The Automatic Tonal Window is a very powerful tool, and is commonly used to separate artwork. However, it is also very good for creating masks, which later help the separation process, because they eliminate parts of the design as you separate specific areas. This can result in a very clean separation.
If you want to learn about the benefits of masking designs before separating them, click here.
If you are not already familiar with the Automatic Tonal Window, you can learn more here.
- Use the Pipette Tool to add layers to your document for each colour you want to mask. Do this by holding down ⌘⇧ (command and shift keys) on the keyboard as you click on each colour in the design with the Pipette Tool.
Note: If there is any white background in your design, you must also create a layer for this, because during this separation process, every pixel is separated onto one of the active layers in the Layers Palette.
- Activate all the layers you have added, excluding the image, then make them invisible, keeping the original image visible.
- Go to Separate Menu > Automatic Tonal to open the Automatic Tonal Window. You will see a column for each colour you added to the design along the top of the window.
- From the action menu at the bottom of the window, deselect Automatically Set Tonal Values (this option is switched on by default).
- Using the Pipette Tool, click on a range of tones for each colour, ranging from light to dark. Each tone you click on will appear in the Automatic Tonal Window. Only a small handful of tones for each colour is needed.
- Activate the colour chips in it corresponding column and click the 100 button at the bottom of the window:
- Repeat for each colour, ensuring you highlight them in the correct column.
- Click the Separate button at the bottom of the window.
- The design will be separated into masks.
These layers can now be converted into selections by dragging them from the Layers Palette to the Selections Palette.
Tip: We recommend naming the mask layers as you go, making it easier to differentiate between each, especially if you have similar colours in the design. These names are then carried into the Selections Palette when you drag them to it.
When you are ready to start separating, just drag the relevant selection into the Design Window prior to using any of the separation methods available to you.
If the results are unsatisfactory
Look at the Automatic Tonal Window and check the colours listed. Some important tones may not have been picked up, so the software will have selected the closest colour available from the colours included. If so, use the Pipette Tool to add missing tones to the list.
Select the Pipette Tool and, working in the view which has only the image visible, and the layers active but not visible, click on the missing colours. All extra colours are added to the bottom of the list. Then repeat Steps 11 – 14.
Once the mask areas have been separated correctly they can be cleaned up using the Despeckle Filter and the Mover Tool.