Colors
Colors must match colors intended on press as specified on the job ticket. When jobs contain spot colors, ensure that spot color names match exactly (spelling, case, spaces and suffixes) for imported graphics and page layout elements. Spot colors must not have any alternate color space other than CMYK.
A rich black should be comprised of: 100% Black, 60%, Cyan, 50% Magenta, 50% Yellow.
Light colors should have no less than 4% of any ink in their build or they will vary throughout the book.
For neutral or pastel colors, it is best to use some black in place of CMY gray to ensure color doesn’t vary throughout the book.
The total value of all ink color percentages in any element should not exceed 300% for 4/C printing Total Area Coverage (TAC).
Color defined in files match desired printing inks and are only in process color space, chosen from the Pantone color matching system (for spot colors), or in grayscale color space--never indexed, ICC-based or customer created spot colors.
Color names and definitions are consistent throughout the file(s).
Color Spaces
CMYK, grayscale and spot color are acceptable. Avoid RGB, LAB, CalGray and CalRGB colors. Embedded ICC profiles, intended to manage color and print characteristics, will not be honored in processed pages. Lakeside Book Company does not supply ICC profiles for color management. All output is managed to conform to GRACOL G7 standards for density and dot gain.
Tint Builds
Tint builds should contain a minimum of 4% for each color separation. For example, a process color build of 2% cyan, 20% magenta, 30% yellow and 5% black would fail to comply because the cyan is less than 4%. Use as few separations as possible to achieve the color you want. Any tint builds that are 4/C can result in poorer than anticipated product quality and increased paper waste at press. Such tint builds may affect your schedule attainment and/or cost of your product. For repeating tint builds, such as when using a color palette, ensure that the colors are easily distinguishable from one another.
Neutral Tints
Tints made up of three colors (C M Y) that attempt to produce a gray color should be avoided. Using multiple colors to produce gray will result in the gray taking on different shades of color throughout the run. We recommend creating a gray color by using black as the dominant color and adding no more than two other process colors to ‘warm’ or ‘cool’ the overall appearance.