Mohawk EDD 120# Cover
CMYK CMYK
FL Pink 2 FL Pink 2

Feather

Mohawk EDD 120# Cover

FL Pink 2 + CMYK

Feather Sample 9

Fluorescent Pink ink extends the printable color gamut beyond standard CMYK. The "2" suffix in FL Pink 2 instructs the press to double-hit the ink for maximum vibrancy and fluorescent intensity at 100% coverage.

Credit: Black Birch Design Studio

About Fluorescent Pink Ink

Fluorescent Pink (FL Pink) ink extends the printable color gamut far beyond what standard CMYK can achieve. This specialty ink creates vibrant, eye-catching pinks and magentas that truly pop off the page with an almost neon intensity.

The "2" suffix in "FL Pink 2" is critical - it instructs the HP Indigo press to apply a double hit of ink at 100% coverage. This double application ensures maximum vibrancy and opacity, creating the intense fluorescent effect the ink is known for.

Best Practices

File Setup

Gallery

Download Sample Files (PDF)
Adobe Illustrator

FL Pink 2 Spot Color Setup

Creating FL Pink 2 spot color in Adobe Illustrator

Step 1 of 8
Illustrator Swatches Panel

Open the Swatches Panel

In Adobe Illustrator, go to Window > Swatches to open the Swatches panel. This is where you'll create the FL Pink 2 spot color for the fluorescent ink layer.

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You can also use the keyboard shortcut F5 to toggle the Swatches panel.

Selection of FL Pink Artwork

Select FL Pink Artwork

Select all the artwork elements that should print with fluorescent pink ink. These are typically highlight areas or accents that need maximum visual impact.

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Use Select > Same > Fill Color to quickly select all elements with the same fill.

New Swatch Dialog

Create FL Pink 2 Spot Color

Click the Swatches panel menu and select New Swatch. In the dialog:

  • Swatch Name: FL Pink 2
  • Color Type: Spot Color
  • Color Mode: CMYK
  • Set Magenta to 100% (for visibility)
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Critical: The name must be exactly FL Pink 2 - the "2" tells the press to double-hit the ink for maximum fluorescent intensity.

Swatches Panel with FL Pink 2

Verify Swatch Created

Your Swatches panel should now show the FL Pink 2 spot color swatch. It will appear with a white triangle in the corner indicating it's a spot color.

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The spot color indicator (white triangle) confirms the color will output as a separate ink channel.

Applying Spot Color

Apply FL Pink 2 to Artwork

With your fluorescent artwork selected, click the FL Pink 2 swatch to apply it as the fill color. The artwork will appear magenta but will print as vibrant fluorescent pink.

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The magenta preview is just for visibility - actual output is intense fluorescent pink that extends beyond CMYK gamut.

Windows Menu - Attributes

Open the Attributes Panel

With your FL Pink 2 artwork still selected, go to Window > Attributes to open the Attributes panel. This panel controls overprint settings.

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Important: The next step is critical - FL Pink 2 must be set to overprint for proper layering.

Attributes Panel - Overprint Fill

Enable Overprint Fill

In the Attributes panel, check the Overprint Fill checkbox. This ensures the FL Pink 2 prints on top of other layers correctly.

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Critical: FL Pink 2 must be set to overprint. Without this setting, fluorescent areas will knock out underlying CMYK artwork.

PDF Output Preview

Verify in PDF Output Preview

Export your file as PDF and open in Adobe Acrobat. Go to Print Production > Output Preview. In the Separations list, verify you see:

  • Process Plates: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black
  • Spot Plate: FL Pink 2
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If FL Pink 2 doesn't appear as a separate channel, the spot color wasn't created correctly. Go back to Step 3.