InDesign 2-color separations (with drop shadows) 2

[nachilev]

Pehaps this question is laughable.

But how do you create 2-color separations (including text drop shadows) in InDesign CS2?

I have to prepare the separations (as PDFs) to send to a printing company.

Any help would be VERY appreciated.

 

[jimoblak]

You create 2 color separations by only using 2 colored inks in your document. Use your separation preview function to see if you have only 2 colors in your document.

Your drop shadow color needs to be one of those 2 inks and you should choose a transparency mode that does not try to pull in other CMYK inks. Again, check this with your separation preview function.

When all looks good, you can export to a PDF file and let the printer extract the 2-ink data using his up-to-date Acrobat software. If you are using a printer that needs you to supply 2 different PDF files for each ink because they do not have reasonably up-to-date Acrobat software, you can print to a PDF file with separations (you must own Acrobat to accomplish this).

- - I hope this helps - -
_{(Complain to someone else if it doesn't)}

 

[jmgalvin]

A printer expects you to do the separations? That's a new one on me. I'm guessing that the printer doesn't have ID and doesn't know how to do separations out of Acrobat or has an older version that does not do this.

i have Acrobat and IDCS1 so I don't know if this will work in CS2. I've never done this and have never been asked for it, so I'm just giving you the how to and not if the actual steps will meet the needs of the printer.

Go to print and select Adobe PDF as the printer. Click on the Color tab and select Separations. Here's where things get nasty. Trapping - that would be dependent on what the person receiving the thing asks for. Application built in is probably safest. Flip - probably none. Screening - again dependent on what person asks for - probably best to to err on the side of high - 12-2400.

Go to graphics section of the print dialogue and select All for Send data. For Fonts select either Complete or subset but not NONE.

In Advanced section select high resolution in the transparency flattener.

Then go out and find a printer who knows what they're doing.

Using OSX 10.3.8 on a G4

 

[Lessa]

I have a client that uses a bass ackwards printer that prints out my pdfs to a Fiery! So I have to make separations for him (at least he stopped asking me if I could halftone the photos for him). So, unfortunately JM, they are still out there.