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Posted on 01/10/12 2:20:45 PM |
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salfordnurse
Intensive Illustrator Posts: 207 Reply  |
saving a file for printing
Hi all, quick question. I've done some photoshop work for my Ballet teacher. She is running children's dance classes so I have done some artwork for posters etc. What is the best way to save the files. The original file is 2480 pixels by 3508 pixles at 300ppi roughly A3 size. I've sharpened and colour corrected the image. What is the best way to save it. Is it Jpeg in RGB mode or in CMYK mode or some other format. Cheers Simon |
Posted on 02/10/12 08:29:02 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 6840 Reply  |
Re: saving a file for printing
How are you going to print the image? Will it be on a home printer, or a commercial print shop? These days, all print software will convert RGB to CMYK on the fly. But the main advantage of converting it yourself is that you'll be able to see how it looks in CMYK, and so check that all your colours are in gamut. |
Posted on 02/10/12 10:10:13 AM |
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salfordnurse
Intensive Illustrator Posts: 207 Reply |
Re: saving a file for printing
Hi Steve looks like it will be at a local print shop she will be using. So converting, them to CMYK I guess is best. I have done a small A5 leaflet for her as well, one side is an image the other is just plain text would it be best to import the image into pages on my Mac, add the text and save as a PDF? or save the image as above and then the text as a separate document? Thanks Steve |
Posted on 02/10/12 3:40:09 PM |
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Sjef
Flying Dutchman Posts: 571 Reply  |
Re: saving a file for printing
When your data is to be printed in a printshop, work in Adobe RGB or CIE lab and keep your images in Adobe RGB for later editing. Don't convert them to CMYK because then you loose colors that cannot brought back. The print shop knows a lot about how to apply and convert the millions of colors onto paper. You can convince yourself how the colors will look like (simulated, because you're looking at a screen and not at paper) to click on View»Proof colors (or Ctrl»Y). If there are colors that will be lost in CMYK-mode this will be shown in gray. If a color cannot be used (printed) in CMYK, Photoshop shows a little yellow triangle in the Color picker. It's a mistake to think that CMYK can contain more colors than RGB. CMYK has 4 channels, so this should give 256x256x256x256 = 4 billion colors. Not true. Many combinations are 'false'. 25C, 25M, 25Y and 50K is double black for instance because equal amounts of CMY turn each other off, giving dirty gray. All this I just read in a book, written by Frans Barten, professor at a vocational school in Holland. So I would hand over an Adobe RGB file to the print shop. |
Posted on 05/10/12 3:41:02 PM |
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salfordnurse
Intensive Illustrator Posts: 207 Reply |
Re: saving a file for printing
Thanks for the help! |
Posted on 05/10/12 11:47:09 PM |
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tank172
ThreeDee Thriller Posts: 692 Reply  |
Re: saving a file for printing
You can always request a Hard Copy Proof from the printshop. If it's a small print run, they'll usually do it for free. You can proof / approve the print on the actual paper stock and make a round of edits. If the final poster comes out different, at least you'll have the hard copy proof to show them. |
Posted on 05/10/12 11:58:10 PM |
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tank172
ThreeDee Thriller Posts: 692 Reply |
Re: saving a file for printing
Adobe RGB unless the printshop specifically requests it and also sends you color profiles matched with their printer/press. Would be my suggestion. For your leaflet... The front cover, you created the image in Photoshop, so perhaps send that file as a TIFF in Adobe RGB. For the back cover (with the text) send it as a separate file, PDF. The printshop will be able to combine those two files into a spread no problem. It happens all the time actually. If you want to combine the spread yourself in Pages for the front cover image and back cover, be sure to double check that Pages is not doing funky stuff with your image, ie, color conversion, resampling, etc. Especially during export. You could end up with a mess by accident. And save as one pdf file. |