You can preview color separations, ink coverage limits, and overprinting using the Separations Preview panel. Previewing separations on your monitor lets you check the following:

Varnishes and other coatings

Since varnishes are transparent, they can be difficult to preview on‑screen. When you preview a varnish separation by itself, the varnished areas appear in black.

Rich black

Previewing separations lets you identify areas that will print as rich black, or process black (K) ink mixed with color inks for increased opacity and richer color.

Ink coverage

Too much ink on the paper can cause drying problems. Ask your commercial printer for the maximum ink coverage of the press you will be printing on. You can then preview the document to identify areas where ink coverage exceeds the press’s limit.

Overprinting

You can preview how blending, transparency, and overprinting will appear in color-separated output.

Note: You can also see overprinting effects when you output to a composite printing device. This is useful for proofing color separations.

While previewing separations on your monitor can help you detect problems without the expense of printing separations, it does not let you preview trapping, emulsion options, printer’s marks, and halftone screens and resolution. Work with your commercial printer to verify these settings using integral or overlay proofs.

Note: Objects on hidden layers are not included in an on‑screen preview.