Indesign CS2- spot colors & transparency & overprint

[boom]

Hi Dear Pros Friends!
I'm working on a 2 spot color job (book) .I used the default black (k=100, c,m,y=0) - for the spot black color (for text & elements), and 131u (pantone solid uncoated) -orange - for the second spot color (will print on uncoated paper). The book will be riped on Brisqe 4+ (not 5).
In this project I used the 2 colors (spot) with transparency. I have transparency effects on spot color - like a gray element with black default drop shadow on a 131u spot color/tints, or element with gradient from black to white with drop shadow on a 131u spot color/tints. I mixed the 2 colors by the multiply blending mode: 40% 131u with the multiply blending mode on 20% black to get interesting orange & vice versa to get interesting brown, instead of using the new mix group color of Indesign which can cause problems whith transparency on press.
I have many question for the pros:

1) Which method is the right way for creating 1 color gradients with spot colors that will be riped on Brisqe 4+ RIP & print correct on press: from each color/tint to 0% of this color, or (Like I do) from each color/tint to cmyk=0?

2) When I examine the files in the book on the overprint preview- the 131u spot color mixes with the default black on the screen - and the colors turn into more mocha tint. I dont see the nice 131u. I do color manage with EFI program on HP DESIGN JET 30 WITH THE RIGHT PAPERS FOR EACH PURPOSE & WITH APPLE 20" DISPLAY CINEMA , ALL MY HARDWARE & SOFTWARE ARE CALIBRATED. ON THE PRINTED PROOFS I GET THE MORE ACCURATE COLOR.
Perhaps the overprint preview show the overprint settings of colors & elements, but not the accurate color (color management, profiles & etc.)? I assume it's because of the fact that Indesign can blending transperancy on screen only in 2 modes: RGB & cmyk. Because I do for press I selected CMYK = Then the colors are blend on screen by the settings of CMYK blend space, also when I turn off the colour management. But on proofs prints on printer that support spot colors - I get the more accurate colour like this color on the PANTONE catalogue.
(my profile for color management with EFI is cromolain....which the compane had created for me)

perhaps I have to use another black instead of the default black (k=100,cmy=0) bacaus this job will be printed with spot black that in more opaque then the default black, and maybe thas this is also the reason of the mocha (brownish-orange) on screen. Maybe I have to use a preview of a rich blach (the new feature in Indesign CS2 & Acrobat pro 7), or to use another spot black for proofing preview on screen at all? So which black I have to use? and where I turn on the right preview to see the accurate preview in each CS2 software?

3) I aware of the need to tell the printer to turn on the overprint option on the RIP. I need the to honour my overprint settings of the transparency flattener & and of the 100% black (for all the 100% black text in the book. Does the ovrprint option on Brisque 4 (when turned on) honour these 2 types of overprint settings simultaneously? And does it solve all the problems obout blending & involving spot colors with transparency...?

4) I place linked elements from another softwares in Indesign CS2, like Illustrator CS2 (vector) & Photoshop CS2 (raster). From ILLUSTRATOR I have AI(CS2) files with spot color & transparency. Does that format preserve the spot colors and fit to press?
I want to do this in photoshop (raster) images also. Which method & format is the best way in fotoshop, instead of using DCS2 files, because I want to involve it with transparency, like Alfa channel. May I do it by blending mode (multiply the 2 spot colors together when I want overprint effects, or trapping them alone in photoshop to get pure colors) in PSD format? But on which mode? (cmyk)? not multichannel?

5) What is the right option select in the output tab (when exporting to pdf or P.S then Distill) the type of the color output : composite CMYK (Does this option preserve the spot colors), or select the leave unchanged option?

6) I consider to purchase the PitSOTS (ENFOCUS) PLUG/SOFTWARE for Acrobat for testing files for print press & prepress. I would happy to share information about it from more skilled people who can ecommend/or not..., (Acrobat 7 gets more prepress previews....what are the advantages that PITSOTS can give me on the workflow.

Thank!

[DCurry]

Originally Posted by boom

1) Which method is the right way for creating 1 color gradients with spot colors that will be riped on Brisqe 4+ RIP & print correct on press: from each color/tint to 0% of this color, or (Like I do) from each color/tint to cmyk=0?

The first one. PMS Tint 1 to 0% of same PMS color.

Originally Posted by boom

perhaps I have to use another black instead of the default black (k=100,cmy=0) bacaus this job will be printed with spot black that in more opaque then the default black

No, just use the default black. Can't help you with why it looks different on screen, but you should know that when you are dealing with PMS, you still can't trust your proofer when it comes to combining PMS colors. Your proofer is simulating what it would look like if it were process. Different inks behave differently when mixed with black.

Originally Posted by boom

aware of the need to tell the printer to turn on the overprint option on the RIP. I need the to honour my overprint settings of the transparency flattener & and of the 100% black (for all the 100% black text in the book. Does the ovrprint option on Brisque 4 (when turned on) honour these 2 types of overprint settings simultaneously? And does it solve all the problems obout blending & involving spot colors with transparency...?

There are different overprint options on the Brisque - PS Overprint (honors all such settings from the file) and there is also Black Overprint, which you can modify so that only small black type overprints. If Black Overprint is off, I think it will override the black overprint of your file. Best bet is to be very clear about what you want to overprint. but the printer may still make an "executive decision" if they think it will print better by knocking out.

Originally Posted by boom

I place linked elements from another softwares in Indesign CS2, like Illustrator CS2 (vector) & Photoshop CS2 (raster). From ILLUSTRATOR I have AI(CS2) files with spot color & transparency. Does that format preserve the spot colors and fit to press?
I want to do this in photoshop (raster) images also. Which method & format is the best way in fotoshop, instead of using DCS2 files, because I want to involve it with transparency, like Alfa channel. May I do it by blending mode (multiply the 2 spot colors together when I want overprint effects, or trapping them alone in photoshop to get pure colors) in PSD format? But on which mode? (cmyk)? not multichannel?

PSD format should work. I've seen mixed results, so I always rely on DCS. Why would you use CMYK mode in your PSD? Your job is not printing CMYK. Use grayscale an add a spot channel.

5) What is the right option select in the output tab (when exporting to pdf or P.S then Distill) the type of the color output : composite CMYK (Does this option preserve the spot colors), or select the leave unchanged option?

Leave unchanged, but honestly, you'd be nuts to supply just a PDF for this job. This sounds like a nightmare (you are obviously well informed and want to submit good files, which I commend, but your file will present a challenge to the best prepress ops out there), so make sure you give the native files, too, so your printer can have every option at his disposal to make sure your file rips the way you want it to. If you only supply a PDF, you are tying his hands.

6) I consider to purchase the PitSOTS (ENFOCUS) PLUG/SOFTWARE for Acrobat for testing files for print press & prepress. I would happy to share information about it from more skilled people who can ecommend/or not..., (Acrobat 7 gets more prepress previews....what are the advantages that PITSOTS can give me on the workflow.

I wouldn't get PitStop unless you are a prepress provider receivng PDFs from outside sources - Acrobat 7 has lots of tools to analyze and check the PDFs you are sending out. PitStop is good for fixing PDFs, but if you discover a problem you should fix it where it originates and remake the PDF.

[prepress_brillance_43]

why are your threads all more important than others, enough so to warrant a sticky?? im just saying is all... :?

[soilworker]

You can adjust the on screen appearance of black in InDesign's preferences. Just select Appearance of Black and change On Screen to Display All Blacks as Rich Blacks..... That should give your blacks a consistent appearance on screen.