Prepare to print and cut a color chart

Because paper swatches are still very useful, Coraye allows you to generate swatches in pdf format, which you can then print ...

... if you have a RIP capable of handling spot colors. An index is automatically added to identify the page containing the color. In addition, "CutContour" cutting contours are also present in the pdf for those who are also equipped with a plotter or a cutting table.

The interest of producing printed color charts is not to try to copy Pantonier because printers generally do not have the capacity to reproduce all Pantone® colors. But it would be interesting to print color charts containing custom color references measured on materials such as leather, which could be reproduced on a proof solution. Or, as another example, fabric swatches.

Printing a color chart containing Pantone® colors and produced on the production machine could be useful:

• For graphic designers who could finally have a preview of the colors they will end up with.

• For the customers

• For sales people

Creation of a color chart for printing and cutting

The button used to create the swatches is located in the "Color Tables" window

Customization of the color chart

Options to customize the color chart are available above the preview image.

Editing the layout of the swatch sheets

This tab gives access to the customization of the printing sheet format for nesting the sheets of the color chart. It is also possible to add borders all around the sheet to provide the cutting marks, if necessary, later.

Example of optimization of color chart sheets on a width of 44 inches.

In this example, we have optimized printing of the color chart on a 44-inch (112 mm) printer You will notice the cut mark on the outline of the print.

Editing the margins of the color chart

The "Paddings" options allow you to position and resize the patches in the color chart.

Cover edition

The color chart cover is in vector, that is to say that you can customize it with software such as Adobe Illustrator. Coraye nevertheless allows you to add a title and a description.

To build your color chart, you can integrate:

• The cover + the color index + the patches

• The cover + the patches

• Index + patches

• Patches only

Editing patches

You can change the height of the patches and the size of the name of the patches.

Edit columns

You can adjust the width of your color chart and customize the number of patches per column.

Management of cutting contours

Coraye allows you to create color charts with "CutContour" cutting contours ...

... or without a cutting contour, if obtaining simple tables is enough for you.

Export of the color chart in Pdf format

The menu for exporting the color chart in Pdf format is located below the preview.

Preparation for printing and cutting

Step one: Open the Pdf in Illustrator

Second step: Duplicate the main layer to prepare the layer intended for printing and the one intended for cutting.

Renamed the layers to dissociate the "Print" layer from the "Cut" layer

Step three: Preparing the file for cutting

Turn off the "Swatch Book Print" layer and leave the "Swatch Book Cut" layer on.

Select the paths intended for cutting with "The direct selection tool" (white arrow). Keep the "Shift" key pressed to select multiple plots. In our case, select the contour and the hole.

To select all cutting paths: Selection > Same > Appearance

To erase anything that is not a cut path: Select > Invert

Delete everything that is selected with the delete key on the keyboard.

Now all that remains is the cutting lines on the "Swatch Book Cut" layer.

Step Four: Prepare the File for Printing

Deactivate the "Swatch Book Cut" layer and activate the "Swatch Book Print" layer

Select the CutContour and hole path on the first page of the swatch book, then select all other cut paths Selection> Same> Appearance

When all the cutting paths are selected, press the delete key on the keyboard.

Once the cutting lines have been deleted, only the elements to print remain.

Fifth step: Add marks for cutting

In this example we will be using a SUMMA F1612 cutting table with GoProduce software

SUMMA F1612

Display the "Swatch Book Print" and "Swatch Book Cut" layers

Add crop marks with the Summa plugin File> Summa> Add Summa GoProduce Registration Marks

The crop marks appear as black circles that can be repositioned later.

Step Six: Save the File for Printing

Display the "RegMark" layer and the "Swatch Book Print" layer and turn off the "Swatch Book Cut" layer. Then save the color chart under the name "Swatch Book Print.pdf" for example.

Display the "RegMark" layer and the "Swatch Book Cut" layer and turn off the "Swatch Book Print" layer. Then save the color chart under the name "Swatch Book Cut.pdf" for example.

Print the file "Swatch Book Print.pdf" The "Swatch Book Cut.pdf" file will be imported into GoProduce software to cut the printed file.

Color chart cutting with Summa table F1612

Summa F1612