Deciding with separation method to use can be a daunting task. However, it really depends on the type of design you are trying to separate. The chart below will guide you towards the separation methods to choose.
Flat colour |
Tonal but no overprinting colours |
Tonal with lots of overprinting colours |
Photographic |
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The design is flat colour, or the resulting separation should be completely flat, and there are no overprinting areas |
The design is tonal, however there are no overprinting areas at all
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The design is made up from overprinting colours, and this must be reflecting on the separation
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The design is photographic and needs to retain this quality when separated
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Suggested separation methods
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The methods above are simply a suggested starting point. It is common for separation artists to use a combination of separation methods in order to achieve the best results.
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