Convert document color mode to Pantone/Spot

I have a document in which i have 2 layers, each layer contains shapes. one layer is supposed to be Pantone 293, the other layer is Pantone 296. right now, the colors are in RGB. I saved as is, then saved as PDF and the printer whom im sending this to, said the PDF printed out in 4 plates (CMYK) and i need only 2 plates, hence, i need the document to be in a spot color mode. How can i do this? How do i convert the colors i used in the shapes now to spot colors in CS3 version?

First I recommend changing the document to CMYK mode.
Here is the traditional fix: Window: Swatch Libraries: Color Books: Then select a Pantone Solid library. Show the Find field and type in your numbers. Double click the color chip to add it to your Swatch panel.
In the Swatch panel: Add Used Colors. To replace the global colors you are using currently, click on the Pantone swatch first, then the current swatch and select "Merge Swatches."
If you have lots of different shades of colors, you will have to create tints of the two spot colors.
Check your results using Window: Separations Preview to make certain you don't have CMYK being used. If your document is RGB, you will not be able to utilize Separations Preview (that's why I suggested the mode change)
You can also use Edit: Edit Colors: Recolor Artwork to make global color changes. But this is a somewhat complex dialog and takes getting used to. I recommend familiarizing yourself with this tool before using it in live production.

Similar Messages

Illustrator CC: Changing Document Color Mode + Edit Colors

Let's say I'm going to export a PNG.
If I switch the Document Color Mode from CMYK to RGB, IS IT THEN NECESSARY to also Edit/Edit Colors/Convert to RGB, if I'm just going to select each element and assign specific RGB values anyway?
In other words, is simply switching the Document Color Mode to RGB sufficient before manually assigning specific RGB values?
I'm thinking Edit/Edit Colors/Convert to RGB or CMYK is just relying on Illustrator's best judgment. Am I correct?

Color management needs to be set up in a way that it works as you want it to. Don't turn it off.
BTW: actually you can't turn it off. It is so deeply integrated in modern software that it will always work somehow.
Have all the numbers you set up in your colors be transferred correctly into the PNGs? Then don't worry.
When converting your document from CMYK to RGB all color values get converted: object colors as well as swatches. No need to use the Edit colors function.
When using File > convert to RGB resp CMYK document color mode, Illustrator applies the rules you have set up in Edit > color settings. That is: the profiles, the conversion engine, the intent.
Change one of the settings and you get different colors.
If you need to use specific RGB values, first convert the document color mode, then set up the color swatches and apply them to the objects.

Document Color Mode

Is there any option to change the document color mode as we can change in Illustrator

Thanks Peter, But working space works for both modes RGB and CMYK. But suppose if I am working on a book which needs to be print and I have used both objects and images i.e. RGB and CMYK. Is there any problem if I use RGB ojects, I understand that when we make pdf and convert file on destination as CMYK.

I am new to scripting & I need Script for Document color mode

Hi,
Please help me to create a script which should find the Document color mode. I am new to scripting. And please let me know how to use the same.
Balaji

Are you using the Extendscript Toolkit Editor (ESTK)? In the Help menu you can find all the properties for Document that can be queried/changed.
(Personally, I don't use ESTK, because I really really hate it. But I don't want to miss the Help, so I made my own version. I have Illustrator CS4, and it's possible your version doesn't have this, but under Document I find:
documentColorSpace
DocumentColorSpace:
DocumentColorSpace.RGB
DocumentColorSpace.CMYK
readonly
The color space used for the document.
For the how-to-use I glady refer you to Adobe's own Starting With Scripting guides.)

Executemenucommand for Document Color Mode

How to executemenucommand for Document Color Mode in illustrator using Javscript

Are you using the Extendscript Toolkit Editor (ESTK)? In the Help menu you can find all the properties for Document that can be queried/changed.
(Personally, I don't use ESTK, because I really really hate it. But I don't want to miss the Help, so I made my own version. I have Illustrator CS4, and it's possible your version doesn't have this, but under Document I find:
documentColorSpace
DocumentColorSpace:
DocumentColorSpace.RGB
DocumentColorSpace.CMYK
readonly
The color space used for the document.
For the how-to-use I glady refer you to Adobe's own Starting With Scripting guides.)

How to change the document color mode(RGB to CMYK)?

Kindly advice me how to change the document color mode(RGB to CMYK) via scripting in "illustrator cs3".
Thanks.

