A Custom Overprint can improve the colour accuracy of overprinting colours by using data from your production press. Without it, AVA uses an overprint method called Reflectance 3, which is based on a generic gravure printing press, and the simulated colours in overprinting areas may be less accurate for your products.
Workflow overview
- Print an ECI 2002 target in production. AVA will normally provide you with a custom made target to fit your production print size, see example below.
We can also like to include examples of your work so we usually request some files from you to be included. Then we create a CMYK file which will fit one repeat around your cylinder and arrange the files and target to best fit.
- Once the ECI 2002 target has been printed and the appropriate finishing processes have been applied, you read this target into PrinterCal using the settings shown below and save the measurement file with an appropriate name once completed.
Note: CMYK (4 colour) or n-Channel targets (n-Channel meaning a different number of colours) measured using Printer Cal are compatible with our Custom Overprint software. CMYK targets measured using ProfileMaker (e.g. press fingerprint files) are also compatible.
- Open the measurements in CustomOverprint application and open your measurements.
- From the N and C tab, create a Tone DB and Dot Gain by clicking on the relevant buttons.
- Save the ToneDB in Home user > Library > Application support > AVA > Profiles > Production. You can save the Dot Gain anywhere you like.
- Go the the Custom Overprint tab and click Run beside the Custom Overprint data. The software will begin to make calculations of the overprinting from your ECI 2002 target.
Tip: The software should be left to run for at least 15 minutes, or until the beeping stops to get the optimum results.
- When the calculations are complete (after 15 minutes or so), click Run again to stop the processing of the data.
- Enter a name for your Custom Overprint into the Name field. This will be the name which appears in the Overprint Inspector when the overprint method is selected.
- To save the Custom Overprint job file (the editable file), go to File Menu > Save As. We recommend creating a folder on your hard drive to store your job files. An ideal location could be Home user > Library > Application support > AVA > Profiles > Overprinting > Job files.
- To save the Custom Overprint file (the one you set in the Overprint Inspector). go to File Menu > Save As and save the resulting Custom Overprint into Home user > Library > Application support > AVA > Profiles > Overprinting.