CompuServe Messages

How to avoid Moire patterns in process color separations? Put simply, one doesn't. I assume you are using Adobe Separator to do the color separations…if this is the case, then AS is calculating all of the rotations, etc automatically. Under normal conditions, the actual "scrrens" of halftone dots are rotated to achieve the least possible amount of moire. Generally speaking, you get less of a distracting pattern when there is more of a difference in rotations; but it all depends on where the dots fall, and how intense the colors are. Adobe Separator uses the standard screen rotations to achieve its process colors…but unless you are outputting to a very high-resolution printer (like the Linotronic L-300), that has been painstakingly calibrated to optimize fine screens, you'll notice the moire patterns – the larger the dots, the greater the effect. The L-300's 2450 dpi resolution is really needed here – even the L-200 produces coarse color seps (it only achieves 1270 dpi). -Scott Leyes