Color Separation Software
Break textile artwork into its colours, one editable layer each, as the starting point for your screens.
Separate a design →Color separation software splits a design into the individual inks that will print it. Done by hand in an image editor, that means selecting and cleaning every colour one at a time. Textile Designer AI does the splitting for you: upload the artwork, choose how many colours you want or let the AI count them, and download a Photoshop file with each colour on its own named layer. Your separator then reviews the plates and finishes them in the prepress software they already use.
At a Glance
- Credits
- 10 credits per image
- Input
- PNG, JPEG, TIFF or PSD, up to 50 MB
- Output
- A single layered PSD with each colour on its own layer
- Colours
- Any number from 2 to 30, or automatic detection
- Modes
- Advanced for complex artwork, Simple for quicker runs on flat colour
- Typical time
- 40 to 60 seconds per image
What the software produces
One run on a flat-colour floral at 2000 by 1600 px, separated into 10 colours.
- 1
Start with the artwork
Clean edges and solid fills give the cleanest plates, so this floral is a good first test.
Upload / 3404_design.pngA flat-colour floral with pink, yellow, green and blue petals on a pale background, ready for separation - 2
Match the colour count to your screens
Here the count is fixed at 10 to suit the press. Switch on automatic detection if you would rather the AI decide.
textile-designer.ai / Color Separation SoftwareSeparation settings with automatic colour detection switched off and the colour layer count set to 10 - 3
Ten colours, ten layers
Every colour arrives as its own layer, ready to rename, merge or recolour before the file goes to prepress.
Adobe Photoshop 2025 / 3404_color_separation.psdThe separated file in Photoshop with ten colour layers listed in the Layers panel
Real-World Use Cases
Rotary and flat screen printers
Get the colour plates for a new design started in a minute instead of spending hours isolating each ink by hand.
Print production managers
Find out how many colours a design really needs before quoting, since every extra colour is another screen to make.
Designers handing off to a mill
Check that artwork separates cleanly at the colour count the mill can print, and simplify it before it leaves your desk.
How It Works
Upload the artwork
PNG, JPEG, TIFF or PSD, up to 50 MB. Flat colour gives the cleanest result; shaded or photographic art will need more touching up.
Choose the number of colours
Type any count from 2 to 30 to match your screens, or turn on automatic detection.
Open the PSD and finish it
Review each colour layer, then add traps, halftones and press marks in your usual prepress tool.
Key Features
Layer per colour
Plates stay separate and editable, so merging two similar colours or dropping one takes seconds.
You set the screen count
Fix the number of colours to what the press can run, or let the AI decide and see what the design needs.
Two modes
Advanced handles complex, detailed artwork. Simple is quicker when the design is already clean and flat.
Standard Photoshop file
The PSD opens in Photoshop, Illustrator or a dedicated separation program with no conversion step.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a replacement for my RIP or prepress software?
No. It creates the colour layers. Trapping, underbase, halftones, registration marks and film output still happen in your prepress software or RIP.
What file do I get?
One Photoshop PSD with a separate layer for every colour. If you need a single plate as a flat image, hide the other layers and export it.
What kind of artwork separates best?
Flat-colour and vector-style designs give the cleanest plates. Photographic or heavily shaded art will still separate, but plan for manual cleanup afterwards.
I need spot channels and a positive per screen. Is there a tool for that?
Yes. Channeling, currently in beta, returns a Multichannel Photoshop file with a spot channel per screen in print order, trapping, an optional base under every motif, and a positive for each screen.
Guides & Tutorials
Your designs and our AI
Uploads and results are stored in your organisation's workspace and are not accessible from other customers' accounts. Under our Terms of Service, uploaded designs and generated outputs may be used to train and improve our AI models, and that use continues after an account is closed. Any customer can request an AI-training opt-out for their organisation before uploading by contacting support. Details are in our Privacy Policy.