# Simulated process seps manually in photoshop



## TshirtGuru (Jul 9, 2008)

So I'm trying to learn separating simulated process artwork manually in Photoshop. I know how to do index seps but would like to use less screens by using simulated process instead. I know how to separate cmyk and halftones etc., but I just don't get the steps to do simulated process.

From what I gathered so far is that you work with the art file in RGB mode. Then you pick the most dominant colors with the eye dropper, then select the color range. Then you can use curves to tweak the contrast and etc. After you do that, How do you put that color into it's own channel? After you put it in it's own channel, do you just halftone that channel?


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## MadMade (Nov 3, 2010)

make that channel only visible the little eyeball only that channel on then the icon in the top right corner of the layer window click that then go down to split channel and name that channel what you like a.i. blue channel,yellow channel etc. try that it might work for ya. Then yes halftone that file
I dont know what halftone pattern you use but elipse dots work best for me then my next choice is round make everything nice and tight 
get spvr vurite from dane clements with great dane graphics its killer and easy to use single button sim. proc. seps. it really rocks!!


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## PositiveDave (Dec 1, 2008)

There are some good tutorials on YouTube but essentially I use the Colour Range tool, I choose a colour range, save it as a spot colour channel and assign the spot colour. Then you can play with the levels until it looks like the original.
YouTube - Simulated process screen printing separations w/ spot process Part 1 of 2


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

It is suggested that you work with all files in RGB mode then convert to other color profile(including CMYK), after all edits are done. As to separating into simulated process manually, I am still having problems with it so nothing to comment.


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## ShirlandDesign (Nov 29, 2009)

Do you rotate the halftones so that they don't interfere with each other?


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

ShirlandDesign said:


> Do you rotate the halftones so that they don't interfere with each other?


no, simulated process uses all the same angles for every screen


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

TshirtGuru said:


> So I'm trying to learn separating simulated process artwork manually in Photoshop. I know how to do index seps but would like to use less screens by using simulated process instead. I know how to separate cmyk and halftones etc., but I just don't get the steps to do simulated process.
> 
> From what I gathered so far is that you work with the art file in RGB mode. Then you pick the most dominant colors with the eye dropper, then select the color range. Then you can use curves to tweak the contrast and etc. After you do that, How do you put that color into it's own channel? After you put it in it's own channel, do you just halftone that channel?


you save the selection you created as a channel, after that if you don't have a rip, you split channels into separate documents and convert each into a bitmap halftone pattern (mode>bitmap). The what you can do is either save each file and place them all together in illustrator or you can rebuild a photoshop file of channels (convert from bitmap to grayscale and copy each channel into one document, then set each channel with the properties you want). I proffer to place the bitmaps into illustrator, this gives me allot more freedom with the file (you can add vector elements if needed) and i use my own custom registration marks and info this way.


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## MadMade (Nov 3, 2010)

Hey red514 what custom reg marks you use? they compatible with photoshop or illustraitor only I only have photoshop...the custom reg marks would be cool cause photoshops reg marks are teenie tiny...


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

MadMade said:


> Hey red514 what custom reg marks you use? they compatible with photoshop or illustraitor only I only have photoshop...the custom reg marks would be cool cause photoshops reg marks are teenie tiny...


i basically made my own in illustrator, made a circle with crosshairs for each registration mark. the line thickness is 1 point, i don't like them too thick because it tends to give too much leeway, 1 point is clear and not too hard to burn (if you can't burn a 1 point line, you can't get the less then 15% halftone dots).

I place 4 registration marks squarely aligned to each other, 1 in each corner about 0.5" away from the design. I also add 2 center line marks, one on top and one on the bottom indicating the center of the design. 
I also add the file name, info and date to the film along with the color name for each screen and order of sequence.

