Declaring a spot colour
Define the special colour as a spot-colour swatch with a clear name, and apply it at 100%. Do not let it convert to CMYK on export, or the metallic or fluorescent effect disappears.
Combining spot colours with CMYK
A spot colour can sit happily alongside four-colour printing. Keep it on its own swatch and check on PDF export that it remains a separate plate and has not been flattened into the four process colours.
Check before you send
- Special colour set up as a named spot colour
- Applied at 100%
- Not converted to CMYK on export
- Separation checked in the PDF
Frequently asked questions
Will a Pantone match exactly in CMYK?
A CMYK simulation is only ever approximate. For a precise shade or a metallic effect, use a true spot-colour ink.
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