What software are you using? I think Pantone killed Hexachrome a couple of years ago.

best, gordon p

 

[prepressing]

What Epson are you using?
What RIP Software are you using?

 

[tmiller_iluvprinting]

There are no ISO Lab/TVI's for the Hexachrome inkset. How you proof Hexachrome will depend on your RIP. There is a Hexachrome profile available from RIT, you'll have to search for it and I can't say how accurate it is.
I created a profile some years back for Hexachrome based on a pressrun we did, but this was pre-G7. Since the demand for Hexachrome is light, we create our Hexachrome seps and then convert the multi-channel images to the G7 profile of our choice. We end up with a regular 4 color sep with 2 spot channels and that's how we proof the images. We treat the orange and green like spot touch plates. We also educate the customer that the color may change somewhat at press, but like I said, our demand for this is light, and this workflow works well for us.
Regards,
Todd

 

[markf]

Hex

Hex

The ISO TVI values are curve F

 

[lucascalvo]

Pantone ICC Hexachrome Profile

Pantone ICC Hexachrome Profile

Support - Hexachrome® ICC Profiles

Here is a link where you can find Pantone Hexachrome Reference

But also you need a RIP to manager.

 

[tmiller_iluvprinting]

ISO TVI might be curve F, if you are printing on paper type 4 or 5, not definitive IMO.
Regards,
Todd

 

[michaelejahn]

Hexchrome is a dead product, but DeviceN still exists in the wild..

Hexchrome is a dead product, but DeviceN still exists in the wild..

We have just bought a new epson with all colours + green and orange. The intention is to proof Hexachrome on this proofer.

I know this might sound like weird question, but - are you actually printing Hexachrome on press, or did you buy an Epson 7900/9900 and are simply excited and scheming ?

When I worked for Pantone in 2002 - we developed and marketed Hexwrench - a set of Photoshop and Illustrator plug-ins that enabled users to convert files to 6 channel separations. Pantone no longer develops or sells that.

if you are serious about non traditional color separations - and have a proper budget to get the gear and training - I would contact;

Glynn Hartley
[email protected]
Specialcolor
ICISS - CoCo - nColor
25 Redcliffe Road
Nottingham, NG3 5BW UK
Tel. +44 115 962 6060
Specialcolor - Worldwide distributors and implementers of color separation and color correction tools

If you simply want to buy a few applications and experiment on your own - I would be happy to speak live with you and am willing to help - some the questions that need answering are as follows...

Are your customer sending you RGB images in their application files of PDF/X files ? Are you converting RGB into Hexachrome color separations - or are you converting Adobe Illustrator files that have spot colors (Pantone or otherwise) and trying to proof them ?

Do you plan on creating the DCS, DCS2 or DeviceN color separations in some application, then place them into Quark or InDesign - or are you "hoping" you will find a RIP that will convert the files you get everyday magically into 6 plates and then proof these somehow on your new Epson ?

I can be reached at 916 920 3838 - or [email protected]

One of the products that would enable you to convert 1 bit TIFF color separations into reliable proofs is our Star Proof application, but this is merely one part of a multi-step workflow solution - I would need to better understand what you have workflow system wise today.

You were right to start with Gordon though - even if I handed you a set of 6 color separation and a press sheet - this is a different animal altogether.

I sold several Hexwrench kits and went on site - it was one thing to take the supplied color separation and make a decent press sheet - it was all together different that create separations.

 

[prepresscolor]

Hexachrome is great!

Hexachrome is great!

If you have the skills and tools you can produce amazing images.
Try this site for solving your problems:
Digital Proofing Resolved | Absolute Proof

 

[seitz]

Hello Herbert,

two things to be mentioned:
The printer: please be aware that the Epsons x900 have really increased the over all colorspace and you will be able to match almost all printing colorspaces. The orange and green inks are used to expand the over all gamut, not exactly to match the Hexachrome inks from your press.
The better the printer-driver and the smoothness of the gamut with all the inks, the better the accuracy you'll be able to achieve, if at the end you want to reach a good match between press and proof.

profiling: it would be best if you create your own profile from your printed result.
Either use a multicolor-ICC or use the tools like e.g. in the GMG ColorProof software, where you have powerfull tools for all spotcolor-handling (here we would handle Orange and Green as spotcolors).

If we look on the variety of results when printing n-colors on different presses and different substrates, you will do hard to adjust your printing process to the result from whatever kind of 'standard' proofing parameter.

kind regards

Juergen

 

[Hugo]

Herbert, keep in mind that the additional colors on the Epson are not of any advantage when you are proofing CMYK, it is only when you are proofing additional spot colors, Hexachrome and other N-Color combinations when the additional orange and green are beneficial.
If on the other hand you are doing fine art reproduction or working with RGB or Lab images these colors are definitely beneficial.

We can provide you with a tool you can try out the Hexachrome proofing on the Epson, for best results I would recommend profiling your press. Using a Hex profile will deliver far more accurate results than using a CMYK profile plus spot colors.
You get full control off all six ink channels, no restriction of choice of proofing paper.
Ability to use your one bit files for proofing, even for remote proofing or on screen proofing.

We are able to assist you online to set this all up and assist with calibration.

This service is free of charge.

If you are happy with the results you can further down the track move over to a low cost monthly subscription.

If you are interested please sign up on our website and we will provide you all you need for this project.

Best regards
Hugo Kristinsson

Digital Proofing Resolved | Absolute Proof