Convert Images to Spot Colors using Photoshop

In screen printing, Photoshop can be a powerful tool. If you have a jpg, tif, eps or other type of file in which you can't alter, printing from Photoshop will give you too many separations. Here is a way to take a simple design in Photoshop and convert it to spot colors in order to print solid colors instead of mixing inks.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• photoshop
• spot
• colors
• separations
• screenprinting
• screen
• printing
• tshirt
• shirt
• t-shirt

[SpanishJesus]

dude, you're making that waaaaay more complicated than it has to be.

[ScreenersChoice]

The great thing about YouTube is you can upload a how to video of your own, showing me an easier way! Someone already commented on an easier method of selecting and I thanked them because I learned something new. Show me the same courtesy of demonstrating or telling me how to make it easier, and once I learn it, I'll thank you just the same. ;)

[Z1A2K3485]

How would i take a color image like this one and separate each color into layers so i could screen print it.

[ScreenersChoice]

If you mean this image above, then that is exactly what I'm doing. I am creating separate channels with individual spot colors. When I go to print, I choose print, then the separations tab and then turn off any additional colors other than my spot colors. This will print individual spot colors on separate films.

[subomar]

too complicated...

[ScreenersChoice]

It may appear too complicated, but that's the problem, imo, with using Photoshop for Screen printing. Either way, this is one of the simplest ways of doing this and getting accurate separations....

[AbiHey]

Thanks for the vid. A lot of people seem to know better, but I found this very helpful!

[perez9420]

How do I add registration marks to my Images?

[josephknightcom]

@jaredef easier? yes. less accurate? also yes.

[jammintosh]

thanks for the video the only thing I don't get is how are you getting those lighter shades of color with one spot color are you converting to halftones at the end?, as I don't get how you would burn to screen with that grey color as its not opaque enough for film

[godinez011]

how did you open freehands wich version photoshop[

[b2ball]

yea...cause I'm lost.

[jaredef]

You got that right! Sooo much easier to use the magic wand to seperate the color channels!!!

[stiggy12]

Can you do a example of separation with a whitebase and halftone for screenprinting...Nice clip