Saving Spot Colors in DCS 2.0 Format

There are two versions of DCS: DCS 1.0 and DCS 2.0. DCS 1.0 will separate only four colors, usually CMY and K. DCS 2.0 will separate the four process colors plus as many spot colors as you want to pay for! So when separating CMYK and spot colors from Photoshop, you will use DCS 2.0.

1. Open the image.
2. Duplicate this image (Image ➢Duplicate) and name the new image abcd.eps.
3. Make a copy of this original type layer and hide it (turn off its visibility), so you can return to this original editable layer later if you want to. This editable type layer can be saved in your PSD file and discarded when you create your final output image version.
4. Using your Type tool, set the type Lavender Blooms. Apply an initial color to the type if you like, and then rasterize the type layer. Now add a separate black type drop shadow layer.
5. Make a selection of the type by F/Ctrl+clicking the type layer in the Layers palette.
6. Now, with your type still selected, activate the Channels palette. Click the Channels palette menu and choose New Spot Channel. ANew Spot Channel dialog box appears.
7. Set the Solidity to 100%. This will allow you to view your simulated spot color onscreen at 100% opacity.
8. Click the Color square to activate the Color Picker dialog box, and then click Color Libraries so the Color Libraries dialog box appears.
9. From the Book menu, select Pantone Solid Coated. Then type 2577 to select that numbered spot color.
10. Click OK twice to return to the Channels palette to view your new spot color channel and see how it is applied to your selected type.
11. Choose File ➢Save As to activate the Save As dialog box. From the Format menu, choose Photoshop DCS 2.0 (required for 5+ colors). The Layers check box should automatically be deselected when you select DCS 2.0. This will create a new, flattened, simplified file. Your hidden editable type layer will be removed from the final DCS but preserved
in the original PSD working file.
12. Click the Save button. The DCS 2.0 Format dialog box appears.
Configure this dialog box as follows:
◆ From the Preview menu, select the 8-bit preview for your platform or choose 8-bit TIFF to provide cross-platform compatibility.
◆ From the DCS menu (a very confusing menu with all those choices), select Single File With Color Composite. This will create a single file with all the separated colors in that one file. This will also create a color preview file that will be placed and used to provide an onscreen preview of your image when you place it in your page layout document.
◆ From the Encoding menu, choose Binary.
◆ Leave the other check boxes—especially Include Halftone Screen—unselected unless your commercial printing prepress manager requests that you select them.
13. Click the OK button to create your color-separated DCS 2.0 file as an EPS image.  Note that when you place this DCS/EPS into your page layout application document, the spot color—here, 2577—will be added to your color Swatches palette.