Proofing Duotones and Test Prints

Duotones, and other multitone images that involve the printing of multiple inks whose densities are controlled by complex ink curves, are notoriously difficult to proof both onscreen and on proofing devices. Duotones typically print darker, and often much darker, than they appear onscreen. And printing duotones to a color printer such as an ink-jet does not provide much accurate proofing help, because these printers must use CMY inks to try to simulate the effect of a spot color.

The only way to proof a duotone image is to actually print it. This is one of the key reasons I had you load preset curves in the previous example rather than making your own. The preset duotone curves that come with Photoshop are well tested and are excellent starting points for creating and printing duotones. I suggest that you send test prints to your printing company and have them take a look at it. They may even be able to print a proof of your image on the side of someone else’s job who is using a similar spot color.