Do I need Photoshop or a CorelDRAW plugin to separate?

No. AI Separations is a standalone app, so the Photoshop-plugin separation tools (which don't work in CorelDRAW anyway) aren't needed. You just export a PDF from Corel and separate it.

How do I export CorelDRAW art for separation?

Use File ▸ Publish to PDF (or Export ▸ PDF) and keep it as vector. Flat, solid-color artwork separates cleanest. Then open the PDF in AI Separations.

There is a free in-browser separator (upload art, get the spot colors and a preview) and a $179 one-time desktop app with a free trial. No subscription.

Does it work for DTF too?

Yes — it handles screen print and DTF, and recommends which suits a given design.

CorelDRAW Color Separations — No Photoshop, No Plugin

Q: Can I do color separations from CorelDRAW?

Yes. Export your CorelDRAW artwork to PDF, then open it in AI Separations. It reads the vector's exact flat colors and produces clean, press-ready spot-color plates — no Photoshop and no Corel plugin required.

Q: Does it keep my spot / Pantone colors?

It detects the exact flat colors in your art and can snap each one to a real named ink — Pantone-equivalent, plastisol stock, or branded sets — with a ΔE accuracy readout so you mix the right ink.

The short answer

Yes — you can separate CorelDRAW artwork without Photoshop or a Corel plugin. Export your design to PDF from CorelDRAW, open it in AI Separations, and its vector engine reads the artwork's exact flat colors and turns each into a clean solid spot plate — plus white underbase, halftones at the right angles, registration marks, and RIP-ready EPS/film. It's a standalone Windows app (and a free in-browser separator), $179 one-time, no subscription.

How to separate CorelDRAW art (3 steps)

Export to PDF. In CorelDRAW: File ▸ Publish to PDF (or Export ▸ PDF). Keep it as vector — flat, solid-color art separates cleanest.
Open it in AI Separations. Drop the PDF into the desktop app, or the free in-browser separator.
Get clean spot plates. It detects the exact flat colors, gives you one tidy plate per ink, and snaps them to real inks you can buy — then exports film / RIP-ready EPS.

Why CorelDRAW shops need a standalone separator

Most separation tools — UltraSeps, the Spot Process plugins — live inside Photoshop. If your shop runs on CorelDRAW, those simply don't apply to your workflow, which is why "how do I separate in CorelDRAW" is such a common dead end. AI Separations was built standalone on purpose: it doesn't care what you designed in, only that you can hand it a PDF (or PNG/JPG). Corel does the art; AI Separations does the seps.

What you get back

Clean spot-color plates — exact flat colors from the vector, no muddy guessing on logos.
Simulated process for tonal/photographic art, with proper halftone angles and LPI.
White underbase & highlight white for dark garments, trapping handled automatically.
Snap to real inks — Pantone-equivalent, plastisol stock, or branded sets (Wilflex, Rutland, Union), with ΔE shown.
Registration marks on every plate, and RIP-ready EPS + hot-folder output for AccuRIP or any RIP.

Test it on your own Corel file

Export one of your CorelDRAW designs to PDF and run it through the free in-browser separator — see the spot colors and a press preview in seconds. The full desktop toolset is $179 one-time, free trial, no Photoshop.

Separate a file free

Frequently asked questions

Can I do color separations from CorelDRAW?

Yes — export to PDF, open it in AI Separations, and get clean spot-color plates. No Photoshop, no Corel plugin.

Do I need Photoshop or a Corel plugin?

No. It's standalone — the Photoshop-plugin sep tools don't work in Corel anyway. You just export a PDF and separate it.

How do I export my Corel art?

File ▸ Publish to PDF (or Export ▸ PDF), kept as vector. Then open the PDF in AI Separations.

Does it keep my spot/Pantone colors?

It detects your exact flat colors and snaps each to a real named ink (Pantone-equivalent, plastisol stock, or branded sets) with a ΔE readout.

Is it free?

Free in-browser separator + a $179 one-time desktop app with a free trial. No subscription.