Creating a Spot Color Library

If you have a print product or test chart, you can directly measure color patches from it to start your library. You do not even need a specific layout with "proper" color patches. Measuring full tones from the print product will be sufficient.

1. Start a measurement. From the Source list, select Custom Patches.
2. Measure the paper tint and any number of color patches.
3. Finish the measurement and create a characterization from it.
4. On the Tools & Actions panel, click Convert to Spot Color DB to convert the characterization into a spot color library. If you measured only full tone values, GMG OpenColor will perform this step automatically.

The ISO 17972-4:2018 standard defines a universal color exchange format in the form of a CxF document. You can use this standard file format for importing spot color libraries from other applications into GMG OpenColor.

The application recognizes relational information in the CxF file so that a spot color which might be characterized by a solid patch and tints of that color, for example Red 50%, Red 100%, will be imported correctly. GMG OpenColor will also read out printing process and media information from the CxF file. If the file contains information on multiple printing processes or media, GMG OpenColor will notify you, and you will be able to select the data you want to import.

1. On the Database tabbed page, under Characterizations, open an existing characterization or create a new one.
2. In the Tools & Actions pane on the right, select and define the Printing Process and Media according to the CxF file you want to import.
3. Under Tools & Actions > Finalize, select Import.
   The file browser opens.
4. In the file browser, next to the File name field, set the file filter to Color Exchange Format 3.0 (*.cxf) to show CXF files.
5. Select the CxF file including the relevant spot colors and confirm with Open.
   The file browser closes.
6. Under Select a Measurement, select the measurement that you want to import.
7. Confirm by clicking OK to import your spot colors.
   The selection dialog closes and the spot colors are listed under Inks.

1. Create a new characterization or a new project.
2. Under Name, enter a name for your characterization or project.
3. In the Tools & Actions pane on the right, select and define the Printing Process and Media according to the PDF file you want to import.
4. Under Tools & Actions > Finalize, select Import.
   The file browser opens.
5. Next to the File name field, set the file filter to Embedded CXF (*.pdf) to show PDF files.
6. Select the PDF file including the relevant spot colors and confirm with Open to import the spot colors.
   The file browser closes and the spot colors are listed under Inks.

1. Create a new characterization or a new project.
2. Under Name, enter a name for your characterization.
3. In the Tools & Actions pane on the right, select and define the Printing Process and Media according to the DB3 file you want to import.
4. Under Tools & Actions > Finalize, select Import.
   The file browser opens.
5. Next to the File name field, set the file filter to GMG Spot Color Database (*.db3) to show DB3 files.
6. Select the DB3 file including the relevant spot colors and confirm with Open to import the spot colors.
   The file browser closes and the spot colors are listed under Inks.

If you have already measured or imported a characterization, you can extract all available colors to create a new spot color library from it.

You can create a spot color library only if the characterization does not contain any overprints.

1. On the Database tabbed page, under Characterizations, select a characterization and open it.
2. On the Tools & Actions panel, click Convert to Spot Color DB to convert the characterization into a spot color library.

A characterization (already existing or created from a new measurement).

You can see the 5 colors available in this characterization in the Inks group (1). Use the Convert to Spot Color DB action (2) to create a new spot color library from the 5 colors.

Characterization converted into a spot color library.

The 5 colors are now saved as spot colors (1). You could use the Convert to Characterization action (2) to convert the spot color library to a characterization.

Extend or edit an already existing library, for example one of the included GMG libraries.

1. On the Database tabbed page, under Characterizations, select an existing spot color library and open it. GMG spot color libraries are read-only. You will need to duplicate a GMG spot color library first to customize it.
2. Select a gradation or use the tools on the Tools & Actions panel to edit the colors or to add new colors.

If your spot color library contains only solid ink values, you can assign a gradation to define the tone value curve of the ink. If a color already has defined tints, you can assign a different gradation to redefine the tone value behavior.

1. On the Database tabbed page, under Characterizations, select an existing spot color library and open it.
2. In the Inks group, select all colors you want to assign the same gradation.
3. Click the Select Gradation button above the ink list.
   The Select Gradation from Database dialog box will be displayed. It will show only gradations of the type Tonecurve.
   
4. Select a gradation from the list and confirm with OK.

You can do the following to remove an assigned gradation from all selected colors. If only the solid value is defined in the library, the gradation will be removed. If the characterization contains tints, the gradation will be reset to the original tone value behavior.

1. On the Database tabbed page, under Characterizations, select an existing spot color library and open it.
2. In the Inks group, select all colors you want to remove the gradation.
3. Click the Select Gradation button above the ink list.
   The Select Gradation from Database dialog box will be displayed.
   
4. Click Use Source Gradation.