Converting Images to CMYK for Print Publication

When in my workflow should I be converting images to CMYK for print publication?
Currently, I shoot RAW photographs with my DSLR in Adobe RGB, import the images into Photoshop for manipulation and then convert the final, sized image to CMYK before placing it in my Indesign document. Before going to print, I convert my files to PDF using the [PDF/X-1a:2001] preset. I use a calibrated system with a profile set for my monitor.
Since many of my pictures have shades of green, I'm often disappointed with the conversion to CMYK because I lose saturation and brightness. Am I doing anything wrong? Is there a better way of preserving the quality of colour in my images when going to a commercial printer?

To see in InDesign what color shifts will occur, use View=>Proof Colors.
I would also recommend View=>Overprint Preview.
Yes there are color shifts when converting RGB to CMYK, but those are due to the fact that the gamut of CMYK is significantly less than AdobeRGB or even sRGB. The same color shifts going to CMYK will occur whether you convert the image in Photoshop or in InDesign during PDF export or at the RIP.
Keeping the color in ICC color managed RGB has the advantage that last minute changes can be made as to what CMYK printing conditions are used, i.e. all CMYK is not the same. Furthermore, if you convert RGB to CMYK early in the workflow, you lose the ability to maintain the color gamut for display of the PDF as well as for printing to high fidelity color devices, i.e., offset or digital (especially inkjet) devices that have extra colorants such as light cyan, light magenta, orange, and/or green to dramatically expand the gamut. Once you lose the gamut in your imagery via conversion to CMYK, you can't go back.
- Dov

Similar Messages

Converting RGB to CMYK for print causes darkening and loss of detail on page.

I work in CS5 to create illustrations in a very broad range of colors. I use filters and adjustment layers to achieve the desired effects, so my images feature gradients and high contrast design. I usually would work only for the web, so I never had a need to convert my images into a CMYK workspace. I have started making prints of some of my work, and I have noticed that I am losing not only detail, but vibrancy as well. A lot of the darker areas are smudging together, and some of the areas with light contrasted against dark look less intelligible than when I created it on screen.
My first attempt at printing was at a Staples, which could be part of the problem. I had TIFF and JPEG files saved as CMYK. The TIFF files looked awful, but the JPEG had slightly more clarity in the print. One of my TIFF files displayed on the Staples computer as being completely stretched out and grayscale, though it looked fine on my own device.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as I am attempting to learn all that I can about this subject. Thanks!

DOn't bither with CMYK for any form if " home printing". Their printers don't work any different from your own inkjet and exoect images to directly come from digital cameras etc. And are calibrated accordingly. Otherwise you have a lot of reading to do on color management, color calibration, gamut etc.
Mylenium

HELP! Convert JPG to CMYK for print on Epson Stylus Pro 4880 problems

Hello all!
I need to print a JPG file to an Epson Stylus Pro 4880 printer and keep the original colors. The JPG file is of a company logo containging text/graphic. I use CS5 to convert the file to CMYK and save it as an Adobe PDF. When I print it everything looks good but there is a reddish outline around everything. Anyone have an idea how I can get rid of the outline? I am using the US Coated (SWOP) v2 for the CMYK scheme.
Help! I need to print out some logo tags for the customer.
Thanks in advance, Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.

wish I could help but I am Mac and Essentials is not in my work flow!

Converting RGB to CMYK for printing.

So I went in to the Apple Store yesterday and told the guy that I'd like to design my own DVD cover for a presentation reel. I was about to spring for the teacher's edition of Photoshop, but he convinced me to buy the cheaper one with a Bamboo tablet...which was the same price as buying the program but included the tablet.
Hours later after designing my DVD cover, I find out that elements doesn't use CMYK mode. Ridiculous! This is my first time doing something like this so I wasn't entirely sure how to proceed... I thought.. oh well maybe I just switch modes later and I'm good. I guess this program was designed for less intense designers that print from a desktop at home, but I had other plans from the start. Anyways, what would you do? Here are my questions:
Should I take back the program/tablet and exchange it for one with CMYK capabilities? If I do this, will the document that I've used in elements be able to work in CMYK mode so I can send it to a printer? ...or do I make a really good print to a desktop printer and then just duplicate those for my cover?
Thanks for the help.

