Fix spot colors used in print data

One of the most common mistakes in print data creation: using spot colors from templates

One of the most common errors in the creation of print data are elements that were created in the spot colors of our layout templates. As a result, these elements are not printed and end up missing from the print product. What are spot colors? How do I fix the problem? How do you check your print PDF? We explain it to you!

What are spot colors?

Most print products are printed using the 4-color printing process, or CMYK for short. This abbreviation stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and K - for black. A classic offset printing press therefore actually has these four named printing inks, from which all other colors are mixed together. For example, a crisp red is created in the print file with 100% M (magenta) and 100% Y (yellow). This mixture results in a strong red tone. Texts, on the other hand, are created with only 100% K, i.e. pure black, and should not be mixed, as this can lead to undesirable results.

Solid colors are always used when you want to communicate something to the printing press and the respective employee - printing presses ignore elements created in spot colors or solid colors because they do not consist of CMYK values. This advantage is used, for example, by visually presenting our template elements to the customer, such as the marking of a folding line, the safety margin to the edge, etc., but not printing them. Another advantage is that the customer no longer has to delete our template elements, but can leave them in his print file.

How to fix the problem?

If you as a customer now colorize individual elements in your print file with our spot colors - then these will be ignored and not printed. Therefore, be careful when coloring elements with predefined color patches. Make sure that the color patches originate from you and are created in pure CMYK , and are not defined as spot colors. Recognizing this is not part of a data check and, unless the prepress employee is paying very close attention, can lead to faulty printing without any warranty .

How do you check your print PDF for spot colors yourself?

Simple. To ensure that no important design elements are in spot colors in the project file, proceed as follows:

1. Open your generated print PDF with Adobe Acrobat PRO
2. Search for the"Output Preview" tool
3. Remove the check marks from the solid color plates that are displayed and take a close look at your file. If elements are now hidden and no longer displayed that should normally be printed, you have done something wrong
4. Go back to your graphics program and colorize the missing elements in CMYK color values only
5. Save a PDF with the "High quality print" preset and, as described in step 1, check your print file ernerut

Now your PDF file should be OK when you hide all spot color plates, and the entire print design should be displayed. If this is not the case, check your file again.