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usadaytrader · Jul 28, 2001, 01:40 AM

Hi guys. I hope you can help me.
I have a job to do. I was given a business document and my job is to duplicate it. This was done at a professional printing place, so its nicely done and the whole docunment is in this nice dark blue color. I am not sure how the printer guy made it but I am having difficulties making it. I recreated the original document format in Indesign. I added clipart etc. The document looks exactly like the original, except its all in back and white. How do I get it to print in a specific color? Does it depend on the type of printer? I just want it to print out in what color i choose.

ALso is it is not possible to print in the dark blue, then can i change everything to blue and then print it or maybe even export it into acrobat? Any advise to convert this color whould be great.. Thanx!

bluedog · Jul 28, 2001, 12:05 PM

1. If you have a color printer, specify all your black elements to be the blue you want. If your intent is to print it on a laserprinter or ink-jet (you'll obviously need a color printer). You can pick specific PANTONE colors from the WINDOW->Swatch Libraries pallete. The colors in the submenu should be used according to your printing needs. If you are never going to send the document out to be professionally printed, then you can just choose a new color from the swatches window (without choosing from the submenus.

2. A professional/traditional printing press with printing inks that create film and print thousands of copies would not require you to change all your black. You could simply ask them to print the color of ink you want when printing the 'black' from your file. You could tell them which color by referencing a color in the PANTONE list.

If you are unfamiliar with the process of designing and just created what 'looked' right in InDesign, there may be a few glitches with your clipart that you've imported.

3. If the color goes to the edge of the paper, your own printers will not be able to do that and you may have to modify the design. Traditional 'printing' has printed items that have 'bleed' (where color goes off the edge of the paper) on larger paper and then cut out the page size that was intended. In other words they print the inks on a larger sheet with the inks going out to a size like 9x12 and then cut the paper down to the 8.5x11 inch size.

Good luck with your project, if you need assistance and are going to be sending this to a printing press. Contact a representative, and perhaps ask for some further assistance.

Herr Newton · Jul 28, 2001, 05:26 PM

I hate to be snarky, but why do you have InDesign if you don't even know the very basics of spot color? It's in the manual.

Demonhood · Jul 28, 2001, 06:13 PM

Originally posted by Herr Newton:
I hate to be snarky, but why do you have InDesign if you don't even know the very basics of spot color? It's in the manual.

It's very possible he's unfamiliar with InDesign and just doing this because his job asked him to do so. Besides, they probably own the program. And we know how much people hate to read manuals (let alone find them if the company bought the program).

usadaytrader · Jul 28, 2001, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by Demonhood:
<STRONG>

It's very possible he's unfamiliar with InDesign and just doing this because his job asked him to do so. Besides, they probably own the program. And we know how much people hate to read manuals (let alone find them if the company bought the program).</STRONG>

Yes, I don't know where they put the manual. I kow how to use spot colors a little. I found the exact blu I wanted, now its just the matter of applying the color to certain objects. For example its very easy to apply the color to the lines, but I have problems applying it to the clipart, and the text. Can someone walk me through this?

bluedog · Jul 28, 2001, 08:33 PM

Read the help files in InDesign (online help), they are very good at describing the use of features in the program.

You'll likely need photoshop and illustrator (or an equivalent) to correct and color the external files (clipart and other artwork).

Describe what the files are you placed and what formats they are. There's a *lot* to preparing files for pre-press. Let us know if your final output is simply for a personal color printer.

[ 07-28-2001: Message edited by: bluedog ]