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complexity
complexity
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Help me understand registration swatch

Feb 7, 2013 10:29 PM

Hey all,

 

In Illustrator the registration color (which for me is set to a white) I always just thought that this means that no color / ink will be applied to that area? Is that correct?

   

If I was to have a predominately white busness card being printed on white card stock, is it best for me to use the "White" swatch or "registration" swatch, if I want to keep/make an object/area as white as possible?

     

Any help would be great

476 Views   4 Replies   Latest reply: steve fairbairn, Feb 9, 2013 12:49 AM
 
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  • Mylenium
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    1. Mylenium,
    Feb 7, 2013 11:36 PM   in reply to complexity
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    Registration swatch merely means that it's used for printer marks and appears on all ink plates. Nothing beyond that is implicit. Not the color, nor any otehr specifics.

     

    Mylenium

     
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  • steve fairbairn
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    2. steve fairbairn,
    Feb 8, 2013 3:31 AM   in reply to complexity
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    Registration is 100% of all used colours (CMYK and/or Spot).

    It should never be used as a rich black (as one contributor to this forum maintained several moons back). NEVER. EVER.

     

    If you are drawing your own trim, fold or crop marks, use Registration.

    That way they will show up on all plates.

     

    As long as you are not using spot colours you may possibly use Registration for the black in opacity masks but it’s really more professional to make a 100% CMYK swatch for that.

     
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  • complexity
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    3. complexity,
    Feb 8, 2013 3:43 PM   in reply to steve fairbairn
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    Thanks for the response guys.

     

    So from what I understand if I want a an object to appear "white" I should be filling it with a "white" swatch, compared to just leaving it filled with the "registration" swatch.

     
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  • steve fairbairn
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    4. steve fairbairn,
    Feb 9, 2013 12:49 AM   in reply to complexity
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    Yep.

     

    Unless you happen to be using a spot white, in which case spot white will be included in Registration.

     
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