Color Separation

The goal of the color separation procedure is to prepare the file for printing. The type of color separation procedure used is determined by the image and the surface it will be printed on. Color separation software divides images into the individual elements required to recreate them.

A smart way to achieve high-quality color separations that result in precise, clear screen prints is to develop and repeat a color separation procedure. Individual screen printers will develop their own challenges and preferences when it comes to making separations.

However, if you identify and stick to a technique that works for you and pays attention to potential issues, you can boost the success rate of your separations and reduce waste in your business.

Color separation for screen printing is a process through which artwork or a design is separated into different color segments. In order to create a design on any product, it is important to separate the colors first as this is a crucial part of screen printing. Recently there has been software that helps in making the whole process easier.

The goal of the color separation procedure is to prepare the file for printing. The type of color separation procedure used is determined by the image and the surface it will be printed on. Color separation software divides images into the individual elements required to recreate them.

The Types Of Color Separations

Designers and screen printers use plenty of separation techniques according to the needs and requirements of their projects. All of these techniques are complexed, therefore, it’s mandatory for any every designer to know the four basic types of color separations. These are mentioned below.

• Spot Color

It may not be an overstatement when it’s claimed that the spot color is the most common form of color separation that is used in making vector art. In offset printing, it’s the technique where ink is utilized for color printing on a single run. The separation technique of spot color is generally created in CorelDraw or Illustrator.

• Color Process

The color process or four-color process technique uses a subtractive color model that includes four key colors, ie cyan, magenta, yellow and key (black), CMYK. Subtractive in a sense that ideal CMYK inks subtract the RGB colors from the white light. That results in leaving only the color of CMYK.  

• Simulated-process Color

Although both of conventional four color process and simulated-process color are created in Photoshop. The difference is that it’s the advanced CMYK model that consists of the conventional four-color process. The technique used in the simulated-color process is consist of a diverse range of colors for creating highly detailed photographs. They produce high-quality images and much more photorealistic than the conventional four-color process.

• Index Color

Unlike color process that uses halftone dots to make color shading and images, index color uses square pixels. The main purpose of adopting this technique is to manage and organize digital images in a way that would save up space and computer memory. Therefore, they are most commonly used nowadays in personal computers for obvious reasons. Moreover, the process of color separation is made in Photoshop that can be exported to other image creating programs (CorelDraw or Illustrator) effortlessly.