I came across a great web site where you can perform free RGB to CMYK conversions on your image files (up to 5mb). They offer a choice of numerous CMYK profiles. For U.S. commercial offset printing of your DVD cover, I'd recommend choosing GRACoL2006_Coated1v2.icc
http://www.rgb2cmyk.org/

Does Lightroom convert images to CMYK?

I need to convert images to CMYK to submit photos for an article. I know Photoshop will convert, but don't know which software. If Lightroom does not convert to CMYK, which would I need to get?

p3vanisle wrote:
So I can locate the CMYK profile my printer is using, and install it into my design suite (PS, Illustrator, InDesign) and then export relevant filetypes in that color space? That would be terribley useful.
Yes, you have to install the profile on your computer. In Photoshop CSxx you go >Edit >Convert to Profile, and select the CMYK-profile under <Destination Space>. In Acrobat you go >Edit >Color Management, and select the profile under <Working Space>. But only Photoshop will convert the image to CMYK, whereas - at least for my understanding - Acrobat will display the image as if it were CMYK but not actually convert it.
If I do the conversion here (open their images in PS or Acrobat and convert the profile) aren't I still stuck in the 'I don't know what shade of pink you want that flower to be' still anyways?
If you get a RGB image from a client, you have to assume that the colors are as wanted. This is not different when you get a CMYK image. The problem for you is that nor everybody has a calibrated monitor, so an image might look good on their monitor but the actual color numbers will produce a print that looks different. But there is nothing you can do, except - if you have the time - adjust obvious off-colors. For instance you know the skin-color of caucasian (white) people. You know how green a lawn is, and you know that most brides wear a white gown. So if for instance the gown is blue-ish, or the skin looks overly pink, you can adjust that. More you cannot do. In case of a flower you can only accept the photo as is - unless you know this type of flower very well.
But the evaluation of color is only possible if you have a calibrated monitor that is re-calibrated regularly (every week or so). If your monitor is not calibrated you have no way of knowing if the off-color is due to the color numbers of the delivered image or a result of your un-calibrated monitor that displays the colors differently than the color numbers warrant.
If you use a calibrated monitor the colors should not change on conversion to CMYK. You can use the Softproof feature in Photoshop to check if colors are out of gamut.
- my degree is in design, yes, but we didn't cover printing and prepress specifics at all.
Yes, I have noticed in my work that the designers often have no knowledge about color management, printing, and pre-press. Good on you that you care and want to learn!
Keep on asking if you wish.

When (if ever) to convert to CMYK for printing?

Hi, I've been doing a ton of Googling and forum searching for an answer to this question, but all of the answers I've been reading are very different and I have no idea which to follow. Essentially, I'm using PS and creating a 10'x10' backdrop for a trade show booth and am trying to figure out if I should start in RGB and convert to CMYK, or stay in RGB and let the printer convert to CMYK. The final deliverable will be in PDF format.
Generally the two answers I've found online have been:
1) If you're making something for print ALWAYS create the document in CMYK color before beginning, or convert to CMYK.
2) NEVER work in CMYK, but instead work in RGB and then let the printer convert to CMYK at the end of the process.
A third answer that has come up less often as been:
1) Create all photos, gradients, etc. in Photoshop. Do all vectors in Illustrator. Bring them together in InDesign and export PDF from there.
I'm sure on some level the answer to the question is situational, but the two primary answers people seem to give are complete opposites and I could use some guidance as to when to follow which one, or if one is a common misconception.

Unfortunately, I don't have an answer to that yet. I've been trying to get all of the more detailed information from the printer, but they have been really slow with the responses despite them needing the design sometime tomorrow (the process was starter over a week ago ) and they have no further detail on their website regarding document setup.
So from the sounds of it, assuming it's using an inkjet process it would probably remain in RGB, and if it's an offset process begin in CMYK?
Also, the design is utilizing several adjustment layers in Photoshop and some of the layers have varying opacities, will those be affected by whatever the final printing method is?
Thanks for you help. I don't have a lot of print experience as you can tell.

