A Study of Neutral or Gray Balance Requirements for Photomechanical Reproduction of Hard-Dot Gravure.

According to the standards of Gravure Technical Association, the curve shapes of yellow, magenta, and cyan continuous-tone separation positives are similar. Identical curve shapes produce equal size cells on the gravure printing-surface. Ink transfer from same size cells produces a brownish neutral. It is observed that the neutrality as well as tone-reproduction may improve by changing the curve shape of the cyan printer to a slightly higher contrast. Such a step would require less black in the highlights and would produce optically cleaner highlight colors. The ink strength of yellow magenta and cyan is not deliberately changed and is the same as used by the rotogravure printers in Canada.