• Adobe Photoshop

  Setting up a two-color print job with a duotone photo

  Posted by Glynn Chisholm on October 11, 2007 at 4:12 am

  I have two monotone files in specific pms colors that were set up previously from another source. a photo has to be added but it must be duotone using the same colors, but the 2 colors everywhere else in the file must remain true to the pms of each color.
  How do I set these files up for the printer so they print as two colors? The only thing I can think of is to set the monotone files up in grayscale with the pms color for each separation called out, then do a third file thats a duotone for the photo. Is this the only way? – Thanks – GC

  Mike Gondek replied 18 years, 11 months ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
• 1 Reply

• 

  Mike Gondek

  October 11, 2007 at 7:35 pm

  Option 1) A grayscale file, and tell them to use the same plate for 2 colors. No reason to give them 2 grayscale files if the artowrk is the same on both.

  Option 2) Give them your duotone file.

  Option 3) make a cmyk file, then go to the channels flyout menu and choose add a spot color and name the channel your color. Do this again for your second color. Then paste your artwork into the appropriate channel

  Option 1 is the simplest and most printers will understand how to make separations form this. Option 2 & 3 require them to place the file in a program like InDesign, and then in the print/output enable only the 2 colors they want to print.

  Usually when you do a duotone the artwork for each plate is different somehow. So your printer will probably ask you why you are wanting to use the same image for both colors, as there is not really much advantage to using 2 inks, just disadvantages such as moir

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