Somebody wrote and posted this a couple of years ago.
// Duplicate the selection from the active document into a new document.
// To invoke the JavaScript debugger, remove comment delimiters
//$.level = 1; debugger;
var newItem;
var docSelected = app.activeDocument.selection;
if ( docSelected.length > 0 ) {
// Create a new document and move the selected items to it.
var newDoc = app.documents.add();
if ( docSelected.length > 0 ) {
for ( i = 0; i < docSelected.length; i++ ) {
docSelected[i].selected = false;
newItem = docSelected[i].duplicate( newDoc,
ElementPlacement.PLACEATEND );
else {
docSelected.selected = false;
newItem = docSelected.parent.duplicate( newDoc,
ElementPlacement.PLACEATEND );
else {
alert( "Please select one or more art objects" );
It should give some ideas about how to proceed.

Automatically convert from RGB to CMYK color mode

I have over 900 barcodes provided in EPS format. When I open them in illustrator, they are coming in as an RGB color space file. I need them gray scale solid black in CMYK color mode. I can batch using actions to convert the artwork using "Edit Colors > Convert to Grayscale". However, the document color mode remains RGB. It appears, even after using "Convert to Grayscale", that the RGB color mode goofs up the placed .ai file in InDesign, treating it as RGB and seeing it as a mix of CMYK rather than the 100% black only it needs to be for proper sharp printing.
The actions pallet doesn't record converting the document color mode. Is there a way to automate that file conversion so they are all saved as CMYK rather than RGB, or am I stuck opening each of the 900+ files manually?

While recording the action, from the popup menu in the Actions Panel choose Insert Menu Item, then from the main menu choose File > Document Color Mode > CMYK color.

Switching color modes in color panel?

When designing within the RGB color space, why would you switch between using RGB and HSB colors when applying color to shapes?
Thanks.

HSB is simply more "human" or intuitive. The Color panel has no direct relation to the document color mode other than that the panel will consistently default to whatever the document's mode is. For example, switch it to HSB, click around a few times and you'll notice the color panel is back on RGB. Annoying.. but that's for another thread.
HSB is simply an easier way to change the hue, saturation or brightness of the current color. It can be difficult to remove 10% saturation from R144G234B115, but it's very easy to remove 10% from the Saturation slider in HSB mode. Using ANY setting in the color panel won't change your document, it simply changes how color data in the panel is displayed.
In short... it's just an easier way to visually change colors at times.

Converting from pantone to cmyk color mode in Indesign CS3??

I am working on a business card for a customer, I am using Adobe Indesign CS3.
I use an outside company for the printing job called 4over (4over.com) and they require you use their cmyk pdf print engine so they can do the job properly... Basically to break it down: I am in Indesign CS3, I choose Print, and as the printer I choose their "4over pdf cmyk print engine" so the colors do not convert and the color doesnt change when they use their printers.
4over is telling me my document is in pantone color mode, they can see the pantone color 371C, but not the cmyk values.
How do I change from pantone color mode to cmyk color mode???
if anyone can help me please. I would really appreciate it.
I attached the file I sent to 4over incase that helps anyone answer my question.
Thank you,
Brandon

Before exporting, in the swatch panel, select your Pantone colour, right click and select swatch options. Change the color type to Process and the color mode to CMYK.
If it's a business card and you showed the client a pantone swatch, know that you won't get the same colour results. There's a very useful Pantone book available that shows swatches side by side with CMYK values.
http://www.pantone.com/pages/products/product.aspx?pid=283&ca=1&s=4

How can I convert CMYK PDF file to Spot Color from a standard Spot Library?

Hi,
I have PDF file that is in CMYK colors. Can I use Adobe Pro X to convert the document to Spot Color from a established spot library like the PANTONE PC? Is there a plugin to do it?
Amit.

In method HMAC, you have towards the bottom
catch(Exception e) {}please change this to
catch(Exception e)
e.printStackTrace();
}Note that using the sun.* classes, including the sun.misc.BASE64Encoder class, requires elevated privileges (see http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jspa?threadID=483223&messageID=2255882).
It is not difficult to write your own encoder/decoder class, or borrow one from someone else. Just google on "java base64 encoder".

Can I change InDesign CC 2014 to default to cmyk mode for pantone colors instead of lab?

