Each print is based on Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and blacK. Accordingly, you need at least these four printing forms for a coloured motif, one printing form for each colour.
We have one engraving machine for each colour: a cyan one, magenta one and yellow one. We only ever produce black cylinders at night and leave the light off. That’s how we produce the different printing forms.
– Of course, this is all nonsense!
The colour of the engraving machine doesn’t matter at all. What is important is the colour with which the respective printing form is printed. Each colour prints differently, requires different ink volumes, the substrate plays a major role and each printing press or printing unit works slightly differently, this must be taken into the preparation of the image data and in the final engraving.
I.e. we take into account different colour increases, make overfills, observe minimum dot sizes, use different screens to prevent moiré, select special geometries and volumes for the engraving cups in gravure printing, ensure defined roughness in copper and chrome surfaces and in flexo we use adapted rubber compounds depending on the application etc.. Of course – the micrograph is also adapted to the substrate and printer.
That sounds damn complicated and time-consuming. It is, but it’s our job and we like doing it. If you also like doing this, come on board and work for us. For everyone else, we recommend concentrating on producing great motifs … and relying on us to produce the printing forms. You don’t change the engine in your car yourself, but go to a specialist you trust. This is not free of charge, but everything else would often be pointless.