How to set 100% black on text for (Affinty Publisher)

[Maria João Lima]

 

Hello

I've been having trouble with 100% Black in Affinity Publisher: the printer houses complain that what should be 100% Black (like text, for instance), is actually in the four CMYK colours.

I read somewhere that you should choose the black at the top right of the color palette, but it has not solved the problem (see image please)

I am exporting pdf in pdf/X1a: 2003, colour space as document, profile Uncoated Fogra 47L (printer house indications).

Should I create a 100%B 0%M 0%Y 0%C color on every new document?

 

Thank you

[walt.farrell]

That Black Swatch should be the one you want. 

However, what is your document setup? Did you use Uncoated Fogra 47L when you created the document? If you used some other profile, then colors will be converted during export, which would cause the problem you've described.

[Maria João Lima]

Thank you.

Actualy I am not sure if I used that profile when created the document (that's the profile it is on the “document set up”, yes — not sure if since the first moment).

I'm sure I chose it when exported to PDF.

Anyway, for future projects, you are saying that if I choose the final profile when creating the document, and then use that specific Black in the colour palette, it should be all right?

But what if, by any reason, I have to change the original profile when exporting to PDF?

 

Thank you again.

[walt.farrell]

7 minutes ago, Maria João Lima said:

Anyway, for future projects, you are saying that if I choose the final profile when creating the document, and then use that specific Black in the colour palette, it should be all right?

Yes, if I understand things correctly. 

7 minutes ago, Maria João Lima said:

But what if, by any reason, I have to change the original profile when exporting to PDF?

Then, as far as I know, you'll need to change the format of the document, and then change the definition of the Black to compensate for the new profile.

[Maria João Lima]

Ok, thank you very much. I'm going to try as you say.

[walt.farrell]

You're welcome.

[thomaso]

57 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

1 hour ago, Maria João Lima said:

But what if, by any reason, I have to change the original profile when exporting to PDF?

Then, as far as I know, you'll need to change the format of the document, and then change the definition of the Black to compensate for the new profile.

Alternatively to Walt's hint you can choose "Assign" (switch from the default "Convert") when setting the new document#s colour profile. This seems to maintain the values of the vector objects that have the 100 K colour swatch applied, and thus doesn't require to adjust you black definition and used instances after that change of profile.

Unfortunately this "assign" option for colour swatches does not exist in the export options, which makes the profile change set in the layout document necessary.

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, thomaso said:

This seems to maintain the values of the vector objects that have the 100 K colour swatch applied, and thus doesn't require to adjust you black definition and used instances after that change of profile.

However, while it maintains 100 K, it would give the wrong results for any other CMYK colors, I think.

[thomaso]

11 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

while it maintains 100 K, it would give the wrong results for any other CMYK colors, I think.

It may depend what we mean with "wrong" here. – To me "Assign" does maintain the numerical colour values (definitions) but, accordingly, can change their visual appearance on screen, depending on the two profiles, respectively the used colours. – So it depends with what intention the layout was setup and colours were defined: visually only?

Note, "Assign" allows to maintain colour values of image resources with specific colour definitions, for instance logos or other elements of a client's corporate design that are expected to be produced with their specified definitions, and, for instance, avoiding rasterization were C, M, Y or K are used in 100%.