Printing Separations to color desktop printer in color

[pvadebon]

I am trying to create a CMYK progressive sample (Color print of each CMYK plate to simulate what the press is laying down similar to what we used to get using Color Key) using any Adobe CS3 product to a desktop color printer. Every thing I get is printing in Black instead of in Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. Any tips?

 

[phantasm]

I am trying to create a CMYK progressive sample (Color print of each CMYK plate to simulate what the press is laying down similar to what we used to get using Color Key) using any Adobe CS3 product to a desktop color printer. Every thing I get is printing in Black instead of in Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. Any tips?

Hi,

Apologies for the sales pitch of our own product, but I feel it is ideal for what you are seeking. I've used our Illustrator plugin, Phantasm CS Studio (Phantasm CS | Designer | Studio), in the past to demonstrate how separations work. Draw anything you like in Illustrator and then use the full separation tool to produce separations across named layers in a new document. This can include process and spot colors.

With the full separations tool, you are able to release the separations as either grayscale or - as you are seeking - in their true color. The results are standard vector/raster objects which may be further edited.

In addition to this, I have used the vector-based Halftone Filter and live Effect also found in Phantasm CS Designer and Studio to graphically demonstrate how half-toning works. You have full control over screen angles and can handle spot colors. Dot gain can also be controlled.

I hope this is of some help,

Nick

 

[bgardner]

You should be able to do this in InDesign. If you use the seperations Preview Tab, and only show each color, and print them one at a time, that should work. You would have to print one color at a time which may not be the best solution, but it would work. You could just print as a composite profile when you output.

 

[pvadebon]

I have tried that. It still prints that part of the image in Black on the printer. After going to Separations Preview, I selected Magenta and Black. When I go to print, I have tried selecting Composite CMYK, Separations, In-RIP and get the same result: black ink like it is trying to output a plate.

 

[Savage]

That actually depends on the printer you are using rather than the software.

You have to go to the print menu, choose separations and then print only the separations you want, but on the printer RIP (our directly in indesign via the printers PPD plugin, on the "Printer" option), you have to activate an option commonly know as "Combine Separations"... If you do it, you'll have the separations in the right color, otherwise it will always turn out black and white.

Other than that, i can only remeber of printing to a PDF in separations, open the PDF in Photoshop, and color all the diferent separations in the right color, but i think that will be a real pain...

Hope this helps, and sorry for my bad english

PS: Separations preview is only for visual check... It won't affect printing in anyway.
Good luck

 

[pvadebon]

Savage,

I switched to our Xerox 3535 and found the Combine Separations opiton.
It worked.

THANKS for you time.