What is 'Mixed Ink Image' embedded in Illy CC?

Started by rickself, February 13, 2018, 01:15:46 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

rickself

Hey all - I thought I had seen most everything but have today come upon an Illustrator CC file with a 'Mixed Ink Image'. What the heck is that? It's the total background of a file and separation only shows shades of gray and at only 107ppi. It's for a large folding carton, image area is approx 17" x 27", so it SHOULD be rather large. I've asked for the image to relink to but curious as to what it is.
Rick Self, Prepress Oldie
Mac Mini M1   G5 Quad-Core Intel Sierra  HP DesignJet Z6 44in   RICOH Pro C5200S
Fiery BCE5  Xitron Navigator v.13   Screen 8000II   Azura Plates   Komori L640

AaronH

Is the file embedded? From what I gather, it sounds like it is most likely a TIFF or a PSD with spot colors. Kinda strange that it is just showing gray, but that might be due to it being embedded if it is.

Good luck.

Aaron
Mac & Windows | XMF | Fiery | Oris

rickself

Thanks, Aaron. Ya, embedded image. And 'Spot color' is all I could really get out of googling.
After 30 years, still something to trip us up!!
Rick Self, Prepress Oldie
Mac Mini M1   G5 Quad-Core Intel Sierra  HP DesignJet Z6 44in   RICOH Pro C5200S
Fiery BCE5  Xitron Navigator v.13   Screen 8000II   Azura Plates   Komori L640

David

does it print out correctly?
I saw one response that it looked wonky in preview but printed correctly.
Possibly a photoshop duotone.
also, it only works when the image is embedded, not linked.
Prepress guy - Retired - Working from home
Livin' la Vida Loca

rickself

 I really don't know if it prints out correctly because I'm not sure what it's supposed to look like. I'm making sure and getting the original file so at least I can view it and see what's going on.
Rick Self, Prepress Oldie
Mac Mini M1   G5 Quad-Core Intel Sierra  HP DesignJet Z6 44in   RICOH Pro C5200S
Fiery BCE5  Xitron Navigator v.13   Screen 8000II   Azura Plates   Komori L640

rickself

I should have run through Pitstop in the first place. It's a monotone jpeg, Black. Okay, what's the reason to save as a monotone and not simply a greyscale image?
Rick Self, Prepress Oldie
Mac Mini M1   G5 Quad-Core Intel Sierra  HP DesignJet Z6 44in   RICOH Pro C5200S
Fiery BCE5  Xitron Navigator v.13   Screen 8000II   Azura Plates   Komori L640

Joe

The monotone images are just the preview. It should print fine in color. Maybe. Depends on if your RIP can handle it. The PDF process sometimes converts grayscale images to monotone. Same thing though really. Have a look at this thread.

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1241577
Mac OS Sonoma 14.2.1 (c) | (retired)

The seven ages of man: spills, drills, thrills, bills, ills, pills and wills.

rickself

Thanks, Joe - interesting. That was the only info I cold find when I googled it also.
So Pitstop Inspector is telling me its a monotone. I guess I shouldn't believe that until I see the original file? The original box is a greyscale image and the pdf ripped as greyscale - I just dropped the customer pdf into the rip to see what it would do. It's that I had never seen 'Mixed Ink Image' before and it threw up a caution flag.
The whole mess was built in InDesign CC and exported as PDF 1.4.

Back some 20 years ago, 5 part DCS was the way to go. Designers got the placeable file and the rip would marry the seps back to the image. Made for a pretty quick workflow, especially in grocery ads using the same product images over and over. Is it still in use?
Rick Self, Prepress Oldie
Mac Mini M1   G5 Quad-Core Intel Sierra  HP DesignJet Z6 44in   RICOH Pro C5200S
Fiery BCE5  Xitron Navigator v.13   Screen 8000II   Azura Plates   Komori L640

Grimace

If the link is missing, try opening the AI file in Acrobat, then edit some small piece of the file and re save.
Open back up in AI, you should get a warning that the file has been edited outside of illustrator and you will have the option of keeping the changes or discarding. Keep the changes, the file should now be embedded in the links panel.

It sounds like you have a handle on it, but the above suggestion saves me countless hours of trying to get the links form customers.
It may just allow you to see if there is any change in appearance.

DigiCorn

Grimace sighting!

Nothing can kill the Grimace!

Are you bringing back the shamrock shakes, soon?
"There's been a lot of research recently on how hard it is to dislodge an impression once it's been implanted in someone's mind. (This is why political attack ads don't have to be true to be effective. The other side can point out their inaccuracies, but the voter's mind privileges the memory of the original accusation, which was juicier than any counterargument ever could be.)"
― Johnny Carson

"Selling my soul would be a lot easier if I could just find it."
– Nikki Sixx

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
― Ernest Hemingway

Just_A_Mac_Guy

Is it possible that this is a grayscale image placed in Indesign and a spot colour applied there to fake a doutone? I have seen deziners try this with a spot colour box over the image and then use a transparency effect to reach the visual they want.
If they are exporting to PDF 1.4, which I believe does not support transparency, the effect might be flattened in the pdf and the image left as it was in its link?

rickself

After all the chasing around and the muck-a-muck, they sent the file as an Illustrator file with links. The greyscale image has a 47% transparency to it, which may, if applied in InDesign, could have indeed turned it into a Mixed Ink Image. Good call, J_A_M_G.
C'mon folks, do your DESIGN work in Illustrator, please! Leave InDesign for page layout.
Rick Self, Prepress Oldie
Mac Mini M1   G5 Quad-Core Intel Sierra  HP DesignJet Z6 44in   RICOH Pro C5200S
Fiery BCE5  Xitron Navigator v.13   Screen 8000II   Azura Plates   Komori L640

Grimace

Quote from: DigiCorn on February 15, 2018, 11:40:24 AMGrimace sighting!

Nothing can kill the Grimace!

Are you bringing back the shamrock shakes, soon?
Haven't had a Shamrock Shake for ages.
Mrs. Grimace and I do throw a pretty decent St Patty's day party each year. Gads!, it's right around the corner. How'd that happen?

DigiCorn

Quote from: Grimace on February 21, 2018, 02:42:55 PM
Quote from: DigiCorn on February 15, 2018, 11:40:24 AMGrimace sighting!

Nothing can kill the Grimace!

Are you bringing back the shamrock shakes, soon?
Haven't had a Shamrock Shake for ages.
Mrs. Grimace and I do throw a pretty decent St Patty's day party each year. Gads!, it's right around the corner. How'd that happen?
I'll be there!
"There's been a lot of research recently on how hard it is to dislodge an impression once it's been implanted in someone's mind. (This is why political attack ads don't have to be true to be effective. The other side can point out their inaccuracies, but the voter's mind privileges the memory of the original accusation, which was juicier than any counterargument ever could be.)"
― Johnny Carson

"Selling my soul would be a lot easier if I could just find it."
– Nikki Sixx

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
― Ernest Hemingway