Adding a 5th color or spot channel

[Lumpy]

I'm wondering how to add a 5th color to a .psd file to create sort of a highlight color to the file.  We've received files like this for movie posters, and I'm wondering how its done. Lets say you had a psd file of DCS's picture and wanted to make the blood a 5th color along with some highlights. I don't mean to pick on you DCS, but your picture is a good example.

[ninjaPB_43]

Spot channel.  Save as DCSv2..   should then be able to place into Indesign layout and it will bring that extra channel in as a spot.

[Lumpy]

No, the file has only 4 channels. I want create a 5th one.

[G_Town]

From channels tab pull down little arrow to new spot channel?

[Lumpy]

I guess I should get some screenshots up here to show you all.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

I'm wondering how to add a 5th color to a .psd file to create sort of a highlight color to the file.  We've received files like this for movie posters, and I'm wondering how its done. Lets say you had a psd file of DCS's picture and wanted to make the blood a 5th color along with some highlights. I don't mean to pick on you DCS, but your picture is a good example.

Lumpy... creating a spot color, or fifth color in PS is pretty easy. In your Channels Palette, go to the flyout located on the very upper right side of the palette. Choose New Spot Channel. Make it any color value you wish with whatever opacity... it doesn't matter. Name the Channel Varnish or whatever, because THAT color should come through to whatever app you end up printing it from.

When saving, save it as a PSD, with the Spot colors option clicked on... all done.

The avatar is actiually a creation from some old Adobe Free Photos that came with PS 2, I think... the blood is actually a piece of film that got water splashed on it. It looked cool enough to scan. The rest was composited using Channels and offsets to create the highlights and shadows, and lastly a Displacement Map was built to "wrap" the blood around the mask. Pretty advanced stuff.

[G_Town]

I guess I should get some screenshots up here to show you all.

I would take a channel and copy it to the new spot channel you just made per my and DCS's instruction, in the case of DCS's avatar I would most likey choose the magenta channel copy and paste it into your new spot then manipulate it how you want it to show up.

I used to do this all the time at a previous job for images containing bright reds and yellows to help them pop <----sorry for that term.

[ninjaPB_43]

No, the file has only 4 channels. I want create a 5th one.

guess I should have been more thorough with my answer. DCS, and G got it, though.. 

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

It's a lot easier if you are woking with a layered file and you yourself create the additional colors and highlights. Working with something pre-existing like my avatar for example, becomes much more difficult, and in that manner, I would do what G does.

The problem is, everything UNDERNEATH the 5th, needs to dissappear or it will look like shit, unless it's a varnish.

[G_Town]

Heres a quick screen shot, something like this?

[Lumpy]

Thanks guys.

[gnubler]

I used to do this all the time at a previous job for images containing bright reds and yellows to help them pop <----sorry for that term.

What are you, a CSR now?  :laugh:

[G_Town]

I used to do this all the time at a previous job for images containing bright reds and yellows to help them pop <----sorry for that term.

What are you, a CSR now?  :laugh:

  pop, snap, punch? I could be I know the lingo.

[Nick Burns]

Pretty advanced stuff.

Especially considering you'er not talking CS2, you're talking PS2.

[DigitalCrapShoveler]

No spot channels or layers back then, eh? :wink: