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--- mr_tint [2026/10/25 02:27] – Markup fix for the DokuWiki upgrade (spaces inside bold/italic) 0.0.0.0
+++ mr_tint [2026/10/25 02:53] (current) – Help pages updated for PowerScripts 3.8 (help pages session) remoteuser
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+====== Mr Tint ======
+Digital printers don't print tints the way offset or screen printing does. Mr Tint makes a tint chart you print on your own printer, so you can pick the tint percentage that really looks right for the job.
+[[https://o2creative.co.nz/shop/Powerscripts/MrTint_PowerScript_for_Adobe_Illustrator|See it in the shop]] · Version 1.1.11 · Needs PowerScripts 3.8.42 or later
-==== What is Mr Tint ====
+===== Where to find it =====
-Mr Tint is designed to allow printers to quickly print out a tint test chart on a digital printer to choose visually the ideal tint percentage for a color.
+Open the PowerScripts panel (**Window > Extensions > PowerScripts**) and choose **Mr Tint** from the **Tools** scripts. The script has two tabs: **Options** and **Preferences**.
-==== Why is this needed? ====
+===== Quick start =====
-When designers choose a tint of a spot color, the often go by what they see on screen. However for traditional printing there is the concept of dot-gain [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot_gain| (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot_gain)]], where an ink dot printed on paper will appear larger than expected because the ink dot bleeds out on the paper. This can vary by machine, paper type, ink type and dot size //(Big dots bleed more, small dots don't bleed at all or can be too small to print)// . The overall effect of this is the printed tint color will usually appear darker than expected, for example a 95% tint may look identical to a solid 100% color.
+  - Select the colour in the Swatches panel and press **Use Selected Swatch**.
+  - Choose **Steps**: **10%** or **5%**.
+  - Press **Create Tints**.
-A common problem is where a designer will have a 100% color background and have a 90% tint of the color to simulate a water-mark effect. However when printed the effect vanishes or is too pronounced. The issue is design software must estimate how the tint will look on screen and assumes it will be printed on a traditional offset press with the expected dot-gain.
+A new document opens with the chart: each row has the full-strength colour next to one tint of it, labelled with the tint and its formula. Print it on the printer and media you'll use for the job.
-Digital printers handle a tint color differently. Digital printers only simulate tints using CMYK for example. The print driver or RIP calculates the tint color based on is several settings such as the color profile, the rendering intent, the type of input color and the type of substrate and printing process used. It does not know that the business card your client printed last week //(that the client asked you to match to)// was printed on an uncoated card. The end result is a digital print where the tint is too light or too dark.
+===== Why is this needed? =====
-Rather than guessing the correct color of tint, just use Mr Tint to quickly create a test chart and print it to the media, You can then select the tint to get the desired results you see on screen or match to a sample provided.
+Tints are set up for traditional printing, where ink dots spread a little on the paper (dot gain), so a printed tint looks darker than the number says. Design software assumes that when it shows you a tint on screen.
-==== Important things to keep in mind ====
+Digital printers make tints differently: the RIP or print driver works out each tint from the colour profile, rendering intent and media. It doesn't know the business card your customer wants you to match was printed offset on uncoated card. So a 30% tint can come out lighter or heavier than expected, and a watermark made with a 90% tint on a 100% background can vanish or stand out too much.
-  * When creating a tint of a CMYK or RGB color document colour profile is used.
+Instead of guessing, print a Mr Tint chart, compare it with the sample or what you see on screen, and use the tint that matches.
+===== Options =====
-==== How to create a Spot Color  Tint Chart ====
+==== Options ====
+{{:mr_tint:options_tab.png?380|The Options tab}}
+  * **Use Selected Swatch**: take the colour from the swatch selected in the Swatches panel. A spot colour ticks **Create Spot Color** and fills in its name for you.
+  * **Colour**: the colour to make tints of, in CMYK, RGB or from a colour book.
+  * **Steps**: a tint every **10%** or every **5%**.
+  * **Create Spot Color**: make the colour a spot colour with this **Color Name**, so the tints are true spot tints. Untick for process tints (each tint shown with its CMYK or RGB values).
+  * **Create new document**: make the chart in a new document (in CMYK or RGB to match the colour). Untick to add it to the open document.
+  * **Create Tints**: does it.
+==== Preferences ====
+{{:mr_tint:preferences_tab.png?380|The Preferences tab}}
+  * **Swatch Width** and **Swatch Height**: the size of each patch.
+  * **Font Size**: the size of the labels.
+===== How to... =====
+==== Match a tint from a printed sample ====
+  - Make a chart of the spot colour with **Steps: 5%**.
+  - Print it on the same media as the job.
+  - Hold the sample against the chart and find the row that matches.
+  - Use that percentage in the job, even if it's not the number the designer chose.
+===== Tips =====
+  * Make a chart for each media you print on: the same tint looks different on coated and uncoated stock.
+  * Keep the printed charts by the printer for quick reference.
+===== Good to know =====
+  * Process tints (CMYK or RGB) are worked out in the document's colour profile.
+===== What's new =====
+  * **1.1.11**: General bug fixes and reliability. Needs PowerScripts 3.8.42 or later.
+  * **1.1.10**: Fixed: the Swatch Width and Swatch Height settings were the wrong way round.
+  * **1.1.9**: Updated for PowerScripts 3.8.32.
+  * Older changes: [[releasenotes|PowerScripts Release Notes]]

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