Photographer
Primox Studios
Posts: 342
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
I've recently got a job to do the design & photography for a catalog (first time), and after talking to the print shop, they asked for the files to be given to them in CMYK format.
So I open my RGB file on CS3, changed the mode to CMYK, edit the image, and saved it. So far it looks great on the monitor.
Problem comes when I close the file on CS3, go to the folder, open the image with ACDSee, which is the program I have to see images on my PC, and it looks completely different from what I was seeing on the Photoshop window.
It looks brighter, shinier, and with the colors all messed up.
I don't know if that's the way its supposed to be, I don't know if after they print it it will all be fine, or what.
I'd like to know if I'm doing anything wrong from what I described, and any help will be appreciated.
If what I did is not clear, please ask away and I'll give some more detail if needed.
Thanks
Photographer
Downtown Pro Photo
Posts: 1606
Crystal Lake, Illinois, US
You're looking at the same image in two different color spaces. ACDSee does not operate with a CMYK color space and what you're seeing is it's attempt to interpret it as a RGB.
I would suggest you do what ever you normally do in ACDSee first and then work on the conversions afterwards as the final step.
You will need to work very closely with the print house since different printers require different specs for densities. They can tell you the D-max and mins needed for a project based on the paper stock and press capabilities. Press proofs are sometimes required to help match colors. The press house will be able to provide you with all the info you need.
Photographer
Primox Studios
Posts: 342
Madrid, Madrid, Spain
I guess I'll have to stop by again and sit down to work it out with them...
Thanks for your imput!
Photographer
BornArts
Posts: 306
Fresno, California, US
Hmmm, I not sure what to say because that program you use to view your work I dont have. Have you tried viewing your work in other apps? I.E. InDesign, etc. I do a lot of printing and my first instinct would be that it's probably ok if it looked good when you saved it in cmyk. If you are still unsure request a proof from your printer after you send your file(s).
Photographer
Lumigraphics
Posts: 32780
Detroit, Michigan, US
Primox Studios wrote:
I've recently got a job to do the design & photography for a catalog (first time), and after talking to the print shop, they asked for the files to be given to them in CMYK format.
So I open my RGB file on CS3, changed the mode to CMYK, edit the image, and saved it. So far it looks great on the monitor.
Problem comes when I close the file on CS3, go to the folder, open the image with ACDSee, which is the program I have to see images on my PC, and it looks completely different from what I was seeing on the Photoshop window.
It looks brighter, shinier, and with the colors all messed up.
I don't know if that's the way its supposed to be, I don't know if after they print it it will all be fine, or what.
I'd like to know if I'm doing anything wrong from what I described, and any help will be appreciated.
If what I did is not clear, please ask away and I'll give some more detail if needed.
Thanks LULZ on this. You are doing catalog work and don't know about colorspaces? OMG...
Seriously, find someone (mentor, pre-press house, someone at the printer) who knows this stuff and who can help you with a color managed workflow. Catalogs typically need to be printed with accurate colors and it is VERY important that all the steps in the chain be done right. You could easily be sending them the wrong color profile, out-of-gamut colors, the wrong black points, no compensation for dot gain, incorrect sharpening, poor clipping paths, incorrect formats, and a zillion other problems which will result in expensive and time-consuming proofing and re-printing.
I used to work in pre-press and this is a disaster in the making.
Photographer
790763
Posts: 2747
San Francisco, California, US
If things goes wrong, guess who they'll blame? Y.O.U! If there is time, I recommend you pick up Dan Margulis' Professional Photoshop 5th Ed. Workflow in CMYK. Lumigraphics wrote:
LULZ on this. You are doing catalog work and don't know about colorspaces? OMG...
Seriously, find someone (mentor, pre-press house, someone at the printer) who knows this stuff and who can help you with a color managed workflow. Catalogs typically need to be printed with accurate colors and it is VERY important that all the steps in the chain be done right. You could easily be sending them the wrong color profile, out-of-gamut colors, the wrong black points, no compensation for dot gain, incorrect sharpening, poor clipping paths, incorrect formats, and a zillion other problems which will result in expensive and time-consuming proofing and re-printing.
I used to work in pre-press and this is a disaster in the making.
Photographer
Robert Randall
Posts: 13890
Chicago, Illinois, US
Lumigraphics wrote:
LULZ on this. You are doing catalog work and don't know about colorspaces? OMG...
Seriously, find someone (mentor, pre-press house, someone at the printer) who knows this stuff and who can help you with a color managed workflow. Catalogs typically need to be printed with accurate colors and it is VERY important that all the steps in the chain be done right. You could easily be sending them the wrong color profile, out-of-gamut colors, the wrong black points, no compensation for dot gain, incorrect sharpening, poor clipping paths, incorrect formats, and a zillion other problems which will result in expensive and time-consuming proofing and re-printing.
I used to work in pre-press and this is a disaster in the making. The CMYK conversion clips or suppresses out of gamut colors, there is no way that I know of to send a 4 color file with out of gamut colors. You can however prepare a file that calls for more ink than the process can handle, but that's an entirely different issue.
Photographer
Lumigraphics
Posts: 32780
Detroit, Michigan, US
Robert Randall wrote:
The CMYK conversion clips or suppresses out of gamut colors, there is no way that I know of to send a 4 color file with out of gamut colors. You can however prepare a file that calls for more ink than the process can handle, but that's an entirely different issue. I assume he is proofing in RGB and then converting. I've seen this in person- oh sure it looks JUST RIGHT and then when printed...hey, that's not right! Sorry I wasn't clear about that. Color-matching in CMYK can be tricky.
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