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In the same way that every art department needs an image editor and a vector program, every department should have separation software.

In theory, you could do separations by hand, but that’s something I haven’t done — and many screen printers haven’t done, no doubt — in at least 15 years. Similarly, you could make your way through the separation process using only Adobe Photoshop, and most people use Photoshop when creating seps “by hand” but again, it’s a time-consuming way to do things that has fallen by the wayside. Today, advances in technology, as well as lower software costs, make it possible for printers to turn out top-notch separations with surprising ease and speed. The only question is, which separation software is right for your shop?

Getting Started
All mainstream graphics programs have some separation capabilities, but the reality is that they’re probably not going to be accurate enough to work for your shop. They can do spot-color separations, but you won’t be able to do sophisticated color work.

The biggest question to ask about a separation program is how well can it reproduce your original artwork? Pick a typical piece of artwork you do and run the program through its paces. You're not interested in software that requires two or three trial-and-error efforts before you get what you're looking for. Photo courtesy of Great Dane Graphics.

It’s also important to know that most separation programs are actually plug-ins for Photoshop. In fact, only one product, Spot Process, is a stand-alone program that works without a graphics program. Prices range from about $300 to $1,000 or more, so it’s a good idea to start your selection process by using demos.

A visit to each supplier’s Web site should give you access to downloadable demos; if not, give the supplier a call and ask for a demo CD. Generally, demos are fully functional applications that will stop working after a certain amount of time or usage — two weeks or 20 separation jobs, for instance.

Demo in hand, peruse the owner’s manual and see if it outlines a workflow process. Also see what types of files it can handle. Does it work with RGB or CMYK files? Does the file need to be on a black-and-white background? Should it be layered? At this point, you don’t need to read the manual cover to cover. You’re just trying to glean a sense of the software’s ease of use, its learning curve, and how well it may fit with your workflow.

The ultimate test of any separation program is in the print. Print at least a dozen samples before judging the final print. This should allow for enough ink pickup on the back side of all screens to show the true print. Photo courtesy of Classic Impressions, Pittsburgh, Pa.

As you test drive the software, also test its results. Once you separate an image and burn screens, what do the prints look like? Are they accurate? Did achieving that accuracy take an inordinate amount of effort? In addition, print at least a dozen samples before judging the final print. This should allow for enough ink pickup on the back side of all screens to show the true print.

Going Shopping
Questions to consider while you demo the software and investigate your options include whether or not it fits your needs. Does your shop have a specific technique, such as index, that it prefers — and if so, can the software create seps for that process?

For what it’s worth, I prefer software that can handle simulated process separations. I’m not interested in index separations, which can posterize the artwork and change the original, in my opinion. By posterize, I mean that the software reduces the number of colors in the artwork, taking a continuous green tone, for instance, and simplifying it dramatically.

However, the biggest question is how well it can reproduce your original artwork. Your goal, of course, is to take a piece of artwork, print films, burn screens, and print accurately — the first time. You’re not interested in software that requires two or three trial-and-error efforts before you get what you’re looking for. The number and types of separation techniques the software can handle is not the issue. It’s really all about finding the software that creates the best separations the first time, every time, whatever technique you use and prefer.

Fast Films, offered by U.S. Screen & Inkjet Technology, is designed to automate the process of creating color separations for screen printing. It is an Abobe Photoshop plug-in and can be used with MAC and Windows OS.

Other questions to ask:

• How accurate is the software’s preview function? In other words, when you see an image on screen, how close is that image to what you’ll see on press?
• How fast is the software?
• Will it work on a Mac and/or PC? Can it be installed on more than one computer?
• What type of software copy protection does it use — a dongle, for instance?

Sticking With It In many ways, all separation programs offer the same functionality — the ability to separate artwork. Admittedly, some do the job better than others, but they all can get the job done. The key, then, is how the software gets you to that point. In other words, is the software user-friendly? Is it intuitive? And does it fit well into your work style?

That said, once you’ve chosen a separation program, you probably should make it the only one your art department uses. You’re in business to print shirts and make money, not to spend endless hours fooling with different separation techniques and experimenting with different programs. Make life simpler for everyone in your shop by choosing a program, then laying out a specific way of using that program. If you want to do R&D, do it off the clock.

The amount of time you’ll need to spend familiarizing yourself with the actual separation software varies from individual to individual. For instance, when my company first purchased separation software in 1995, it was only a matter of about three days before we were using it to turn out jobs. Of course, much like screen printing itself, you’re never really done learning; there’s always something new and exciting to discover.