# Simulated process & 4 color process



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

Hello all here on T-shirt forums.com
I've been on here for a while and get so much information from everyone. Thank you.

Now, after getting a good hold on spot color printing, I'm moving up to Simulated process & 4 color process printing. I just want to make sure I have the right info. If you see something I'm doing wrong or different than what you do, please tell me.

My set up: 6/6 hix manual press. union inks. MacBook. Adobe ILL/PS CS3, epson inkjet PM-G4500.<-- this is the Japanese No.) 

What I don't have are color sep. program or RIP software.

Simulated Process: Using PS, I would take my image, change the Res. to 200. open channels, CMYK. Copy C, adjust levels, copy to new doc. change to grey scale then Bitmap halftone screen, circle, angle 45, dpi 55. save. Open in Illy, print to film. (M,Y,K follow steps above).
Of course with simulated process, I would use the colors in the image and not CMYK.

Does that sound about right?

And with 4 color process, same as above except Halftone screen angles need to be set to...... What's the best angles?

Thanks for your help.


----------



## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

Hi, 
Actually, when you're doing simulated process, you want to work in RGB mode.
You can get along with out a color sep program, just to things like using your magic wand, clicking on a color, then selecting 'similar'. 
But, you really need a rip program to do your halftones.
I use Accurip, (from Ryonet) but, I heard that there's also 'Ghostscript' and it's free online.
??????
have fun!


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

Celtic said:


> Hi,
> Actually, when you're doing simulated process, you want to work in RGB mode.
> You can get along with out a color sep program, just to things like using your magic wand, clicking on a color, then selecting 'similar'.
> But, you really need a rip program to do your halftones.
> ...


Thanks Denise, 
Why work in RGB? I was always told to work in CMYK...
I've tried "GS"/"GV" but they isn't one for Intel Macs from what i can see.
I watched to Youtube vid from Ryonet about seps with simulated process. but he never said how to output to film. Also, the way he did the seps are different from what i was told.


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

Just did a simulated process print. Will up load later.


----------



## out da box (May 1, 2007)

There's probably a hundred different methods to do simulated process printing. You'll have to experiment and practice with your techniques and steps until you get what you want.
One thing I do is convert my image temporarily to lab color, then duplicate the lightness channel to make my underbase. Then I select color ranges and build from there with A LOT of curves tweaking on each channel.


----------



## enigma1 (Jan 13, 2009)

Indexing is another method that can work well if you know what your doing
and are using existing designs.

If you do your own art designs, you can layer in color as you go as well.


----------



## EastBayScreen (Mar 23, 2007)

The image/substrate dictates the separation/print method. Index works well for certain designs, but usually requires more colors than sim-process to look good. Also, index sep's are just about the easiest method of separating an image.

I was always gun-shy of doing any sim/process work. Then I started learning about how the separations are done, and I realized that I had actually been separating and printing sim-process for awhile. Using spot color blends to create additional colors sounds complicated but it really isn't.


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

Here some pics

Some reason I can't upload...?
error


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

here we go


----------



## Unik Ink (Nov 21, 2006)

MBrhythm said:


> here we go


Looks good! How many colors did you use?


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

Unik Ink said:


> Looks good! How many colors did you use?


Thanks. first time trying this style.

White-under / flash / slate blue / black / white-highlite/ cure

Tried to use the shirt color as much as possible.


----------



## out da box (May 1, 2007)

Very, very good! Excellent detail! Really quality print.


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

here's the original pic.


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

I did all that without any sep. software or RIP to output film. 
I was happy with the print. Still room for improvement.


----------



## out da box (May 1, 2007)

You did the seps in photoshop?


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

out da box said:


> You did the seps in photoshop?


Yeah. Channels.


----------



## out da box (May 1, 2007)

You got it.


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

out da box said:


> You got it.


Next will be 4 color process.. CMYK. First on light shirts then to dark shirts....


----------



## TshirtGuru (Jul 9, 2008)

MBrhythm said:


> Next will be 4 color process.. CMYK. First on light shirts then to dark shirts....


Is there a tutorial on simulated process seps?


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

TshirtGuru said:


> Is there a tutorial on simulated process seps?


There was a youtube vid... but i just checked and its gone now...

YouTube - Simulated process screen printing separations w/ spot process Part 1 of 2


----------



## midwaste (Apr 8, 2008)

Awesome shirt man. I think you forgot a word in the last line where it says "Be the we have all been waiting for"..

Good info on sim-process, thanks all.


----------



## Celtic (Feb 19, 2008)

You did a great job!
That just goes to show that there's no hard rule with screenprinting!
Keep up the good work!

Denise


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

midwaste said:


> Awesome shirt man. I think you forgot a word in the last line where it says "Be the we have all been waiting for"..
> 
> Good info on sim-process, thanks all.


I was wondering if anyone would notice that. 
Funny thing is, the designer didn't notice it until I told him.

Because I'm in Japan, its almost fashionable here to wear shirts with mess up English. Can't go a day without trying to understand what was written on a shirt. They love their Engrish!!


----------



## neilmcaliece (Sep 4, 2007)

Excellent print, I'd be interested to see your follow up tests with process printing.


----------



## Ejiboo (May 27, 2008)

I've watched that youtube video, countless times, however, i'm working with someone who uses only red yellow blue and white on his shirts and that process on the video is not working for me when i try to find pantone scarlet red, lemon yellow, 286 blue and white in the image.

what should i do?


----------



## MBrhythm (Mar 1, 2007)

Ejiboo said:


> I've watched that youtube video, countless times, however, i'm working with someone who uses only red yellow blue and white on his shirts and that process on the video is not working for me when i try to find pantone scarlet red, lemon yellow, 286 blue and white in the image.
> 
> what should i do?


If post the image, I might better understand your problem.


----------



## ParrotPrinting (Feb 23, 2015)

Got a crick in my neck looking at your work but it's beautiful


----------

