Hexachrome Reprint 8/30/05 11:50 AM Page 1 Hexachrome Reprint 8/30/05 11:50 AM Page 2

Hexachrome reprint 8/30/05 11:50 AM Page 1 Hexachrome reprint 8/30/05 11:50 AM Page 2

REPRINTED FROM DIGITAL OUTPUT AUGUST 2005.

THE ONLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO >CAPTURE >CREATION >OUTPUT >FINISHING Hexachrome Print Process

Primary Considerations for Implementing Hexachrome Printing

by Dan Reid need to drastically improve this additional color is a safe color reproduction. way to ensure important col- ave you considered what ors are reproduced correctly. Hexachrome can add to your When Hexachrome was The downside of using printing process? introduced in 1994, CMYK Pantone spot color is the H was the standard within the additional cost of using a Hexachrome was created industry, and it was question- special ink. Each additional with the intent to provide a able whether users would Pantone spot color incurs wider color gamut for the invest in an expensive more expense and is limited print and design world. upgrade. Although said to by the number of inks a press dramatically improve color can print in a single run. The range and accuracy over tra- additional printing cost of ditional four-color process using a special ink has printing, years went by before always been difficult to sell the popularity of to customers. A four-color Hexachrome appeared. Now build is more cost-effective to the technology is catching on print since most presses are and retaining loyal users. already configured as such Figure 1: Depiction of of Solid PMS 2925 coated, Process but lack the vibrancy of coated, and Hexachrome coated Pantone, Inc., a well-known using a special color. and unquestionable standard in print, has a long history in Realizing customers were hesi- color communication and tant to budget for a special color standards. Originally an ink, Pantone seized the oppor- offset printer in Manhattan, tunity by offering a Pantone the company grew out of com- Process simulation library, mercial printing to offer a sys- which allowed designers to tem for communicating color select a four-color equivalent reproduction. The ubiquitous of spot color. The new library Pantone Matching System proved to be a huge success, (PMS) is widely adopted and allowing designers to commu- supported by almost every nicate color to the print professional printing device in provider, but without the the creative industries. added cost of using special Figure 2: SWOP inks vs. Hexachrome CMYK inks inks. The downside—only simulation The original PMS is based on about 30 percent of the origi- mixing special inks to pro- nal Pantone spot color library Brighter greens, more vibrant vide a unique color. The was reproducible in standard purples, and truer skin tones Pantone color is used in con- four-color process inks. The are enough to raise brows. junction with black ink or in ubiquitous Pantone Solid to Hexachrome has been said to addition to standard four- Process guides—now renamed be everything creative, pre- color process inks. Known as Pantone Color Bridge—show Output press, and print professionals a bump plate or spot color, the spot color alongside a

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ment emerging on Macintosh and PC comput- ers. Pantone embraced color management by leveraging the architecture to translate RGB and CMYK files to Hexachrome. They enlarged the printable color gamut by exchanging typical process cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks with brighter and purer CMYK inks. (Figure 2). Standard CMYK inks appear dirty when compared to the more vibrant Hexachrome CMYK.

In addition to the cleaner CMYK inks, orange and green inks were added to complement the brighter CMYK colors, and to maxi- mize simulating the original Pantone spot color library. Therefore, you cannot really take advantage of the Hexachrome print process by Figure 3: Top: SWOP separation to Hexachrome proof; Bottom: Proof of correctly separated RGB to just adding orange and green Hexachrome to standard CMYK inks. Since it’s tempting to add orange and green inks to four-color simulation. This lets process as readily as Pantone nineties and computer-to-plate standard process CMYK inks, the designer know when to hoped. Designers saw it diffi- (CtP) of 2000, have enjoyed Pantone licenses ink manufac- use the real spot color instead cult to create jobs with an quicker acceptance and adop- turers who market and offer of its lesser clone. (Figure 1) unfamiliar cutting-edge print- tion with print providers. Yes, Hexachrome inks, to ensure ing system. It was simply eas- running six colors can be more customers can achieve the After experiencing the huge ier, cheaper, and more readily costly than running four-color, true advertised benefits of success and adoption of the acceptable to create four- but the ability to print almost Hexachrome. Pantone solid to process color jobs with additional the entire spot color library library, Pantone was ready for spot colors specified as and improve color fidelity of Pantone developed the six- a new challenge to improve needed. And so Hexachrome RGB originals are certainly color print system because spot color simulations beyond has not enjoyed the same suc- compelling reasons to leverage many print providers had six the constraints of four-color cess and industry adoption Hexachrome advantages. color printing presses at that process, and thus the Pantone their four-color library gar- Unfortunately, designers never time. It is still common for a Hexachrome print process nered in the early nineties. did get past the additional cost print provider to offer stan- was born. or the differences in workflow dard four-color printing with Arguably, Pantone’s of designing for a six-color sys- the option of running addi- Many vendors immediately Hexachrome print process, tem, perhaps due to lack of tional Pantone spot colors. jumped on the bandwagon other high-fidelity color sys- education on the print process, Pantone’s marketing strategy and began to offer film tems, and color management or lack of interest from clients. did not extol this benefit well proofers and Pantone-certi- in general have been the slow- enough to entice print fied Hexachrome inks; but est technologies adopted by The Pantone Hexachrome providers to change their designers and customers did the print industry. The post- print process was introduced common, and comfortable, not embrace the new print script revolution of the early at the cusp of color manage- printing setup.

