Spot Color Separation Techniques in Adobe Illustrator

If you're into screen printing, you know that getting your colors right is key. One of the most common questions is how to color separate a design in Adobe Illustrator. Don’t worry! It’s easier than you think, especially when using spot colors. Let’s dive into the basics and learn how to make your designs print-ready.

SETTING UP YOUR DESIGN IN ILLUSTRATOR

First things first, you need to design your artwork using spot colors. This process is simple and ensures your design is already color-separated. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Creating a Spot Color

1. Open Your Design: Start by opening your design in Adobe Illustrator.
2. Select a Color: Use the white selection tool to pick a color from your design. For example, select an orange section from a goldfish illustration.
3. Create a Swatch: Drag this color to the swatch panel.
4. Define as Spot Color: Double-click the swatch, choose 'spot color' from the drop-down menu, and give it a name like "Marmalade Jam."

Now, Illustrator will recognize this swatch as a separate spot color, making it easier to manage your design.

RELATED: HOW TO USE PHOTOSHOP TO CONVERT DESIGN INTO HALFTONES

Using Separation Preview

The Separation Preview window in Illustrator is a handy tool. It shows you all the spot colors in your design. This preview helps ensure your film positives print correctly when you send them through RIP software.

Converting CMYK to Spot Colors

To make sure your entire design uses spot colors, follow these steps:

1. Select and Convert Colors: Click on a color in your design, then go to 'Select > Same > Fill Color.' This action selects all areas with that color.
2. Change to Spot Color: Click on your new spot color swatch (e.g., Marmalade Jam) to apply it.
3. Repeat for All Colors: Do this for every color in your design, converting each to a spot color.

TESTING YOUR DESIGN

To confirm everything is set up correctly, use the Overprint Preview feature. Turn on and off different color layers to see how they look separately. This step ensures no CMYK colors remain and that your design is ready for printing.



RELATED: WHY PRINTERS NEED TO MASTER ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR FOR SCREEN PRINTING

TO HELP YOU GET STARTED

For a more in-depth guide, check out these products:

• Designing in Illustrator: This course teaches you all you need to know about creating and preparing designs in Adobe Illustrator for screen printing.
• Screen Printing Art Supplies: Get all the tools and supplies you need for your screen printing projects.