Creating Spot Color Channels

Creating Spot Color Channels:

Spot Color Channels are the basis for many screen printing techniques like simulated process, index, or simple spot color prints.

Artists who make film separations of a design speak of ‘alpha channels’ which are nothing more than channels that are in addition to CYMK or RGB color, the default channels in a Photoshop file. RIP (Raster Image Processing) programs use alpha channels to output individual film for each spot color screen. The Pantone Colors are used by screen printers to call out a specific color that can easily be reproduced using formulas in plastisol and waterbase ink matching

systems. PMS Color allows designers to proof their designs on screen or in a print proof and communicate to the screen printer the exact spot colors needed in the print. Ink libraries can be created and saved as specific Pantone Colors making sampling and production faster with ink buckets labeled by Pantone number.

To create a spot color channel is easy, it all comes down to these three steps: 

1. Selecting the Color with Photoshop tools. 

2. Saving the selection. 

3. Opening the saved selection and turning it into a PMS Spot Color Channel.

Any ‘selection’ can become a spot color channel simply by saving the selection. Go to Select>save selection, give it a name, save it and presto you have created an alpha channel of the color you selected.

Selecting the Color for a Spot Color Channel 

There are many ways to create separations, this is just one method that can be used for spot color, sim process and index separations. In the art example below used by Charlie Taublieb in his excellent seminars on screen printing we are going to change the ISS lettering to a red spot color, PMS 185 C in this case.

Before using the Magic Wand click on the square marquee selection tool and enter ‘0’ in the ‘feather’ box on the upper tool bar. Then click the magic wand in the tool bar and click on contiguous checkbox in the upper tool bar. Contiguous means the pixels that are in contact with each other will be selected. If it was turned off the magic wand would select all similar color values in the design. Check for small ‘islands’ in the art that may need to be added. Hold down the ‘SHIFT’ key and click with the wand to add art elements that are part of the lettering selection.

Once the targeted art is selected Go to Select>save selection, give it a name you can remember, and save it by clicking OK. This has just created an alpha channel. Next we will make this channel a spot color.

Next: Changing the Alpha Channel to a Pantone Spot Color Channel 

The newly created alpha channel now needs to be turned into a PMS spot color channel. Go to the Channels Pallete. Double click on this newly created channel to bring up the Channel Options dialogue box.

· Click on Spot Color radio button. 

· Then Double Click on the color square.

· The Color Picker will appear as shown below, click on the ‘Color Libraries’ button to the right to bring up the color library books as shown above.

In ‘Color Libraries Dialogue box’ in the drop down ‘book’ menu select Pantone Solid Coated. You can navigate to the exact color by simply typing the Pantone number.....