Vector colour separations for screen printing
Reduce artwork to your ink count, trace each ink as a shape that doesn't overlap the others, name spot inks, and export vector files for separation.
Screen printing needs one clean shape per ink. PathSnapper traces artwork into separate colour shapes that don't overlap, lets you name each colour as a spot ink, and exports vector files you can separate and output to film.
From artwork to separations
- Reduce to your ink count. Set Number of colours to the number of screens, and use Merge to join in-between shades created by anti-aliasing or a blurry edge.
- Clean the colour map. Paint, fill or zap stray pixels before tracing, so no tiny specks end up on a screen.
- Choose Cut-outs. With Shapes: Cut-outs, shapes never overlap, so each ink prints only where it belongs. Neighbouring inks meet exactly at their shared edge, with no built-in overlap, so add any trap in your separation software.
- Name your inks. Give each swatch a spot colour name, or load a swatch library and match colours to it. Spot colours are written as real separations in PDF, AI and EPS.
- Export a PDF, AI or EPS for your separation or RIP software.
Edges that line up
When two inks meet, PathSnapper keeps a single shared boundary between them while you edit. Move a point and both shapes change together, so correcting the artwork never opens a gap that shows the garment through. The exported shapes are independent, with edges that match exactly, ready for any trap or choke you add in your separation software.
Shaded artwork
For artwork with shading (chrome, 3D lettering), choose Bands in the Shading panel. The shading becomes flat-colour bands, each its own shape that can be recoloured or given its own ink.
Useful settings
- Speck size removes islands too small to hold on a screen.
- Thin lines as strokes off keeps every line as a filled shape with a fixed outline.
- Leave background out drops the background colour (the garment) while keeping enclosed areas that are part of the design.
One boundary. Two shapes. Perfectly in sync.
PathSnapper traces every boundary once and shares it between the shapes on either side. Move a point and both colours move with it: no hairline gaps, no overlaps to repair.
When you export, each colour becomes its own independent, closed shape, and the edges where colours meet still match exactly.
Questions
Does PathSnapper print films or add trapping?
No. It gives you clean vector shapes, one per ink, with spot colour names. Add trap or choke and output films in your separation or RIP software.
Can I keep shading in a screen print?
Choose Bands in the Shading panel: the shading becomes flat-colour bands, each its own shape that can be given its own ink.
Try it on a real job
Drop in a customer's logo and see every path and point free, with no account. Pay only when you want the file.
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