About spot colours:
Spot colors are special premixed inks used instead of, or in addition to, the process color (CMYK) inks. Each spot color requires its own plate on the press. (Because a varnish requires a separate plate, it is considered a spot color, too.)
If you are planning to print an image with spot colors, you need to create spot channels to store the colors. To export spot channels, save the file in DCS 2.0 format or PDF.
Note the following when working with spot colors:
- For spot color graphics that have crisp edges and knock out the underlying image, consider creating the additional artwork in a page layout or illustration application.
- To apply spot color as a tint throughout an image, convert the image to Duotone mode and apply the spot color to one of the duotone plates. You can use up to four spot colors, one per plate.
- The names of the spot colors are printed on the separations.
- Spot colors are overprinted on top of the fully composited image. Each spot color is printed in the order it appears in the Channels panel, with the topmost channel printing as the topmost spot color.
- You cannot move spot colors above a default channel in the Channels panel except in Multichannel mode.
- Spot colors cannot be applied to individual layers.
- Printing an image with a spot color channel to a composite color printer will print the spot color at an opacity indicated by the Solidity setting.
- You can merge spot channels with color channels, splitting the spot color into its color channel components.
In offset printing, a spot color is any color generated by an ink (pure or mixed) that is printed using a single run.
The widely spread offset-printing process is composed of four spot colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black) commonly referred to as CMYK. More advanced processes involve the use of six spot colors (hexachromatic process), which add Orange and Green to the process (termed CMYKOG). The two additional spot colors are added to compensate for the ineffective reproduction of faint tints using CMYK colors only. However, offset technicians around the world use the term spot color to mean any color generated by a non-standard offset ink; such as metallic, fluorescent, spot varnish, or custom hand-mixed inks.
When making a multi-color print with a spot color process, every spot color needs its own lithographic film. All the areas of the same spot color are printed using the same film, hence, using the same lithographic plate. The dot gain, hence the screen angle and line frequency, of a spot color vary according to its intended purpose. Spot lamination and UV coatings are sometimes referred to as 'spot colors', as they share the characteristics of requiring a separate lithographic film and print run.
Generally the cost and potential for problems for a print job increase as one adds more spot colors, due to the increased cost and complexity of added process inks and films, and requiring more runs per finished print. However, because of the complicated process, spot colours are effective at preventing forgeries of money, passports, bonds and other important documents. Money printing for example, uses secret formulae of spot colors, some of which can be seen by the naked eye and some that can only be seen by using special lights or applying certain chemicals.
The widely spread offset-printing process is composed of four spot colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (black) commonly referred to as CMYK. More advanced processes involve the use of six spot colors (hexachromatic process), which add Orange and Green to the process (termed CMYKOG). The two additional spot colors are added to compensate for the ineffective reproduction of faint tints using CMYK colors only. However, offset technicians around the world use the term spot color to mean any color generated by a non-standard offset ink; such as metallic, fluorescent, spot varnish, or custom hand-mixed inks.
When making a multi-color print with a spot color process, every spot color needs its own lithographic film. All the areas of the same spot color are printed using the same film, hence, using the same lithographic plate. The dot gain, hence the screen angle and line frequency, of a spot color vary according to its intended purpose. Spot lamination and UV coatings are sometimes referred to as 'spot colors', as they share the characteristics of requiring a separate lithographic film and print run.
Generally the cost and potential for problems for a print job increase as one adds more spot colors, due to the increased cost and complexity of added process inks and films, and requiring more runs per finished print. However, because of the complicated process, spot colours are effective at preventing forgeries of money, passports, bonds and other important documents. Money printing for example, uses secret formulae of spot colors, some of which can be seen by the naked eye and some that can only be seen by using special lights or applying certain chemicals.
for refining and we prepared a tutorial to help you create this effect with InDesign.
At print24 spot varnish is handled like a 5th color separation in addition to CMYK. That’s why creating spot varnish is similar to the appliance of spot colors but there’s still a little difference. Keyword: over printing.
Let’s start from the beginning.
Our example is a greeting card with ornaments which should appear as partial varnish.
If you’re creating spot varnish for multiple elements we recommend using a new layer (we call it “spot varnish”) and place all future elements in it.
If you’re creating spot varnish for multiple elements we recommend using a new layer (we call it “spot varnish”) and place all future elements in it.
To create varnish choose the symbol left to the „Bin” or click the drop-down menu in the right corner above and choose “New Color Swatch …”
The dialog box allows you to change several settings. Start with changing the name to “spot varnish”, “varnish” or something like that to be able to identify the spot varnish channel later.
Now change colour type from “Process” to “Spot”. That’s important to create a new color channel .
We recommend using a signal color as we did with 100% magenta. The color is not important since varnish is transparent and it is just to remind you which elements get spot varnish in the end.
Now determine this color mode for all elements you want to have varnished and be careful to always apply 100% color.
Now determine this color mode for all elements you want to have varnished and be careful to always apply 100% color.
Next step is really important for production:
Select all varnish elements and open “Attributes” via “Window” menu and set a checkmark at “Overprint Fill”.
Select all varnish elements and open “Attributes” via “Window” menu and set a checkmark at “Overprint Fill”.
That’s so important because it is a spot color which needs to be printed on a different layer, otherwise the color beneath would be omitted. “Overprint Fill” makes sure that the layout is printed first and the varnish will be added afterwards.
Tip: You can also highlight elements from your layout. Just copy and insert them at the same place of the layout. Change the color mode to spot varnish which you created earlier and it’s done 
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