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At this point you may have At the time Hexachrome was served without introducing a GretagMacbeth and X-Rite surmised improved color introduced, color management color distortion. (Figure 3) offer color management pack- reproduction of photographic was just emerging and print ages that can create images is an ancillary benefit providers had not yet Another issue is how design Hexachrome ICC profiles. of Hexachrome. For this rea- embraced the technology, nor software will work with the son, Pantone chose to market were they comfortable convert- technology. Neither Adobe As traditional film proofers high-fidelity printing of ing RGB files to CMYK or Photoshop nor Illustrator continue to dwindle due to images and colorful designs CMYKOG. Hexachrome’s directly support Hexa- the trend of CtP, proofing to customers. The Pantone reliance on RGB originals and chrome or any print process Hexachrome press separa- Hexachrome print process is color management were stum- with more than four-colors. tions has become more chal- well suited for reproducing bling blocks for many printers. However, QuarkXPress does lenging. The trend of inex- highly-saturated colorful support Hexachrome, and it pensive inkjet proofing and RGB images from digital Color management, and can separate RGB and advancements in color match- cameras and scanners. Images specifically ICC profiles, are CMYK files to Hexachrome ing have provided the plat- and artwork in RGB contain the keys to translating vibrant without additional software. form for proofing a richer data set that is better images and corporate colors to Hexachrome. D represented in Hexachrome. a more colorful dynamic print Pantone offers a suite of soft- The benefits of RGB and in Hexachrome. The Hexa- ware plug-ins for Adobe Dan B. Reid is a veteran color-managed workflows are chrome print process doesn’t Photoshop and Illustrator color management consultant certainly apparent and gain- improve CMYK images, but called Pantone HexWare, to and an expert in Hifi printing ing more acceptance. It is merely offers a larger color enable these programs to and Hexachrome print much better to use RGB palette in which the converted color select, color correct, process. His company, images for Hexachrome CMYK document can be soft-proof, and separate to RPImaging, helps businesses rather than CMYK. RGB also adjusted to take advantage of Hexachrome. The Pantone migrate to using color man- works well for any color- the additional color gamut. ColorSuite for Hexachrome agement and expanded managed workflow, CMYK also includes printed guide- gamut printing including the or Hexachrome. CMYK files Print providers have taken books for visual selection of Hexachrome print process. that are confined to process CMYK plates and put them Hexachrome colors and RPImaging offers color ink color gamut can be trans- up with Hexachrome inks to Pantone spot color simula- measurement hardware and lated to Hexachrome, but get a more vibrant, if not gar- tion. The best results are color management software won’t benefit from the addi- ish, print. The correct method derived by creating your own sales and accredited training. tional color gamut unless fur- would be to re-separate Hexachrome ICC profiles Dan can reached at ther adjustment is done after CMYK files to Hexachrome, that encapsulate how your [email protected] or toll the conversion. so image integrity is pre- press is printing. Both free at (866) RGB-CMYK.

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REPRINTED FROM DIGITAL OUTPUT OCTOBER 2005.

THE ONLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO >CAPTURE >CREATION >OUTPUT >FINISHING Working With Hexachrome

