Easy RGB Separations for gum

Hi folks,
I've been working on a web page about separations made from RGB vs
separations made from default CMYK separations, and in the process of
working through the settings and the numbers, I came across a simply
remarkable fact that had to be shared. To think of all the years I
printed tricolors and I never knew this!

I'm not here at the moment to compare the merits of RGB separations vs
CMYK, but simply to share a tip with those who like to print from RGB
separations but would like a simpler way than splitting the channels and
printing each one individually:

When you've adjusted the color balance the way you want it, invert the
image, then change the mode from RGB to *Multichannel*. Then go to
Print. The color space option will read "Separations." Click Print, and
you'll automatically get three color separations that are identical to
the separations that you would get by going through the steps of
splitting the channels and printing the three channels separately. I
checked this by using a file made of color patches and comparing the
values in the channels for each color across the two ways of doing it.
Added bonus: the channels are labeled Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, which
should reassure any literal-minded folks who need the separations
labeled that way to believe they are doing the right thing.
Katharine Thayer
Received on Fri Nov 26 13:57:57 2004