What color separation is
Color separation is the process of breaking a piece of artwork down into its individual color layers, so each color can be printed as its own screen in screen printing. A four-color logo becomes four separate, precisely aligned files — one per screen — instead of a single flat image a printer can't run as-is.
How much it costs
Color separation starts at $12 for a simple design. More complex artwork — higher color counts, gradients, or fine detail that needs careful trapping and registration — is priced individually once we've reviewed the file.
How it's different from vector conversion
Vector conversion turns a raster image into scalable paths. Color separation takes artwork (vector or raster) and splits it into individual color layers ready for screen printing. Many jobs need both steps — converting to vector first, then separating by color — especially when the source file is a low-resolution logo that was never built for print.
When you need it
- You're screen printing multi-color artwork and your printer needs individual color films or screens
- Your logo has more colors than your printer's press can run in one pass, and you need it simplified into the colors you'll actually use
- Your artwork was designed on-screen (RGB) and needs to be built out for spot-color printing (Pantone/CMYK)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does color separation cost?
$12 for a simple design, with custom quotes for more complex, multi-color artwork.
Do I need color separation and vector conversion, or just one?
It depends on your starting file. If your artwork is already a clean vector file, you may only need separation. If it's a raster image (JPG/PNG), it typically needs to be converted to vector first.
How long does color separation take?
Standard turnaround is 8-12 hours. Files come back as layered, press-ready PSDs with underbase, choke/spread and registration marks.