Commercial Ink Blending.

When making colors that blend or mix into each other, for commercials, it is important that you consider the difference between screen and ink.

A digital blend from one color to another is not a true gradient.

A gradient from Pure Yellow transfers through some grey, not green. This will result in a dark effect when printed on a large size digital press.

To compensate for the graphic artist, you can add some green at a mid point of your blend controls.

To add a green to the blend. Do this. Step 1. Create a blend with the colors you want.
a) Click on Foreground color - The color dialog box appears. Choose > Color Model Pantone Coated. Find an Ink Color. (Color Libraries)
b) Repeat for the Background Color using a Pantone Color available.

Step 2. Create a blend from left to right using the Gradient Tool.

Step 3. Double Click the far right side of the layer in the layers properties dialog box. (If you do not have this open, from the top title bar > Choose > Window > Layers )
Once you have double clicked the right side of the layer, a new box will open titled Blending Options.

Step 4.

Check/Click on the bar 'Gradient Overlay'.
Then, Click on the default blend bar that you can see. Choose the one that shows the two colors you picked. A drop down section will appear. It should look like this.

Step 5.

On the underside of the color blend showing, click approximately half way.
A New Color palette control box will appear at that point. The Name: will change to read 'Custom'.

Step 6. Choose a Green Color from the Color:Flyout. Make sure it is a printing ink color from the Color Libraries options.

What this prints as: The blend above will print with a clearer blend from Yellow to Reflex with a much clearer visual blend and will not suffer the same yellow through to blue dont make green problems with computerized color.

This principle also applies to most Primary Color Blends made digitally and printed with CMYK inks.

If your designs are purely for digital formats such as monitor viewing etc, try using different classes such as subtractive, etc.

TIPS: If you create the first blend using Ink parameters, then later you can alter the 'Blend Mode' options and remain confident that the final ink printing will better represent your original on screen design.

The above is using the Subtractive Color Mixing Model. This is brilliant for screen, Never use for any design that you want printed. The color output can not be matched by inks. Ink comes out of a can, it is a solid pigment and will only mix to the quality of the pigments. Screens are more intensive.

Made for Printing: This banner stand was adjusted to suit Ink. The original file included a very difficult burgundy that was made in RGB. All digital printing by Australia Signs is CMYK jet.

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