# 4 Color Spot vs 4 Color Process?



## INKSTAIN (Feb 6, 2007)

New biz here, and I've got another probably silly question, lol. I was looking at someone else's estimate for work to be done, and noticed that this particular business qouted 2 different types of print. One line was for a 4 color spot print, and the other line qoute was for a 4 color process. Does anyone know what they were referring to. What is a 4 color spot print, and what's a 4 color process?


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## Jennilyn012 (Mar 9, 2007)

Good question, can't wait for someone to answer, then I'll know too!!! 

Jennifer


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

4-clr process usus Cyan, magenta, yellow & Black that mix together to acheive tons of colours. (pretty much how every magazine is printed)

4-clr spot (usually solid yet not limited to solid) uses 4 distinctive colors from a design. Without seeing the design quoted its hard to give a educated guess as to what they are talking about.

Spot color is a specific color being printed. You can have a 6-clr spot print and a one color spot print.


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## INKSTAIN (Feb 6, 2007)

Thanks for your help Fluid. You've answered a couple questions now for me and I really appreciate that.

The design was basically a circle which has a black 1/2 inch outline. Inside the rest of the circle are some black mountain silhouette's and a sunset, with some dirt terrain. That's the jist of it really, not much to it, if you can imagine what I've just described.


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## Mr.4ColorProcess (Dec 5, 2005)

CMYK printing is used for real life looking colors, say a photo of something. Where as a 4 color design would just be something simple, for instance, the name JOHN with each individual letter being a different color. 

CMYK, or 4-color processing achieves a specific color spectrum that spot color printing can't achieve. 

Then from a production stand-point, you can have up to three more screens involved in a CMYK print (white backing, adhesive and clear coating). And CMYK inks are more expensive than regular spot color inks. 

In my opinion, as a rule of thumb, I would try to avoid using CMYK designs and stick to detailed spot color artwork. But if you have a market for that kind of design, then go for it. It's just that CMYK printing is very hard and the end product might not look like the actual design you wanted printed. Achieving the color red in CMYK is very hard and a lot of screen printers actually add a spot-color red to compensate for these problems. 

But I'm probably getting ahead of myself here and getting too technical with everyone...



-- Jimmy


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

Jimmy your doing just fine 

Inkstain from your description using spot colors would get close but not exact. Same with true 4-clr process. there are some colors that are just too hard to acheive or cannot be acheived with 4-clr process especially on T-Shirts.
More than likely the spot will suffice and is probably cheaper (mainly set up)


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## INKSTAIN (Feb 6, 2007)

Got ya, I understand now. 
Although, let's take the sunset for example; I was thinking in terms of half-tones. Couldn't you take that approach? Beginning where the sunset is most intense and bringing in half-tones so it lightens up as the sunset rises into the sky?


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

How about a couple pics so you can see what its all about. Spot color on the left, Process color on the right. Or is that simulated process color?


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

the right looks like simulated process. No process colors just specific colors that utilize halftones and mixing on press to acheive 3rd colors. same principals as 4-clr process yet uses specific colors from the dfesign.


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## MotoskinGraphix (Apr 28, 2006)

Fluid said:


> the right looks like simulated process. No process colors just specific colors that utilize halftones and mixing on press to acheive 3rd colors. same principals as 4-clr process yet uses specific colors from the dfesign.


I think you are correct in that the tones all seem to be shades of the basic colors. The detail on these transfers is outstanding and very tight. Hard to see in the small pics but the skin tones down to the womans tattoos are awesome. Is simulated process fairly expensive and what does it entail?


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

Simulated process uses more colors thus the cost is more than a 4-color process. the print will be more vibrant than a 4-clr process. 50% of my work is simulated process on lights and darks. You can pretty much get an almost exact print on any color shirt is the job is separated correctly. (as well as all the variable on the printing end)

Here is a good article on the various methods of printing
http://screenprinters.net/articles/index.php?art=30


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## Fluid (Jun 20, 2005)

The girl/car design would probably take at least 7 colors to work on light and darks. 8 would be best as a simulated process
white ub
lt flesh
dk flesh/brown
red
yellow
black 
green
highlight white


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