How to make a Color Separate Pantone illustrator file!! HELP!!!

[truestory]

I currently have a VERY simply vector logo in illustrator CS3. The file contains 2 layers: 1 layer consists of 3 shapes that are one Pantone color (296) and the 2nd layer consists of 2 shapes that are another Pantone color (293). As of right now, my document is in CMYK mode, my swatches panel is empty except for the two Pantone color swatches which i chose from color libraries.



I need to send this logo (PDF, EPS, TIFF) to a printer for an envelope job, however, when i save it as it is as a PDF, they tell me they cannot print it in Pantone because when they go to print plates, 4 plates come out (CMYK) and not only 2 plates.



So, how do i save this or what do i do to make this file a TWO plate PDF file for Pantone printing? please help me ASAP as i have been on this problem since last week! ahhh!

 

[apepp]

...check the swatches are actually applied to the artwork, also check the swatches are in fact pantone spot colors, if they are they should a small black dot on white in the bottom right corner of the swatch. You can also double click a swatch and check that the color type is in fact set to spot and not cmyk...

...tiff format won't hold spot colors, so you have to save to either PDF or EPS...

...so long as the source artwork is correct, then your print provider is most likely performing a color conversion by mistake...

...save to PDF, in acrobat pro you can verify the plates using "output preview" in the advanced menu...

...in illustrator CS4 you can also verify the plates using the "separations preview" palette (versions below CS4 don't have this option, you have to use acrobat pro instead, or indesign)...

andrew

 

[truestory]

Hey andrew, thanks for the quick reply.

Yes, the colors are indeed spot colors and do contain the black dot.

i am using acrobat pro 8 and i do not see the option for "output preview" under advanced. there is a tab for "output" but only a "color" and "pdf/x" sub-tabs under that.

so what can i do about the output preview? am i doing everything correctly as long as i save as a PDF?

Dan

 

[truestory]

when i go to save as PDF, i can save under different profiles. its default is the illustrator PDF default, should i change that to the "press quality" profile?

 

[truestory]

andrew, i just saved as PDF, and in adobe i went to output preview to show color separations...it only shows the 4 CMYK plates, if i chose show "spot color" only, there are no plates to be shown...what am i doing wrong?

 

[apepp]

...the PDF settings will not convert spots to cmyk from illustrator, at the very least you want to select "PDF/X-1a:2001" from the presets available...

...are you sure the spot colors are actually applied to the artwork?

...they might be in the swatches palette, doesn't mean they are used though...

andrew

 

[apepp]

...when you select an element on the art board, does the "color palette' indicate spot color or CMYK values?

andrew

 

[apepp]

...if you are still struggling, then upload the .ai file to

http://www.sendspace.com

(no recipient address required), then copy and paste the download link back to tek-tips...

...be easier to problem solve when seeing the artwork...

andrew

 

[truestory]

well all shapes have a halftone, im not sure if that changes anything. but when i click the shapes, then go to the gradient color selector, the color is set at a CMYK value, even though the color that is used in the swatches pallette is a Pantone value. but that is because Illustrator doesnt display the Pantone values, but rather the CMYK value equivalent, no?

but yes, my two spot colors are applied to the art work.

im not sure what im doing wrong.

Dan

 

[truestory]

http://www.sendspace.com/file/q7i9zk

 

[apepp]

...just downloaded now, the color stops indicate CMYK, you need to drag the spot color from the swatches palette to the color stops...

...currently the spot colors are not applied to the gradients...

andrew

 

[apepp]

...when you click on a color stop in the gradient, it must indicate it's a spot color in the color palette, not CMYK...

andrew

 

[truestory]

well! i am one step further! i applied the Pantone swatches to the color stops in the gradient. now, when i saved as PDF, and go into output preview in Acrobat, i DO see the 2 Pantone plates, but i also still see the CMYK plates.

will my printer be able to choose which plates to print from this? meaning, only the 2 pantone plates?

 

[apepp]

...you always see the CMYK plates in output preview, as long as you don't have artwork visible when you turn the spot plates off, you are fine...

andrew

 

[truestory]

you. are. a. life. saver.