Sim process with discharge...sep software?

[Evo]

So I am wondering if there is an application (stand alone or plugin) that will do automated sim process but with discharge inks specifically. In other words, an app that will calculate values for wet-on-wet dye discharge printing with primary and secondary colors without an underbase. (maybe a highlight white)

All of the demos I've ever toyed with all take into account using opaque plastisols with an underbase, flash, then colors printed w-o-w on top. Most of the discharge printing I do is direct w-o-w, I rarely do an underbase at all. (and I never flash it)

With the right colors set up in the ink, and a compatible garment that discharges well, no underbase would be needed at all. (at least that is my late-night opinion...)

At the same time I am starting to look into doing the seps manually, but I suck at it so far, hence the desire for automation. 


Thoughts? Suggestions?

[tonypep]

I'm not a fan of "seps in a can" but understand they serve a purpose. That said even the best separators (in my experience) needed to be re-schooled for discharge printing. There is never one right way to separate a design no matter how it is printed. The best results are achieved when a certain synergy is arrived between the artist and end user. A little bit of "how will this look if we try that?" and a lot of "what if we approach this differently?" So my short answer is no.......not that there won't be one day.
Best tp

[Dottonedan]

I'm not a fan of "seps in a can" but understand they serve a purpose. That said even the best separators (in my experience) needed to be re-schooled for discharge printing. There is never one right way to separate a design no matter how it is printed. The best results are achieved when a certain synergy is arrived between the artist and end user. A little bit of "how will this look if we try that?" and a lot of "what if we approach this differently?" So my short answer is no.......not that there won't be one day.
Best tp

Wow.  I'm all a flush.   I'm so excited to see that people are really getting this. Even if you're an expert at discharge, I am very glad to see it being explained to other people like that, I mean knowing it's not coming form me. I sometimes sound like a broken record when I say it and with me being a full time separator for freelance, People tend to think I'm just knocking those plug ins/actions to make me more money and get more customers. Not so. I mean, I do want more customers...but the actions do have a place.

With that said, Evo,  Thats a very good item for those who make the actions/programs. It would be an ad on I'm sure.

[tonypep]

Heres the thing Dan......often the most obvious and simplistic approach to a discharge print is to ditch the underbase. Sometimes this works perfectly fine; other times not. Specifically for sim process. As most know sim process on darks relies heavily on the underbase to do the grunt work. It gives us the tonal values and ranges of the overlay colors. Take away that underbase and switch to discharge often yields unsatisfactory results but not always. Why? Well much of that depends on the graphic itself. I'll try to send pics of two examples with explanations to Pierre and hopefully he'll be kind enough to post.
Suffice to say the best results are achieved when a separator can think like a printer and a printer can think like a separator.
best tp

[Dottonedan]

You can send those image samples to me if you like and I'll put them up. I am an admin here as well. Pierre gets busy. Me too, but I get more breaks than he does.

[Sbrem]

Steve from Quick Seps was looking for ideas for his upcoming release...

Steve

[JBLUE]

Suffice to say the best results are achieved when a separator can think like a printer and a printer can think like a separator. Quoting tp here.

This is so important it cannot be said enough. Thanks for bringing this up. When both people are on the same page amazing things come off the press.

[Dottonedan]

Suffice to say the best results are achieved when a separator can think like a printer and a printer can think like a separator. Quoting tp here.

This is so important it cannot be said enough. Thanks for bringing this up. When both people are on the same page amazing things come off the press.

You know, the only time that happens is either when your a small one man shop or a very large shop and can pay those people what they are really worth to your business.  Imagine it. A printer who thinks like a separator and  separator that thinks like a print. WOW.

Remember, how VALUABLE is was for a person running the "one person shop" to learn how to do your own basic separations. Yeah, its like that.