Adding White Ink in Adobe Illustrator

A quick tutorial video showing how to set up an Adobe Illustrator file for printing with HP Latex white ink.
Steps:
0:31 Window/Layers
0:59 Duplicate your artwork layer
1:14 Rename the duplicated layer if desired (I usually call it "White Artwork")
1:42 Turn off visibility of the artwork layer
2:43 Select all in the white layer
2:44 Object/Expand - make sure Fill and Stroke are both selected
3:25 Set a fill color - make it contrast with your artwork
3:57 Window/Swatches
4:07 Add new swatch from the Swatches palette
4:16 Name: Spot1 for Onyx; White for Caldera
4:37 Color Type: Spot Color
5:04 Window/Pathfinder
5:24 Unite filter in the Pathfinder palette (this is optional)
7:35 Turn artwork layer visibility back on
7:38 View/Overprint Preview
7:43 Window/Attributes
7:48 Overprint Fill on in Attributes palette

It's usually harder to read these steps than it is to actually do them - give it a shot and tell me what you think!

[Raefor]

Thank you! I learned something new today

[ogcakelife]

Super helpful! I used to do my spot white in 2 separate files with the GS and let my production dudes sort it out. I’m sure they’re thankful I’ve got my art and flood white in the same file now.

[KangRoundHere]

Dude! I have a feeling that I am going to remember your name. Funny, I used to also work at a Signs now. Great video!! I am looking forward to many more of them from you.

[robhudson]

Thanks for this. I have to produce an artwork for digital print from a design I have made where I'm printing onto a metallic substrate. I need to print white under SOME of the graphics, NOT ALL. I was feeling a bit out of my depth but your video explains what I need to know. Very well explained!

[mkzaman]

excellent.. i bought an UV printer recently... looking for this option.. i will try

[billnevill]

Lee, If you want 3 layers color white color on a clear media so it can be seen from both sides of a window do you have to add a second color layer? I am using a 800w with Onyx. No lettering involved.

[omarlara]

should i have the white layer on top of the artwork or under? just the way you have shown on this video. let me knmow...

[andresmanzan]

Hello, excellent! I have a question, I already did it in Corel and I can print perfectly with the white channel, but what I can't do is print a bitmap and vectors in the same design, that is, if I send to print it doesn't allow me put white under the bitmap and in that area it does not print white, can you help me? thank you.

[petermorrison]

Do you have a tutorial on how to print with white from InDesign? The file has white and off-white created in InDesign, but also silhouetted images placed from Photoshop (PNG) that have white. Since I want to print on wood, there are also areas of the file that would need be 100% transparent. Thanks for these, very straightforward. (BTW, I'm a 'client' wanting to prep files for the printer so no knowledge of HP rip software.)

[wrapzntintz]

Hi Lee!
I am trying to increase transparency of spot white.
I can only get to 60% on white with a 6 pass in the icc profile..
I thought I saw you change that and increase the value in a video in flexi?
Can.you assist me with that? Ink density white increase I thought was in file in properties. Can't find it to save my life!!
Thanks
Eva

[MrAmeshilanko]

I’m trying to use this concept to DTF print designs to print the white ink on top of the CYMK. When I finish the artwork and saved to PDF, I see only the spot colour layer. Is this how it is or should I do any changes ? Thanks in advance.

[reymarquezrodriguez]

Excelente información yo tengo dos meses con mi plotter y el sistema Flexi para impresión DTF y tengo problemas con la transparencia de las imágenes, me dijeron que aumentará el color blanco...pero no sé cómo hacerlo🙁 saludos

[josepaez]

Do you have any videos on how to add a new media profile in onyx?

[colelider]

I need to create multiple spot white objects due to certain aspects of my image. One area of my image has white underneath a color. And the other area just needs to have a heavier white. How do I create multiple white spots? I imagine it may need done in Onyx. I named my other color Spot2 but I don't know why i can't create another white object

[xlvehiclegraphicsdigitalpr]

what should i name it for Flexi? white or spot 1?

[janspinnaker]

and whats the name for Colorgate ? Thanks in advance

[childogzus]

How would you proceed with this process using a .png image?