I have to save as CMYK for print, but the colours are out of whack..

hey all,
I am designing something for a CD cover that is going to be printed at a print shop, They say they want their images in CMYK and prefer it in a PDF or highest quality JPEG....
So I have been working in CMYK, everything looks fine in photoshop, but when I save out to a JPG the whole thing gets dark and colours get horribly over saturated.
here you can see the image on the left is what happens when I save out directly from my CMYK file in photoshop. there is a big loss in detail in the darker areas and colours are over saturated. the image on the right is what I get if I convert to mode>RGB and then save the JPG. .. . .this is what I want it to look like....
my problem is the print shop requests the image in CMYK, but I want them to print like it looks in the RGB version
any help would be greatfully appreciated! Thankyou!
also here are the actual .jpegs as saved from photoshop
the CMYK version:
and the RGB version:
edit: I don't know too much about colour profiles, and the print shop hasn't provided one on their site, so I picked the default one - Working CMYK, U.S WebCoated (SWOP v2)
edit: these are the file formats the printers say they take on their site:
PDF - 300 dpi - (preferred), Tiff, Highest resolution JPG, EPS
I don't really have any experience with the other formats but I presume I would get the same colour results

Thanks all for the replies.
Just to be clear the file is already in CMYK (U.S web coated SWOPv2), I understand now its probably smarter to work in RGB and then convert at the end but hadn't done so in this case.
If I change image mode to RGB (or vice versa) i notice a tiny shift in the colours on my monitor but nothing as dramatic as what im seeing in those CMYK Jpeg/TIFF's.
John Danek -
there are probably more than 20 layers in there, my colour settings should all be default because ive never even looked in there before, but here is a screenshot of the dialogue box
and the bit depth is 8-bits per channel
If I save it out as a CMYK .pdf then it looks fine, presumably because im opening it in Adobe acrobat reader so it can see the embedded profile. So I think this is the problem after all, thanks Chris Cox and gator soup for clearing that up!
I have emailed the printers and asked if they can read my embedded profiles correctly with their software (presumably they can) and asked for them to recommend an ICC colour profile but have yet to hear back from them.

RGB Logo uses Overlay transparency... need in CMYK for print but color changes in overlay

I am working with a logo someone else created in RGB using the Overlay transparency. When I convert it to CMYK just one area seems to "change color".
I tried inserting both versions here - but it isn't working too well. Basically, in the image below the outline of the "scales" appears darker in the CMYK version for printing. Any ideas on how I can adjust it to print in the same vibrant color the RGB is showing?

fill in info RGB is light (like on your screen) and adds more light when mixed, CMYK are pigments and adds more color or multiplies, when mixed

RGB to CMYK (For Print)

How can i convert the RGB Color poroperly convert to CMYK.
I have a color RGB - R-0, G-5, B-55, how can i get the CMYK color for the same.
Please help

DOn't bither with CMYK for any form if " home printing". Their printers don't work any different from your own inkjet and exoect images to directly come from digital cameras etc. And are calibrated accordingly. Otherwise you have a lot of reading to do on color management, color calibration, gamut etc.
Mylenium

Need CMYK for printer... but msg "document is using CMYK blend space..." concerning

Hello all,
I need to create an output PDF that is CMYK for the printer.
I thought I was doing everything correctly until I got this message that was generated when I selected Export (to PDF), "The document is using CMYK space. Colors are converted to RGB in interactive PDF files. To avoid color changes, click Cancel and choose Document RGB from the Edit > Transparency Blend Space menu. Click OK to continue."
So, I think this means that the PDF export is being saved in an RGB color space. Is that a correct interpretation? If so, how do I preserve the CMYK color space because that is what the commercial printer requires? Is that even possible or relevant?
Thank you

You are a lifesaver!
I was wondering what that "interactive PDF" thing was all about. I didn't release that it was simply an Export As... error. I must have inadvertently selected it at some point.
Thanks a million!

Saving Images to DVD for printing

Hi all
I have began shooting RAW, converting RAW images and editing with ACR & PSE 4.
I do not have dedicated printer at this stage as I am still learning editing with PSE4.
Any images I wish to get printed I save to a DVD and take to local print shop for printing. Normally I save in JPEG format and get 6x4 prints.
However I have a few images I wish to get printed in a larger size, say 10x8 or 13x11.
My question relates to what is best format and size to save images to get optium ptinting quality for these siz prints? Pictures taken with a 8mp camera and I have the images saved in TIFF which are 22.9m in size. So resolution is not an issue.
Hope this makes sense.
Thanks
Dennis