I work for a large corporation with close to 1000 sales people so we have a POD vendor who manages a website for the sales people to order our literature. Our colors were all great and now with InDesign CC 2014 using lab values instead of cmyk for pantones our colors are off. Is there a way to set InDesign CC 2014 to default to cmyk mode for pantones instead of lab?
Thanks,
Dave

so we have a POD vendor who manages a website for the sales people to order our literature.
The Pantone + Solid ink libraries only have one Lab definition. You can force a conversion to process CMYK via Ink Manger and the converted output values will depend on the document's CMYK profile.
If you prefer a single, device dependent CMYK definition for a solid ink simulation, you now have to use the Pantone + Bridge library—those colors are defined as process CMYK—or you can go back to the legacy solid library

Converting CMYK colors to spot color?

My publisher/printer requests a "hi-res pdf" as camera ready copy for a book I'm writing which will be printed in 2 colors (black and a spot color shade of blue). The pages have images from various sources and text with CMYK approximations of that blue which I'd like to convert to the spot color. Is there a convenient way to do this sort of operation through "preflight" or convert colors - so the final document has only K of CMYK and the spot color?

Yes, see my reply here.

Color mode for exporting to EPS to be printed as CMYK or spot

I have a couple illustrations I need to export to use in a Quark file. Some of my Quark pages will be printed in CMYK, and others in spot colors. How do I create and/or export the illustrations for both color modes?
Thanks.
~Valerie

I'm still on Illustrator 12. On my copy it's called Process Color.
I have no idea why there's a button to convert to a process colour and another to convert to CMYK, since they're the same thing and both buttons produce the same result. Maybe they're rying both out while the program's still in Beta. Illustrator has been in Beta for about eight years.

Spot and Process colors - Color Mode confusion?

I have a question about how to choose colors in the New Color Swatch window. I think that I understand the difference between spot and process colors, but the dropdown options confuse me because whether I choose Spot or Process in the Color Type dropdown, the same list of libraries appears in the Color Mode dropdown. How does that work, or why does that happen? Is it a conversion? For example, if I choose Process as the Color Type, but then choose Pantone Solid Coated in the Color Mode, it shows me the colors available, but aren't the Pantone libraries for spot colors? And if I choose Spot as the Color Type, but then pick CMYK in the Color Mode, it gives the CMYK sliders. But shouldn't I be forced to pick from a Pantone library for a spot color? I would appreciate any explanations of this as I want to make sure that I pick the appropriate colors for my printed projects. Thank you!

You can create a spot color with a custom CMYK mix (and even name it the same as a library color if you want). The utility here is that you can create a custom spot color with a custom process conversion, or use your own own conversion numbers for one of the book colors if you think you have a better mix. I recently had to do a special mix for a Pantone spot conversion to fit a particualr press in order to get a better match to some other materials. That's how we handled it, though I did it by aliasing the pantone swatch to my custom spot and then changing that to process in the ink manager, rather than messing with the library color directly, which meant I could have either the custom or the book values, depending on the settings I chose, if the job went to another press.
There are, I believe, four sets of process libraries included in ID. The Pantone Process libraries are sets of stepped percentage mixes of the four process inks and have names that start with DS followed by some numbers. I think TrueMatch is a simialr system, though I've never worked with a printer who used it. Pantone Color Bridge and Solid to Process libraries are both process simulations of the Pantone Solid spot libraries. The Color Bridge is newer, and I think is largely replacing the solid to process.
You can get printed swatch books for any of the included libraries (spot and process) and you should do so for any library that you are going to use to specify color. Spot colors in particular may not render well on your monitor, and the press operator couldn't care less what you see on your screen. He's going to pull out his swatch book to verify that the color he puts on the page is the same as you specified.

Illustrator CS2 Start up - Convert color mode dialog box

Using Illustrator CS2, on opening, the usual loading prescreen appears, after which a dialog box appears showing the following text
"Convert Color Mode"
"The document contains objects using both CMYK and RGB color modes. Illustrator allow only one color mode per document. Which color mode would you like to use? (RGB and CMYK appear as option boxes)"
This dialog box appears every time I open Illustrator, even though I'm not actually opening a document.
I've tried adjusting the Color Settings (Edit> Color Settings) but this hasn't affected the dialog box appearing.
I've checked all the usual sources of help but can't identify any cures.
I want to be able to change this so the dialog box no longer appears as it tends to "hide" behind all the other applications I have open at the time and can be difficult to get to, meaning opening Illustrator is a 5 minute battle.
Any ideas?
Thanks

You haven't messed with the startup .ai files have you?
You might try deleting the ai prefs file (see FAQ), though that might be a reach in this case.

Convert document color mode to Pantone/Spot

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for