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Create a spot color

Spot colors are used to define colors, so that output colors always match a specific color value. Spot colors allow the printing of unique brand colors for logos or business graphics.

The Settings Editor has functions to import spot color libraries, define color mappings, create and edit spot colors, and print patch charts. (Configure spot colors and spot color libraries)

On the control panel you can define spot colors, measure spot colors, and print patch charts to check and adjust the spot colors. New spot colors are stored in the custom spot color library.

This topic describes how to:

  • Define a spot color

  • Measure a spot color

  • Check and adjust a spot color

Before you begin

IMPORTANT

First, check whether the printer calibration delivers the required color quality before you perform this procedure. (Learn about calibration)

Define a spot color

The definition of your spot colors is usually done through Lab values. You can enter CMYK values, for example when you need saturated colors.

Spot color definition with color indicator on the control panel

  1. Touch [System]  → [Color adjustment]  → [Adjust color] .

  2. Touch [Edit spot colors].

  3. Press [Add].

    Enter the spot color name.

  4. In [Input mode], select [CIELAB].

  5. Enter the Lab values.

  6. Touch [OK].

  7. Touch [All libraries]  → [Custom library]  to find the new spot color.

Measure a spot color

With the spot color measurement procedure, you measure three locations of a sample of the spot color. The system calculates and returns the average Lab value and reports a ∆E. The reported ∆E value is the largest (delta-E 2000) difference between each individual measured value and the average of all measured values. A ∆E larger than 3 indicates that a large deviation is measured. In that case you are advised to measure the spot color again.

An i1 spectrophotometer is required for the measurement of a spot color.

Spot color measurement is done via CIELAB values

  1. Touch [System]  → [Color adjustment]  → [Adjust color] .

  2. Touch [Edit spot colors].

  3. Press [Add].

  4. In [Input mode], select [CIELAB].

  5. Press [Start].

  6. Follow the instructions on the control panel.

    IMPORTANT

    If ∆E is larger than 3, you are advised to measure the spot color again.

  7. Touch [OK].

  8. Touch [All libraries]  → [Custom library]  to find the new spot color.

Check and adjust the spot color

How a spot color looks exactly after printing depends on the used media and printer. When a spot color does not fit in the color gamut of the printer, you can print a patch chart to check the spot color and adjust the CMYK values. This allows you to get the most optimal result.

Patch chart with spot colors and their CMYK values

1

Patch of selected spot color, printed twice in the centre frame.

2

CMYK value of the centered patches in the centre frame.

3

CMYK values of the surrounded patches (36x).

4

CMYK values of the centered patches in the upper and lower frame.

5

Black values, used to print the centered and surrounding patches.

  1. Touch [System]  → [Color adjustment]  → [Adjust color] .

  2. Touch [Edit spot colors].

  3. Touch [All libraries] to find the spot color.

  4. Select a spot color.

  5. Press [Edit].

  6. Touch [Add] to add a CMYK definition.

  7. Select a media family.

  8. Select a media.

  9. Press [Start].

  10. Take the patch chart and check the defined spot color in the middle frame:

    1. If the spot color is correct (1), touch [OK].

    2. If another spot color is correct, enter the corresponding CMYK values of this spot color (3) and touch [OK].

    3. If no spot color is correct, increase the step size of the black value (5) and go to step 8.

Parent topic:
Perform advanced color adjustments
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