What version of illustrator do you have, i can send you my template if you'd like. modify it as you wish


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## macmiller (Jul 23, 2007)

TshirtGuru said:


> So I'm trying to learn separating simulated process artwork manually in Photoshop. I know how to do index seps but would like to use less screens by using simulated process instead. I know how to separate cmyk and halftones etc., but I just don't get the steps to do simulated process.
> 
> From what I gathered so far is that you work with the art file in RGB mode. Then you pick the most dominant colors with the eye dropper, then select the color range. Then you can use curves to tweak the contrast and etc. After you do that, How do you put that color into it's own channel? After you put it in it's own channel, do you just halftone that channel?


Henry, You've got the basic idea. I'm still learning myself, but any complex job i've done that is raster or very detailed vector has been simulated. I only have a 6 color press so I don't think I could do index well, but I've never tried it.

For me (and a lot of other people) it's just a lot of practice, and unfortunately a lot of trial and error on press. You'll waste some film, screens and time to get to a point to where you can predict what will happen on press before you print your first film. I've been playing with just finding high-res google images and doing "sep practice", none of these will go to press, just for fun. I'd like to get better at using more than 6 colors, even though I can't print that many. 

Making good color selection is the key. Color range is the easiest usually, but there's times when I have to do a "select pixels" on a layer and use that to knock out or fill in parts on the necessary spot channel to get a cleaner selection. I use a lot of levels and tone curve adjustments to keep things from muddying up on press. That's one of those learn from experience on press type deals you'll learn. I also use black or white in a channel to "paint" out areas that I want to tone down or erase all together that might get picked up from color range or levels adjustments.

I also took Charlie Taublieb's sim process class at the last ISS show here. He recommends doing everything at 45 lpi at 61 degrees for everything sim process. I used to want to be able to do high lpi stuff and had a hard time with dot-gain on press, but if you look at a lot of stuff at a retail store, it's a lot lower lpi than a lot of us think we need to print at to be "good printers".

I use a xante so it handles all the halftones. I'm not sure how you'd handle making your own halftones (I assume you don't have a RIP?). There is a way to drop spot channels into their own file and halftone it there, but I can't remember how. I do all my seps and then drag the channel in to corel and add reg marks and print from there. I only started to do that because it would take like 10 or 20 minutes to spool to the printer in PS, but prints almost instantly in corel.

like I said, I'm still learning, but I hope this helps!


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## macmiller (Jul 23, 2007)

Red, I looked at your blog. Good work! Do you work at a shop or do you do separations as a service?


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

macmiller said:


> Red, I looked at your blog. Good work! Do you work at a shop or do you do separations as a service?


I haven't officially launched the blog yet but thanks allot macmiller! i'll be updating the blog more frequently starting this weekend, can't wait to post some of the work i'm really proud of. I currently work full time for an apparel company (majority is licensed products) but i also do allot of freelance and consulting.

macmillers explanation of how to go about simulated process is right on, you have to really work the channels using selections and adjusting levels ect.. 
You are on the right track TshirtGuru, it'll be more challenging then index seps, great SimProcess seps are truly an art.
I've found i use everything from color range selecting to using channels from different color modes (create new document, convert to CMYK/LAB/RGB and pull channels from there to manipulate), there's so many techniques that can be used for ideal results.

45lpi is ok but it's not ideal, the dots are fairly visible when printed and viewed from an arms distance. 55lpi, the dots are finer and your eye blends them more at an arms distance. 65lpi is ideal but not easy for the average shop to burn the screens.
one of the benefits i've found using higher lpi is better ink control on press, less dot gain. 45lpi is what i use for my print shops overseas (some of the shops in China we use 55lpi) because they have issues exposing and printing finer halftones. This makes it allot easier for them to print as well, but the prints are not to my standards.

I too print my films out of a vector program (illustrator), this gives me allot more freedom and it does seem to spool allot faster.
If i'm not going to use a RIP (often the case if i'm not printing the films myself) i simply split my channels into separate documents, convert each to bitmap mode to create the halftone patterns, save and place them all into the vector program. This way i can apply spot colors to each bitmap, use over printing if needed, add vector elements if needed and i can use my custom registration marks and info.


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## BRoeAZ (Aug 22, 2009)

There is a good article on t-biznetwork.com that explains how to do sim process seps in photoshop. I just read it yesterday, has some good ideas.


