Question for the Screen printers.

[showcase 66]

I have always sent files to the people who do my screen printing for me in an AI CS3 format and have had no problems. I got an email yesterday from them that said that they can not use my files. They need to be in, and I quote:
"it has to be spot Cs3 and ai file" and yes their font in the email is comic sans.

What the hell does that mean?

This is a new person working there and he has changed the alot of the stuff I have been sent lately. Not my stuff but their stuff.

Now I know how to set up spot colors in photoshop which I am assuming he is talking about. Have not heard back from him as of yet. But is there a way to do this in illustrator too?

Any idea? thanks

 

[petepaz]

do they screen 4 color process for you or is it just spot colors?
do you send the vector art?

not sure why it was ok before but now they can't use the same files you were sending

 

[showcase 66]

do they screen 4 color process for you or is it just spot colors?
do you send the vector art?

not sure why it was ok before but now they can't use the same files you were sending

Just got off the phone with the guy there.

He does not use illustrator like the last guy did. He uses Corel x3 and when he brings in my file into corel. Everything that was linked together is now individual pieces. So the last design i sent him had a bunch of small pieces and it takes for ever to separate the colors or something like that.

He said it was because it was in cmyk. But he needs spot colors.

Still confused since I had sent him 4 other projects in the past week or two and just now they mentioned this. Of course the others were all one color designs. That may have something to do with it.

So anybody who uses corel, is there a best way to save my illustrator files so it works okay?

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Legacy EPS files seem to work really well. Depending on what elements are in there, you might be able to save as EPS 3 or 8. But I mess with embroidery production, there might be different issues for screenprinters that I'm not aware of. That would be my first inclination though either EPS 3 or 8 depending on design elements (clipping masks etc).

 

[petepaz]

what if you just sent him the files already color seperated. we only screen print spot colors so if you need help or info on that i can help. if you are screening 4 c/p i am usless. also i don't use corel.
we make our own artwork in ai and print our own films then send them into production they burn the screens and screen the job.

 

[trik]

PM sent

 

[WildWestDesigns]

PM sent

Well shoot. I would have been interested in knowing. I always like learning something new.

 

[screener24242]

.AI vs 8 works well in X3. Convert to spot colors before exporting from AI. If this "artist" knew anything about Corel, color selection is about 3 clicks to convert to pantone colors -saving you and him the trouble. however the comic sans says it all.

if interested, advanced artist has many great programs, one being a separation program.

http://www.advancedtshirts.com/products.html

 

[showcase 66]

Well shoot. I would have been interested in knowing. I always like learning something new.

He actually gave me his number so he could explain it to me. Which was most appreciated.

The quick explanation is to click your item that needs a spot color, double click the swatch color for the object and change the name and change it to spot color.


Thanks a lot Keith.

 

[trik]

Ok, quick post on creating spot colors.

Click on a swatch or create one, when the swatch option box is open, there will be a drop down box usually defaulted to process, select the drop down and change to spot, rename the swatch to something different, it usually will not allow the same name.

First screenshot, double click on the gold swatch, when it comes open, check the preview box and slide one of the color bars(second screen shot), if the gold changes in the design, you know you have it as a spot color.