Splitting images into their channels is a useful way to edit designs before printing. Under colour removal and tonal adjustments can be made to individual channels once they are split from the image. Image channels can also be converted into spot colour layers by renaming and recolouring them.
To split a CMYK image into its channels follow the steps below;
- Activate your CMYK image.
Tip:You may want to duplicate the image before doing the separation, in order to preserve the original image. Otherwise the image will replaced by the separated channels.
- Go to Separate Menu > CMYK to Layers. You will see the CMYK image split into four individual layers. If you have used the Load Profiles As Colourways feature, the colours from the profile in the active colourway will be used when the channels are created.
Tip: To make viewing the individual CMYK layers easier, add a greyscale colourway by holding down ⌥ (option key) and clicking on the + button at the top of the Layers Palette.
If there is an embedded profile in the design, the resulting layers will take their colour from that profile. If you want the resulting layers to keep the original pure CMYK colours and not be affected by the embedded profile you can go do the following;
- Hold down⌥ (option key) on the keyboard and go to the Separate Menu.
- Select ‘CMYK into original layers’.
The splitting process can be reversed if you wish to combine four separate layers to a CMYK image. Activate the four layers you want to combine and go to Separate Menu > Layers to CMYK.