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## macmiller (Jul 23, 2007)

red,

couple of things.

what does LAB mode help with? I've never messed with that mode. I always use rgb, don't know why, I think the gamut is bigger (?)

Also, from looking at your blog, the pics showing the buildup of a print, going thru the colors, you use stuff like, "light bronze", etc. Do you use a certain set of colors (like from an ink mfr)to make up a sep or can it be just about any PMS color? I've seen sep ( a spot process trial) software that uses sort of "primary" colors that either might not be in my design or impossible to make anything with the fixed set of colors. I guess that's why I never understood how the program worked, it's so "fixed" in it's color set. I use whatever PMS equivalent PS suggests, and play around w/ it to get the color more where I like it.

An ink mixing system would be nice once I go to press, but I don't do enough process work to justify it.


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## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

I read a tutorial about 10 years ago about simulated process that worked from a grayscale photo for jobs with very distinct areas of color and generally hard edges, using the pen tool to create paths, making selections based on those paths, then saving the selections as spot color channels. Then referring to the original photo, selecting Pantone colors for each channel, or sometimes duplicating the channel, coloring each dupe a different color, then using levels, blending modes, the eraser tool or any combination to control the color mix in the final art. Obviously not a good method for soft edges, but for stuff like cars with tightly defined edges, a way to have maximum control over the channels.
One other thing I didn't see mentioned above, and maybe it goes without saying, but for simulated process jobs, it's much easier to control ink color by using a pantone mixing system, and when creating the individual channels from selections, double-clicking on the channel, then double-clicking on the "color" box at the bottom of the channel options window, then selecting the "color libraries" button to the right brings up the pantone palette. It gives you the option of changing colors in a controllable way to arrive at the best color mix for the job and have a way of actually mixing it for the press.
But then again, maybe everyone knew this.


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## TshirtGuru (Jul 9, 2008)

Thank you for the help guys! I am still learning and sure I'll have a lot more questions. I see tutorials on 4 color process but don't see any for simulated. I suppose it's because there are many different ways to go about simulated process. But it'd be nice to have something available to purchase a dvd or something that goes over simulated process seps and printing.


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## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

I don't know whether or not you've considered buying a program such as QuikSeps to get going on simulated process, but it works pretty well. You can also go in and adjust stuff within the spot color channels after the separating is done. The downside to such programs is also the upside, mainly that they use a predetermined set of colors. Makes for a lot less mixing, but it does introduce some limitations. I sometimes will swap out the spot color specified to adjust the look. Doing the seps manually gives you more control over the colors used and how they are applied, but would vary from job to job meaning more ink mixing. Probably more important on some color-critical jobs for big or particularly fussy clients.


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## jsf (Aug 4, 2009)

You may want to find this... It is a good reference for separations in PS.


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Table of contents here. Amazon.com: Photoshop CS3 for Screen Printers (Wordware Applications Library) (9781598220360): Joli Ballew: Books

Does anyone know who Joli Ballew is and/or how useful the book is? The link above does not mention his qualification as a printer.


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## jsf (Aug 4, 2009)

BroJames said:


> Table of contents here. Amazon.com: Photoshop CS3 for Screen Printers (Wordware Applications Library) (9781598220360): Joli Ballew: Books
> 
> Does anyone know who Joli Ballew is and/or how useful the book is? The link above does not mention his qualification as a printer.


I have a copy of it Sir Angel. I will give it a score of 10/10. 

The book's context is not just for understanding color separation or even understanding the different process of separation. The book also emphasizes usage of the different tools, variations, filters, etc. within which makes PS as essential tool.


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Where did you purchase it and for how much?


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## peterk (Aug 7, 2006)

The Color Range works fine in CS4 and newer but on older versions the "range" it selects tends to ba a little crude. Be sure to tick "Localized Color Clusters" if using CS4 or CS5.
Another way is the Channnel Mixer, works great! 
There`s on Youtube great videos by Eternyl about his method (and others).
YOu get super smooth gradiations on the colors. Sometimes it can be a little tricky to find the right "amount" on the sliders in order to get right color range selected.

Cheers,
Peter


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