Spot Colors #1

I am starting a series of posts dealing with spot color reproduction.
First, the basics.

Definition:
Special spot colors can be defined as premixed inks that are printed as solids from a single printing unit in order to achieve a visual or a colorimetric match.

There is no available literature on spot colors. Likewise, there is no standard or specification that deals with spot color formulation or reproduction.

There are two categories of spot colors. Those that are specially formulated on the request of a print buyer, and those that refer to a color naming system like the one published by PANTONE.

The only official reference I came across was the gravure industry standard for Color Reproduction and Process Control for Packaging Printing that provides substantial information on special spot colors or brand colors in its Annex B (ANSI CGATS TR012-2003).

The gravure standard defines Brand or Special Spot Colors (SSCs), as colors other than the normal process colors.

One question that several people asked me was why 'Special' spot colors. The only reason I can think of that explains 'special' is that they are 'specially' formulated by premixing different inks for a particular customer.

I would like to thank Will, Scott and Adam for their contribution to the pdf print engine post.

I hope in the future we will get even more useful discussions!

Thank you,
-D

Adobe's pdf print engine

Adobe announced the release of PDF Print Engine at IPEX.

I seems to be sthg really important, but I do not think it attracts much attention. If someone knows that there are some ongoing discussions about it, please make a comment about it and i will publish it as a post.

So...
what we have here is a pdf print engine that incorporates pdf and jdf (supporting ICC v4) into the workflows.

Some interesting links:
1. http://blogs.adobe.com/loridefurio/2006/04/adobe_pdf_print.html
2. http://www.atford.co.uk/
3. www.adobe.com/products/pdfprintengine
4. http://www.ondemandjournal.com/specialfeatures/sherburne1.cfm

Will, shares with us his article at:
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?article_class=4&no=236662&rel_no=3

An overall remark: The power goes to the designer (it is going there already though, isn't it?)
Designer's and printers usually speak a different language (RGB vs CMYK). It is not the designer's fault but one has to understand the limitations and desires of the other. The value that printers will offer would be to color manage the chaos that most likely will come forth, and to automate the process. Regardless, the main problems with pdf might be eliminated, namely spot colors and transparencies.

-D