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Going Beyond CMYK: A Designer’s Journey

With decades of experience designing for digital CMYK, Hawaii-based veteran designer Marie Martel was excited to learn the press she would be designing for could print CMYK plus up to two specialty inks in a single pass.

“As a traditional print designer, I felt like there wasn’t anything else to learn—that I had reached my limit,” said Hawaii-based veteran designer Marie Martel. And then she was introduced to Beyond CMYK technologies from Xerox^®.

"Working with CMYK-only for years informs your expectations. The ability to design in up to six colors changes your perspective.”

Marie Martel

Principal, Number 9 Design. Honolulu, HI.

number9design.com

Beyond CMYK technologies from Xerox^® encompass a platform of capabilities supported by some of the company’s most popular presses. From the Xerox^® iGen 5^® Press and its fifth print station to the remarkable six-color Xerox^® Iridesse^® Production Press—to Xerox^® Adaptive CMYK+ technology—designers can now engage with their print customers in exciting new ways.

Opportunity: A Routine Assignment

Martel’s Beyond CMYK journey began with what was for her a routine assignment: Design an invitation to highlight the capabilities of a new press. That press happened to be the Iridesse, which adds Gold, Silver, White, Fluorescent Pink, and Low Gloss Clear Specialty Dry Inks to the standard CMYK.

Martel says Beyond CMYK technology is inspiring. “Working with CMYK-only for years informs your expectations,” said Martel. “The ability to design in up to six colors changes your perspective.”

Getting Started: Working Closely with a Print Provider

There was a challenge, though. The Iridesse press Martel would be designing for was located in the Pacific Northwest—thousands of miles away from her home base of Honolulu. Getting handed a long-distance assignment wasn’t all that unusual. As Martel explained, Hawaii-based artists are often asked to design for the local market, given the specific island aesthetic. In this case, however, she would not have the benefit of seeing her ideas executed in print as she moved through various iterations.

“It was a guessing game.” At that point, Martel said, she hadn’t even seen Iridesse output in person. It took very close work with the print provider—who was willing to print and send her samples of her design—to truly grasp the possibilities.

“When I could see how the metallics and fluorescents were layered or blended with the CMYK, that made all the difference.”

Solution: Full Spectrum Resources

Around that time, Martel discovered the Beyond CMYK online learning materials – videos, design guides, color palettes, and more—provided by Xerox via the Genesis Initiative—and was able to see the real possibilities. “I watched a webinar that was so well done… I asked questions and knew immediately what to do. It just brought everything together. It wasn’t a guessing game anymore.

Martel said that she “geeks out” as new colors are introduced. For example, the ability to blend Fluorescent Pink with CMYK orange to bring a hibiscus to life on the printed page is a game changer for her—and she discovered the technique by watching a Xerox-provided video.

“Beyond CMYK affects the way I think about design. I didn’t have to pivot—just add on to what I know.”

What's Next?

Martel envisions applying Beyond CMYK to one-to-one marketing materials via XMPie^® and other familiar tactics, breathing new life into well-established design conventions. “Any designer—as well as advertising agencies—embracing this technology will take their work to another level,” she said, gaining an instant edge.

“It’s remarkable,” she said. “It opens up a whole new world. It’s a beautiful thing.”

A final word? “Jump on the train—whatever size your business.”