The Lowdown on Hi-Fi Color
As Reid says, "Multicolor printing is not for the timid."
And Hutcheson points out, "Workflow is the key. Once it becomes easy, more and more designers will use it."
It appears the resources and tools have matured. They've stayed in sync with the newest versions of Adobe's ColorSuite, and it is very possible for you to start producing vibrant (and did I say vibrant?) high-quality color … right now.
—Steven Frye
Steven Frye is owner of Frye Publication Consulting, a printing and publishing consultancy in Hailey, Idaho. He is an expert in book production, and has negotiated printing, paper and distribution contracts for dozens and dozens of book publishers. He can be reached at Steve@SteveFrye.com.
Check out these companies for more inforamtion on commercial Hi-Fi programs.
Pantone Inc. ColorSuite for Hexachrome 2.5
Supports Adobe Creative Suite for creating Hexachrome colors. ColorSuite provides the separation software and color reference guides essential to working in the large gamut, six–color Hexachrome process. It comes with Pantone HexWare, two color–guide sets (solid in Hexachrome guide coated and solid to process guide coated), Hexachrome test form and Hexachrome test form CD.
Pantone also has introduced Pantone x-ref, a free, Web-based cross-referencing utility that allows users to quickly match colors between Pantone Color Systems. Matching Pantone colors across different mediums can be difficult since each system is based on a different color formulation; x-ref enables users to identify colors in the Pantone Matching System, Pantone Plastics Color, or Pantone. It is available free of charge to members of myPantone, the company's free information portal.
www.Pantone.com
Opaltone Seven Color Process
A fully integrated reproduction system with a complete support infrastructure that includes multicolor separation software, editing/graphic assembly software, conventional/stochastic screening, digital/analog proofing, and a standard seven-color process (C, M, Y, K, R, G, B) ink set. Opaltone's RGB separation algorithm is deployed via Photoshop.
