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Introduction
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CDs are silk screened like t-shirts - using spot
colors. Use film positives to transfer image onto
silk. |
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Paper is printed like a newspaper using 4 colors
(Cyan Magenta Yellow blacK) negatives transfer image
to offset web presses. |
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Film is made using acetate through a special printer
called an image setter. Easy! if you know what your
doing :-) |
Dambiz offers complete film developing and pre-press services.
We accept both MacIntosh and PC formatted disks including,
Quark, Illustrator, Corel Draw and Pagemaker files.
Once we receive your disk and pre-flight it, you can
have color digital proofs back for approval within 72
hours. No need to return your proof, simply fax back
the approval form. You will rest easy knowing we have
checked to make sure your artwork is to our specifications
and all colors are trapped. This service is subject
to additional charges.
If
you supply us with the Paper Printing Negatives.
Film
negatives are acetate sheets developed by a special
printer called an image setter. Your electronic publishing
program files are sent to the image setter which splits
the color channels into four films.
C
= Cyan
M = Magenta
Y = Yellow
K = blacK
It
is essential that your color pictures and all elements
are converted to CMYK mode. If you hold a negative up
to the light, whatever you can see THROUGH is colored
with ink and whatever is black (opaque emulsion) is
left blank or white paper. These negatives are used
to make aluminum printing plates which transfer ink
to the paper on the printing press - just like a newspaper
printing press. By varying the percentage of each of
the four CMYK colors you "mix" to achieve the color
you wish on the paper.
Please
see paper printing specifications for further information
CD
labels can be printed using 3 methods
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Method
1: Film positives using PMS colors (most common)
To
print on the CD label using positives we use a
process called "silk screening". Just like printing
T-shirts, film positives are used to make a screen
for each desired color. Film positives are acetate
sheets developed by a special printer called an
image setter. Use one of four programs to make
a final image setter documents:
Adobe PageMaker,
Quark Express,
Adobe Illustrator or
CorelDraw.
There
are obviously lots of other image or page layout
programs available (such as power point) but the
ones mentioned here can handle high resolution
color output and are used by professionals. Each
of these programs can identify or "name" each
color used in your document by selecting PMS (Pantone
Matching System) color modes. This is also called
"Spot coloring" Your final layout files are sent
to the image setter which develops each identified
color into its own film positive. If you hold
a film positive up to the light whatever you can
see THROUGH will be the background or silver of
the CD and whatever is black (containing the emulsion)
will be colored in whatever color you choose.
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Method
2: Film positives using 4 color process
To
print color pictures imported from Photoshop,
import a CMYK mode image and the image setter
will split into the 4 color process channels:
C
= Cyan
M = Magenta
Y = Yellow
K = blacK
You
can achieve a color picture on the CD label face.
There are certain limitations and guidelines outlined
in the CD technical specification page.
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Method
3: Film negatives (offset high definition)
A
second and more elaborate means of printing on
the disc face is called "offset". Offset uses
high definition aluminum printing plates mounted
on rollers, just like a newspaper only way more
color accurate. The rollers are inked in the four
primary colors:
C
= Cyan
M = Magenta
Y = Yellow
K = blacK
This
method results in an extremely high-quality, high
definition picture disc. A white background is
usually added to achieve accurate color reproduction.
Remember, when you work with CMYK images the text
will have to be colored in CMYK mode as well or
extra charges will apply.
Please
see offset label printing specifications for further
information
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