This picker can be used in conjunction with a Tonal Database (Tone DB), and enables you to recolour layers using other colours from your production inks.
Note: As the colour tonal breakdown data is stored in the colour chips, it is not essential that a Tone DB is activated. However, if you choose to use a colour in your design which does not have breakdown data in it, an activated Tone DB will help to describe the breakdown of that colour.
- Go to AVA Menu > Settings > Overprint Settings.
- Select your Tone DB from the Production Ink Database popup menu, then close the window
- Go to AVA Menu > Inspectors > Overprint…
- Select Production Tone DB from the Ink Breakdown drop down menu:
Your Tone DB will now be used to describe the tonal breakdowns of your design when any colours from the Tone DB colour file is used.
Colouring your design using a Tone DB
- Open your Tone DB into ColourSys. Your database will open as a colour file.
- Double click on a colour block in the Layers Palette to activate the Tone DB colour file.
- Select a colour.
- To accept the colour change, click OK in the small window which appears:
Note: If you have Gamut Warnings in Colour Blocks ticked in your Overprint Inspector, a small ‘S’ will appear in the colour blocks in the Layers Palette, as shown in the snapshot above. This indicates that the colour contains step wedge data.
Tip: You can colour using your preferred colour picker, for example, the AVA Multiview Picker, but you should put ‘Constrain Animation to List’ on. To do this, go to ColourSys Menu > Settings > Colour Picker > Settings and tick the Constrain Animation to List option.
Using the Step Wedge Colour Picker
- Hold down ⇧ (shift key) on your keyboard and double click on the colour block in the Layers Palette. The picker will open:
- Set your desired output steps in the Steps field at the bottom of the window. These must be descending and start with 100 and end with 0.
Set a maximum of four other colours to mix with the original colour using the colour blocks:
To do this, hold down ⇧ (shift key) and click on a colour block. Your Tone DB colour file will become active. Colours should be similar to the source colours, ideally from the same ink triangle. Normally they would be slightly lighter, darker or redder for example. This depends on the direction in which you wish to adjust the colour.Repeat this for each colour you wish to mix the original chip with.
Use the slider bars to mix a new colour.
Click OK to accept the colour change.
Note: This picker is for making small adjustments to your colours. If you make extreme changes to the initial colour, the breakdown is unlikely to be a good simulation of your production.