CorelDRAW color separation software such as Vector Sep or Pixel Splitter have further changed the way we do color separations in that they produce in a few minutes or less what took hours in the past. Now anyone with $100 and up can color separate and sell garments with high-end color separations to compete in this less-than-booming economy.Speed as an assetColor separation software such as T-Seps (formerly Fast Films), Easy Art, Spot Me and Spot Process are just a few color separators for Photoshop. Only the very well-established could color separate high end color. We’re better because of it what once took all day or better to cut color now takes minutes to color separate.We now have the ability to color separate photos and photo realistic images and multi-colored designs quickly. A great majority of our art departments are now comprised of one or more MACs and/or PCs and one or more inkjet and/or laser printers. Those three programs and many more replaced glue-pens and white-out for pasting up artwork and the stat camera that shot it. Anyone who’s been around long enough just smiled because that very lengthy process is as outdated as the “I’m with Stupid” T-shirts and has been gradually replaced by quick, automated “push button” color separation software.For many, Illustrator and CorelDRAW replaced photo blue pencils guided by French curves while Photoshop replaced a lot more tools than just the air-brush.
All that and more had to be done before the color separations went to production to burn the screens-which in itself was another long, creative process.