CMYK Black & Grayscale Black

[swwack91]

I know, in order to achieve best print results in CMYK, you should set the CYM values to something other than 0 and then set K to 100. This will produce a deeper, purer black. Simply C0 M0 Y0 K100 will print as a duller black.

Here's the question. The design program I'm using only designs in CMYK colors. However, some of the project is going to be printed in one-color (grayscale).

For the one-color prints, will there be any visible difference between my CMYK mixed black and just K=100?

 

[design-is]

The one colour section of the project will look visually different anyway - is it really a problem if the solid blacks looks slightly different?

The difference won't be much, but as you already know by what you wrote in your post, 100%k is not as rich as 100%k 60%c for example.

Assuming you will be getting this professionally printed, the best thing to do is ask the printers - they know the capability of their equipment more than anyone

 

[swwack91]

alright.

i'm just wondering if i should be using K=100 on the grayscale pages or if i should be using my rich black mix.

 

[Jim Campbell]

i'm just wondering if i should be using K=100 on the grayscale pages or if i should be using my rich black mix.

On a grayscale job, unless you or your clients are prepared to pay for extra film, plates and inks, then there is likely to only be a K plate, so anything you include in addition to K100 is simply redundant.

Cheers

Jim

 

[design-is]

As Jim said... With a greyscale job, you can have any value you like for cmy, as they should be ignored. Use whatever tints of K you need to get the best results for your content.

 

[swwack91]

thanks!!!

very helpful... this info simplifies things.

 

[Toppa G's]

alright.

i'm just wondering if i should be using K=100 on the grayscale pages or if i should be using my rich black mix.

Many printers will actually use a formulation of black ink other than the process black used with CMYK to yield a richer black on press, or will run to a higher ink density on black only work.

 

[stainlessliquid]

Depends on the printer, just do a test. A lot of printers really suck at grayscale printing and youll have to do cmyk just to avoid a really ugly print.

If its not going to a printing press then 4 color "black and white" almost always looks better.

 

[Jim Campbell]

Many printers will actually use a formulation of black ink other than the process black used with CMYK to yield a richer black on press, or will run to a higher ink density on black only work.

I which case, it is likely to be their values and will still be run as a single ink on the black plate, requiring no additional input from the designer.

Unless, as noted above, they're also running plates for C and M, in which case the client should be notified well in advance if there's a charge over a single plate job, and the designer should also be informed so that he can tweak the composition in advance.

I've only ever seen the above done once, which was at no charge to the client because the printer himself was unhappy with the job, and he simply duped up the black plate and ran it as cyan as well.

Cheers

Jim

 

[Toppa G's]

I which case, it is likely to be their values and will still be run as a single ink on the black plate, requiring no additional input from the designer.

Unless, as noted above, they're also running plates for C and M, in which case the client should be notified well in advance if there's a charge over a single plate job, and the designer should also be informed so that he can tweak the composition in advance.

This is correct. In the case I mentioned, the actual ink would have a different formulation and run in one printing unit, so the file would still be set up as 100%K. Otherwise, I know most shops advise on their preferred build for rich black if printing 4/c.