Topic awaiting preservation: Supplying Files for Screen Printing

Hi all,
Im looking at getting some cd's printed, and the options are getting laser printed labels, or screen printing. Laser printed labels are straight forward, just supply a TIFF or similar format and away you go.

Screen printing however i am not sure of but they say

quote:

---

* Screen Print Label ? up to 5 colour
* Artwork preferably in Mac format (or compatible format to colour separate file), including a colour proof, to be supplied by client.
* Note if you require a white base, this is a colour and must be supplied

---

Now I only have PC, and i use programs like Photoshop and Illustrator. How / what can i provide as far as a file goes to meet these specifications. Also i was looking at full color labels, i think i am getting confused tho. When they say 5 color, does that allow me full color anyhow?'


Thanks all... ive been getting confused with color separation T.T

I am also in the process of producing artwork for CD Mastering, (indie music publisher) and it would appear all printers have their own specific art requirements, ....lots to read.
Would like to hear from anyone who has gone through this process also.

Here's a general guide for the whole process.

http://www.morphius.com/manufacturing/art_tutorial.cfm

and these guys are helpful

http://www.oasiscd.com/music/index.html

FAQ'S
http://www.hellmanproduction.com/artwork-printing-qa.php#q14


cheers
k

(Edited by kromaZ on 08-20-2004 15:59)

Ok i will check it out. This is the first time ive done it and i get confused sometimes with normal printers. But in screenprinting im guessing the colors dont add together, and that its litteraly 5 different colors placed to make up a picture.

Now I have never done a comercial screen printing job and haven't screen printed since Tech collage some 17 years a go. So I am a litte rusty with the process. It would be my guess, they mean 5 spot colors. As I don't recall ever seeing a CD using 4-color process unless it was a preprinted lable, or maybe a shorter run (>1000) laserprinted, or inkjeted.

When working with spot colors I think it would be best to work in Illustrator or some other vector application that support spot color. It would be much easyer for the printer to seperate the individule colors reproduction as screens. There are ways you could work in Photoshop, say spot channels or maybe individule layers for each color, but this would be a pain and not the best way to go about it. Illustrator would be the best option.

J. Stuart J

Ok i have no problem working with illustrator.

So all i have to do is put one color on each layer and give them an eps? Or do you generally give them a separate pdf file for each color?

In illustrator all you would do is to define a swatch for each spot color. Then create your illustration using those swatchs. Then you or printer send the file to a postscript device you should have the option to print seperations. There should be no need to work in layers other then normal layer usage. My suggesting for layers was a Photoshop hack.

Oh ok great, thanks for that. Its just my lack of having done it before which as usual can make it daunting :P

Thanks again for the help