A Look at Hexachrome Proofing Options

by Dan Reid your proofing needs will guide your selec- ne of the biggest challenges in tion of an appropri- designing and printing ate Hexachrome Hexachrome jobs is proofing proofing system. O how the final piece will look. The Pantone Hexachrome Soft Proofs print process provides an The common computer dis- enhanced color gamut with play has very similar color The CG220 LCD display from the addition of orange and regardless of brand. The sub- Eizo Nanao Technologies Inc. green inks to CMYK. Typical tle differences between com- proofing scenarios are more puter displays is attributed to accustomed to CMYK plus the type of phosphor guns the CG220 LCD display, spot colors, not a color model used, such as those from boasting a color gamut close to the ubiquitous Adobe RGB color space found in Adobe products. Adobe RGB is the preferred RGB color space to use for Hexachrome jobs since it encapsulates a larger range of colors reproducible in Hexachrome printing. The pairing of the Eizo Nanao CG220 and Adobe RGB allows more colors to be seen uncompromised by the dis- This graph depicts the color range of In this graph, we can see that our play’s color gamut. a Sony Artisan monitor against Hexachrome profile is within the CG220 Adobe RGB (green) and the Eizo color space while the Sony Artisan cannot Viewing an Adobe RGB file ColorEdge CG220 (red). Notice that display 100 percent Hexachrome Orange or on a Sony Artisan display is the CG220 has almost the same Hexachrome Yellow. The CG220 color profile going to have more colors shape and color gamut of the Adobe is red, Sony Artisan is green, Roland compromised compared to RGB color space. Hexachrome CTP Med is colored graph. the larger color gamut Eizo Nanao CG220 LCD. Even based on six colorants. Still, Mitsubishi, NEC, or Trinitron. still, Adobe Photoshop does a there are several proofing The LCD market is enjoying pretty amazing job of dealing options available depending steady growth which has with this discrepancy, provid- on what you are hoping the fueled the development of ing impressive screen proofs. proof to depict. Proofing can high fidelity color displays for run the gamut from soft the graphic arts market. So why not use a smaller proofs—computer display— color space like sRGB or to various types of hard Late last year, Eizo Nanao ColorMatch RGB to define Output proofs. Correctly assessing Technologies Inc. introduced your files since they are based

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upon a typical computer dis- print provider Hexachrome systems and inkjet printers. play? These color spaces are proof is still required for con- High-end digital proofers like much smaller and do not firmation of press the Fuji FinalProof, Kodak take advantage of the larger Hexachrome color. Approval XP, and Latran color palette of Adobe RGB Prediction 1420 (formerly that contains more printable Fine Art and Reprographics PolaProof Digital Halftone Hexachrome colors. Having a For print providers there are Proofing System), are a few computer display closest to two general markets for print- common Pantone licensed Adobe RGB is ideal. ing and proofing Hexachrome Hexachrome proofers config- jobs. The first market is where ured with special high fidelity Separating Vector and the final job is printed in donors to meet Hexachrome’s Raster Objects This graph illustrates the defi- Hexachrome on large format expanded gamut. These sys- ciency of sRGB and ColorMatch Adobe Photoshop CS2 and inkjets or solvent ink printers. tems work well but are costly RGB color spaces for use with earlier do not provide correct Hexachrome. By confining your This market is ideally suited to create proofs. previews of Hexachrome sep- document color to ColorMatch for checking color and tonal arations on screen, nor the RGB, you prematurely truncate balance on a computer display A veteran of Hexachrome functionality to convert jobs printable color available in with a large color palette. inkjet printing and a Pantone- to Hexachrome. Third party Hexachrome. ColorMatch RGB recommended Hexachrome Photoshop and Illustrator is blue, Adobe RGB is green Mimaki, Mutoh, Roland, and inkjet printer, the Roland Hifi wire-frame, colored graph is plug-ins are necessary to con- Vutek offer products that can Jet Pro series has for years Pantone Hexachrome CTP Med. vert files to Hexachrome in be configured with a Hexa- been the only available option Adobe products. Both Gretag- chrome ink set. These printers to proof press Hexachrome Macbeth, makers of Profile- color in vector jobs using the are commonly paired with separations on inkjets without Maker color profiling soft- PMS spot color library or either ColorBurst RIP or a conversion to CMYK typi- ware, and Pantone offer RGB values. The print Onyx PosterShop. These RIPs cal of most inkjet solutions. solutions for Adobe products. provider will invariably do a allow Hexachrome calibration Both offer similar functional- better job converting your job and specification of Hexa- RIP Requirements ity but with subtle differences. to Hexachrome than you chrome output ICC profiles A suitable RIP is needed to could do on your own, since for conversion of RGB, correctly communicate and Printed Proofs they know their print condi- CMYK, and spot colors. They calibrate in Hexachrome, not There are numerous advan- tions intimately. Separating are capable of proofing press just CMYK and spot col- tages and challenges of print- files and sending them to a Hexachrome separations but orants. For years, that solu- ing Hexachrome. Content cre- print provider will almost are not usually configured to tion has been the Absolute- ators, graphic designers, and always require color correc- do so on large format printers. Proof product from Gimlé photographers are afforded tion and thus incur additional Limited. The AbsoluteProof with an optimized color cost to print the job. Flexographic and can separate to Hexachrome palette resulting in a more Lithographic for full gamut printing or dynamic printed piece. For a The most practical method of Print providers whose final proof press Hexachrome sep- content creator, it’s almost proofing Hexachrome separa- product is on a flexographic arations on a Hexachrome impossible to correctly predict tions for content creators is or sheetfed press have differ- configured Roland Hifi Jet actual Hexachrome print con- to evaluate the color on a ent requirements of their hard Pro printer. ditions since there aren’t any properly calibrated computer copy proofs. This market guidelines or standards to display or in-house inkjet needs to proof actual press Introduced at GraphExpo last conform to. Each print printer. Proof the RGB separations typically as 1-bit year, Gimlé Limited’s provider has a different look bitmap and vector files on a TIFF or EPS files. While AbsoluteProof Extrachrome because their printing system well calibrated inkjet printer Hexachrome dot proofing solution uses the Epson is configured differently, and that is not configured to sim- systems have been available UltraChrome inkset found in thus unique. ulate any print standard, just since the late nineties, many Epson 4000, 7600, 9600 for the best color rendering of of these analog dot proofing the base CMYK inks, but it The best approach for creat- the file. Though this method systems are no longer being replaces the light cyan and ing jobs destined for will not proof how the job is used because of the transition magenta with orange and Hexachrome is to work separated to Hexachrome, to computer to plate (CTP). green inks. According to within the RGB color model you will have a good sense of Those that have transitioned Gimlé, the light cyan and for bitmap files and specify what is possible on press. A to CTP use digital proofing magenta are not necessary

