markingman
Member
Without taking 10 pages to explain, a few points about CMYK Metallic printing:-
Technically anyone can print CMYK combinations over a metallic silver, but has mentioned several times above proofing and visual simulation on screen are the problem. With regards the ink situation, metal FX, with eckhart, developed a special formulation of ink called silvercoat. This differed from standard silver inks (877 etc) in that firstly it had was lighter, therefore not contaminating the CMYK colours as much as normal silver. Secondly it is a "non leafing" silver which in it's simplest form means the metalic particles in the ink remain suspended in the film weight rathe than "leafing" to the surface. This allows a varnish or lamination to be applied without effecting the metallic lustre.
Proofing, is very hit or miss. The Kodak approval, lantum etc can produce "metalic" proofs. However as they are all dry thermal processes they do not simulate the effect of wet trap printing which can dramatically reduce the lustre. Therefore the proof you get off these types of machines is usually much more metallic than you will actually achieve. MFX was developing a ribbon based proofing system whichsimulated the wet trap effects but has the business closedthis wasn't completed. The only true proofing method is to "put on press"
With regards screen simulation, the ICIS sytem, esko visualiser (former Print devizor) or profiling a ncolour profile is that the profiles in the visualiser, and any you create with profile maker have only 1, 45 degree measurement. What they simualors then do is change the area off metallic to this new colour space and then literally put a varnish on to make it look "shiny" this again looks good, but bears no real comparison to the printed result. Again MFX had just developed an visualiser which had measured the metallic affect from many angles and so the profiles were multi leveled giving a very accurate colour representation including all the effects that can be acheived with CMYK over metallic.
I know I a seem to be promoting MFX, which is now defunked, but the physics and reality of metallic printing is not simple, and they spent 7 years on R&D.
My advice would be to seek a non leafing silver from your supplier, running trials on your press and working from there.
A final tip, in your design always ensure that the deaign has areas of contrast between metallic and non- metallic (about 60/40 either way). Avoid fine intricate detail in metallic as the viewer will never pick this up. Reds and Yellows make poor metallics (brown and green), so any reds and yellows in a design keep CMYK and then make the areas around them metallic. The reds and yellows will then lift out of the design.
Finally avoid metallic in shadow areas. This is for 2 reason, firstly the ink build up on top of the metallic willkill any lustre, therefore making it a waste of time. Secondly the TAC level will probably exceed 340%, causing potential drying issues.
One other thing, screen angles, keep the silver on the same angle as the black and ensure minimum silver in areas that contain black. This will avoid screen clash.
One positive. If you print UV, has the silver will be dry trap, the lustre is much higher, to the extent that kodak approvals are much nearer the final results, and are a feasible method of proofing.
Hope this clears a few things for you.
Technically anyone can print CMYK combinations over a metallic silver, but has mentioned several times above proofing and visual simulation on screen are the problem. With regards the ink situation, metal FX, with eckhart, developed a special formulation of ink called silvercoat. This differed from standard silver inks (877 etc) in that firstly it had was lighter, therefore not contaminating the CMYK colours as much as normal silver. Secondly it is a "non leafing" silver which in it's simplest form means the metalic particles in the ink remain suspended in the film weight rathe than "leafing" to the surface. This allows a varnish or lamination to be applied without effecting the metallic lustre.
Proofing, is very hit or miss. The Kodak approval, lantum etc can produce "metalic" proofs. However as they are all dry thermal processes they do not simulate the effect of wet trap printing which can dramatically reduce the lustre. Therefore the proof you get off these types of machines is usually much more metallic than you will actually achieve. MFX was developing a ribbon based proofing system whichsimulated the wet trap effects but has the business closedthis wasn't completed. The only true proofing method is to "put on press"
With regards screen simulation, the ICIS sytem, esko visualiser (former Print devizor) or profiling a ncolour profile is that the profiles in the visualiser, and any you create with profile maker have only 1, 45 degree measurement. What they simualors then do is change the area off metallic to this new colour space and then literally put a varnish on to make it look "shiny" this again looks good, but bears no real comparison to the printed result. Again MFX had just developed an visualiser which had measured the metallic affect from many angles and so the profiles were multi leveled giving a very accurate colour representation including all the effects that can be acheived with CMYK over metallic.
I know I a seem to be promoting MFX, which is now defunked, but the physics and reality of metallic printing is not simple, and they spent 7 years on R&D.
My advice would be to seek a non leafing silver from your supplier, running trials on your press and working from there.
A final tip, in your design always ensure that the deaign has areas of contrast between metallic and non- metallic (about 60/40 either way). Avoid fine intricate detail in metallic as the viewer will never pick this up. Reds and Yellows make poor metallics (brown and green), so any reds and yellows in a design keep CMYK and then make the areas around them metallic. The reds and yellows will then lift out of the design.
Finally avoid metallic in shadow areas. This is for 2 reason, firstly the ink build up on top of the metallic willkill any lustre, therefore making it a waste of time. Secondly the TAC level will probably exceed 340%, causing potential drying issues.
One other thing, screen angles, keep the silver on the same angle as the black and ensure minimum silver in areas that contain black. This will avoid screen clash.
One positive. If you print UV, has the silver will be dry trap, the lustre is much higher, to the extent that kodak approvals are much nearer the final results, and are a feasible method of proofing.
Hope this clears a few things for you.