> 8mp camera and I have the images saved in TIFF which are 22.9m in size
That makes no sense.
> So resolution is not an issue.
Yes it is.
There are 2 issues here: file format and image size/resolution.
The best format depends upon what the print shop will accept. Often, JPEG is the only option and simply saving at the highest quality will give excellent results. If the option is available from the shop, give them a non-lossy format - TIFF is probably best.
With image size it's all down to pixels and looking at th epixel size of your image is what matters. The "resolution" [PPI value] is simply the ratio of pixels in the image to inches on paper. So long as you PPI is at least 200 and no more than, say, 600, you are OK. Print shops operate in 2 ways:
The expensive ones will take your image and you tell them how big you want to print and they do it.
The cheaper ones require the image be carefully prepared to be the right size - i.e. have the PPI set so that the size in inches is right.
In my experience, the cheaper ones, while requiring more work, often produce the best results.
If you are in the UK, email me [colin_walls AT yahoo DOT com] and I will direct you to an excellent mail-order printer, who is cheap, reliable and produces excellent results. [I have no business connection with them, except that I'm a happy customer.]

Creating Large Image of SWF for Printing

I need to create very large images of my SWFs for printing
purposes without a degradation of image quality. Any
suggestions?

If anyone else had this problem you can see the neat script that was written to solve it in the Automator forum. Go here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=849139&tstart=0

How do I convert all RGB images to CMYK for PACKAGING - InDesign CC?

I understand that they can be exported as a CMYK pdf - but I'm splitting a project with another designer and she needs to get me all of her files - many of which are RGB - need them CMYK. Thanks!

You can't convert the color mode of links during packaging -- and you don't need to, most likely. Why do you think you must have CMYK? Unless you know the correct output space now, and have no plans to re-purpose the file in the future (and even if those things are true and you don't need to make post conversion adjustments to the color) there is no advantage, and plenty of disadvantage, to converting to CMYK before export.

Placing images in Illustrator for print ready files

I'm designing a brochure in Illustrator that contains several logos and photos. (Yes, I know, Illustrator... I've read several forums and know that InDesign may be a better program for this, but I completely underbid this project and really need to stick with something I know for cost efficiency.)
I need to resize several images in Photoshop to place in Illustrator and I'm wondering if I should save them as CMYK jpegs, or tiffs, etc. I need the file to be the smallest it can be for upload to the printer. I need the basics on different file types and their pros and cons.
Also, when I'm sending out the proof to the customer, any tips on saving the pdf so the images aren't too blurry and the file is still sendable?
Please help!! Any other information or tips on how to prepare my file as a print ready would be great. I love to learn and really need some great resources.
Thanks!

How many pages are we talking about? The key to file efficiency is Placing images at their final size, so you are on the right track. Let me try to help...
"I need to resize several images in Photoshop to place in Illustrator and I'm wondering if I should save them as CMYK jpegs, or tiffs, etc. I need the file to be the smallest it can be for upload to the printer. I need the basics on different file types and their pros and cons."
-Do not save as JPG. The compression artifacts will show up in print. Just Place CMYK .tiffs or .psd's without sizing in Illustrator. Another thing to keep in mind is "Linking" the image files instead of "Embedding" them. You have a little more control saving your page files as EPS before creating the final PDF.
"Also, when I'm sending out the proof to the customer, any tips on saving the pdf so the images aren't too blurry and the file is still sendable?"
-There are a few different ways you can create a PDF viewable as a softproof. You could send the final as a Standard PDF using defaults. Don't forget to embed the fonts and leave color unchanged. What I do is Export > RGB TIF @ 150ppi > Open the .tiff in Photoshop and Save-As Photoshop PDF with a JPG compression of 8. You could do that for each page and then reassemble using Acrobat for one assembled, final PDF optimized.
"Please help!! Any other information or tips on how to prepare my file as a print ready would be great. I love to learn and really need some great resources."
-Get Adobe's Print Publishing Guide. It has enough information in it to help you wade through all of the disinformation out there. Get in touch with a couple of local print shops and have them take a look at your files. Good shops can spot problems and give you some handy tips. Not all shops will take the time, so finding one can be tricky.
Thanks!
-You're welcome. Let us know how it all shakes out.

Converting Images to CMYK?

Just new to LR and was hoping someone could solve my problems Re: image conversion.
Is there a way to convert RBG images in Lightroom to a 'HighRes CMYK' so there press ready? Ive been searching but cant find anything. Hopefully they havent cut this feature out?
Cheers,
Adam

And not likely ever will be. CMYK will be viewable for DAM purposes but little else.
Don Ricklin, MacBook 1.83Ghz Duo Core, Pentax *ist D
http://donricklin.blogspot.com/

Converting Images to CMYK for Print Publication

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