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since Epson has improved The color graph is of the Pantone CTP Coated ICC profile installed by their inkjet technology to pro- the Pantone HexWare software. It represents an estimate of a CTP Hexachrome press color on some coated stock. The Epson duce a smaller dot that obvi- Ultrachrome inks and Epson Premium Luster 250 paper (green line) ates the need for the light inks. can proof most of the Hexachrome separation except those with more than 60% orange ink cover or 90% green (estimates). The Most RIPs that support Roland Hifi Jet Pro II (red line) Hexachrome inks and Roland Glossy Hexachrome capabilities do PhotoBase paper can proof 100% coverage of Hexachrome press so by converting RGB or orange and green on the inkjet. The AbsoluteProof Extrachrome CMYK files to Hexachrome gamut (blue line) shows that most of the CTP Coated gamut can be proofed, 100 percent CTP Hexachrome Cyan is just out of gamut or just plotting postscript with the Extrachrome inks. separations. Only a handful of products support proofing of six-color separated files to 1-bit TIFFs, to be the source Your technology investment to help assess which a six-color inkjet printer like file and proof to an inkjet. depends on what you want expanded gamut proofing the Roland Hifi Jet Pro II This is the recommended your proofs to convey. There option is best for them. printer. This workflow is nec- approach to proofing press are high fidelity LCDs and Adding Hexachrome proof- essary for lithographic and Hexachrome separations inkjet printers along with ing can provide improved flexographic printers. These since file integrity is main- companion software to com- customer satisfaction and less users need to proof actual tained, no interim conver- municate another printing surprises in a final press separations on a sions back to RGB are device’s Hexachrome color Hexachrome printed piece. D proofer capable of rendering required, and the Roland Hifi characteristics. Epson the file’s full color balance Jet Pro II color gamut is Ultrachrome proofs can show uncompromised by the inkjet larger than press Hexachrome the majority of press Dan B. Reid is a veteran inkset. color. Thus, press Hexachrome, but with some color management consultant Hexachrome separations can compromises. Roland Hifi Jet and an expert in Hifi printing Proofing RIPs that only sup- be accurately assessed for Pro II is still the leading solu- and Hexachrome print port CMYK inkjets must con- contone color proofs or tion for Hexachrome proofs, process. His company, vert the press CMYKOG to optionally as a dot proofer. with its larger color gamut RPImaging, helps businesses CMYK. If the RIPs don’t sup- Both EFI’s ColorProof XF and correct hue angle. The migrate to using color man- port Hexachrome input ICC and Gimlé’s AbsoluteProof Eizo CG220 LCD closely agement and expanded gamut profiles, then the only method offer this functionality with resembles the venerable printing including the of proofing is to send an RGB the Roland Hifi Jet Pro II Adobe RGB color space and Hexachrome print process. proof file from either Pantone inkjet. Onyx Poster Shop sup- provides enough color gamut RPImaging offers color meas- HexImage or GretagMacbeth ports press Hexachrome sepa- to proof Hexachrome color urement hardware and color MultiColor plug-ins. rations and provides a means on screen unlike traditional management software sales to specify a Hexachrome CRT computer displays. and accredited training. The more mature RIPs sup- input and output profile for Dan can reached at port a six-color separation, the color matching, but does Carefully evaluate the proof- [email protected] or toll typically a DCS 2.0 EPS or not offer a dot proof option. ing needs of your customers free at (866) RGB-CMYK.

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