Quick tip for changing CMYK art to Spot color in Illustrator.

[Dottonedan]

Quick tip:


When you get a customers art file and the art was done in CMYK colors, there are some easy ways to change to spot color. This is basic entry level stuff here, so no need for the experienced to check it out.


https://youtu.be/rRJ0COT7sPU


Thanks
Dan

[Rockers]

Quick tip:


When you get a customers art file and the art was done in CMYK colors, there are some easy ways to change to spot color. This is basic entry level stuff here, so no need for the experienced to check it out.


https://youtu.be/rRJ0COT7sPU


Thanks
Dan

We or better I do the following.
First of all I delete all the unused swatches.
Then I select my artwork, go to "Recolor Artwork" (there should be this small color wheel at the top toolbar in Illustrator.) Make sure the advanced options window of Recolor Artwork is open. Within that window make sure the "recolor artwork" box (bottom left hand side) is ticked, then go to the little swatch icon ( it should say "none" above that icon) and  choose "Color Books"-"PANTONE Solid Coated-V4" if you have that particular library installed. If not just choose "PANTONE Solid Coated". Then click the "OK" button.
Et voila your CMYK colors have been converted to PANTONE spot colors and right away added as such to the swatch panel.

In case you want to keep the CMYK or RGB swatches for reference I normally do delete first all unused swatches then I select my artwork and go to the Swatch window and click the "New Color Group" icon. that opens the "New Color Group". Within that window you can create a New Color Group from "Selected Swatches" or from " Selected Artwork". You want to click "Selected Artwork". Last but not least you can give your color group a name. i normally chose the artwork name. Then press OK. All used swatches will be added as a color group to your swatch in window. Then I proceed as mentioned above using the "Recolor Artwork" tool to change my CMYK/RGB colors to Pantone colors.

The Recolor Artwork tool is one of the most beautiful tools available in Illustrator if you ask me. It gives you almost full control over the colors in your artwork. I find it perfect for separating artwork.

[1964GN]

Quick tip:


When you get a customers art file and the art was done in CMYK colors, there are some easy ways to change to spot color. This is basic entry level stuff here, so no need for the experienced to check it out.


https://youtu.be/rRJ0COT7sPU


Thanks
Dan

We or better I do the following.
First of all I delete all the unused swatches.
Then I select my artwork, go to "Recolor Artwork" (there should be this small color wheel at the top toolbar in Illustrator.) Make sure the advanced options window of Recolor Artwork is open. Within that window make sure the "recolor artwork" box (bottom left hand side) is ticked, then go to the little swatch icon ( it should say "none" above that icon) and  choose "Color Books"-"PANTONE Solid Coated-V4" if you have that particular library installed. If not just choose "PANTONE Solid Coated". Then click the "OK" button.
Et voila your CMYK colors have been converted to PANTONE spot colors and right away added as such to the swatch panel.

In case you want to keep the CMYK or RGB swatches for reference I normally do delete first all unused swatches then I select my artwork and go to the Swatch window and click the "New Color Group" icon. that opens the "New Color Group". Within that window you can create a New Color Group from "Selected Swatches" or from " Selected Artwork". You want to click "Selected Artwork". Last but not least you can give your color group a name. i normally chose the artwork name. Then press OK. All used swatches will be added as a color group to your swatch in window. Then I proceed as mentioned above using the "Recolor Artwork" tool to change my CMYK/RGB colors to Pantone colors.

The Recolor Artwork tool is one of the most beautiful tools available in Illustrator if you ask me. It gives you almost full control over the colors in your artwork. I find it perfect for separating artwork.

O. M. F. G. That is something I did not know existed. Thank you!!!!!

[Dottonedan]

Yes, very good!


That is another way and a bit more fun to change all of the colors in the file quickly to spot colors. It can be daunting for new people to the program without explanation of the other areas and what they do in that same window.

I started with this basic method that is more direct or intentional to only one spot color such as yellow. "Choose an item, and change it to only one yellow color in your swatch list" Most times, there is really only one CMYK yellow for example and you can select all of that same color and convert to (one same) spot color at one time.  It's more elementary than the Recolor Artwork process. The other method takes all elements and changes all to spot colors all at one time and you may have 2-6 yellows Same for various cmyk blacks, etc. But then there is more to the Recolor artwork that needs to be looked at and discussed in each of it's features. That's all a bit too much for 1 short beginner vid.


This written tutorial you did here is great to get someone right into doing this. I don't know if it would be better as it's own new post or as one of bunch of similar methods, continued under this thread?
May turn more into a "discussion" thread on the same subject rather than a single tutorial. In a list of options in thread, the overall or main focus, may get lost in the deep. I donno.


It would be fantastic, if you could post this written tutorial as is, and also add a video of this same process step by step and post it in here in the Art/Separations tutorials_ section, in a new thread...and maybe touch on or explain some of the other features for changing color to another in that Recolor Artwork window.  I don't always include a written out tutorial with image examples, but that might be a great addition. Some might be more of the type to read versus watching a video tutorial.


Thanks for contributing on this one. There are many correct ways to skin the cat.

[Rockers]

Yes, very good!


That is another way and a bit more fun to change all of the colors in the file quickly to spot colors. It can be daunting for new people to the program without explanation of the other areas and what they do in that same window.

I started with this basic method that is more direct or intentional to only one spot color such as yellow. "Choose an item, and change it to only one yellow color in your swatch list" Most times, there is really only one CMYK yellow for example and you can select all of that same color and convert to (one same) spot color at one time.  It's more elementary than the Recolor Artwork process. The other method takes all elements and changes all to spot colors all at one time and you may have 2-6 yellows Same for various cmyk blacks, etc. But then there is more to the Recolor artwork that needs to be looked at and discussed in each of it's features. That's all a bit too much for 1 short beginner vid.


This written tutorial you did here is great to get someone right into doing this. I don't know if it would be better as it's own new post or as one of bunch of similar methods, continued under this thread?
May turn more into a "discussion" thread on the same subject rather than a single tutorial. In a list of options in thread, the overall or main focus, may get lost in the deep. I donno.


It would be fantastic, if you could post this written tutorial as is, and also add a video of this same process step by step and post it in here in the Art/Separations tutorials_ section, in a new thread...and maybe touch on or explain some of the other features for changing color to another in that Recolor Artwork window.  I don't always include a written out tutorial with image examples, but that might be a great addition. Some might be more of the type to read versus watching a video tutorial.


Thanks for contributing on this one. There are many correct ways to skin the cat.

Thanks Dan. I will post this as a separate post today or tomorrow. Not sure yet if I will make a video but why not, gives me at least an excuse to start our own Sweatshop Union YouTube channel.