Converting PSE RGB to CMYK?

Can I take the RGB output files from my Mac PSE8 and put them into PS on a friend's Windows PC and convert them to CMYK files for printing?

Proper CMYK conversion is quite a bit more complex than that. What you're describing you can do in OS X Preview, but it's not going to get you accurate color when printed. You need to get the correct information about the paper, ink emulsion, etc. and then soft proof and make the necessary corrections to adjust the colors for the CMYK space you'll be using.
If you don't understand what's involved, I'd suggest perusing "Real World Color Management" to learn more, or else having the printer do it for you (they will probably charge you).

Similar Messages

  • Can I use either PE9 or LR4 to convert Adobe RGB to CMYK?

    Can I use either PE9 or LR4 to convert Adobe RGB to CMYK?

    LR4 does not convert to CMYK. You would need CS6. But if your requirement is a one-off you may be able to get your print lab to do the conversion at a reasonable price.

  • Convert from RGB to CMYK

    I've been trying to find solutions to convert images/pdf's from RGB to CMYK. I've noticed that it's definitely possible to convert from CMYK to RGB, but haven't been able to do the reverse.
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    Ugh, I'm a newb and did a better search and found other previous posters asking the same question.
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  • Converting from RGB to CMYK alters shadows

    When working with our product photos, I keep them in RGB and add drop shadows to them by drawing  rectangular marquees on a separate layer, fill them with black and then apply gaussian and motin blur to them. Works quite well. Plus with the shadow on it's own layer, I can turn it off in InDesign if need be. The problem is when I convert the photo to CMYK for offset printing. It's asks if I want merge the layers to which I say no since I want to be able to turn the shadows off if need be, but when I say no, then the shadows get bigger and do not look as good as they did in RGB. If I say yes to merge, then the shadows look the same as they did in RGB but I lose the ability to turn them off in InDesign.
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    gator soup wrote:
     ... i would think any conversion would be subject to the same anomaly that Photoshop is showing 
    but i don't know... maybe convert to the destination cmyk before setting any layer effects or adjustment layers
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  • Converting from RGB to CMYK makes the image dull. How do I fix?

    I have an image that has a really bright vibrant blue in it. When I convert it from RGB to CMYK, it gets pretty dull. Is there a "trick" or something to do to a file after converting to CMYK to bring back some of it's vibrancy?

    Sharingene wrote:
    Question on workflow... so do I convert my sRGB to CMYK, work to fix different color issues using some of the methods above, then what?  Where does the printer's profile come into play during all of this?  UPrint told me for offset printing they use US Web-coated SWOP v.2.  Just not sure what to do with this information
    Whenever you convert, you're always converting from the source color space to the destination color space.
    In this case, your source color space is sRGB, because that's the color space your file is in.
    Your printer told you that the CMYK profile they use is USWebCoatedSWOPv2, so that's the destination color space you want to convert to. You can consider that the printer's profile.
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    Second way: go to Edit > Convert to Profile...
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    Click OK. Conversion done.
    This is a more deliberate method that also gives you control over Rendering Intent. (That's another discussion. For now, use Relative.)
    -I guess it's used in soft proofing but sure how all this works.  If I soft proof and it's still not looking right, am I able to edit with their profile turned on some how?
    A soft proof is an on-screen simulation of what your color will look like once you do the conversion. In your case, you would turn on soft-proof (command-Y) while still in sRGB to simulate the look of the CMYK color space.
    To select the color space to simulate, go to View > Proof Setup.
    Click on Custom...
    Click on the Device to Simulate popup.
    Scroll to find the destination color space.
    Then when you hit command-Y, you'll see a soft proof of that color space.
    Best practices suggest that you do the bulk of your color correction while still in RGB, but with soft proof on.
    Also, should I get a profile for the paper I'm  using as well?
    That's what the printer's profile is.
    Although I've read somewhere it's hard to have your monitor replicate paper because monitors are so bright....
    Not exactly. The challenge in getting a visual match between monitor and proof/print is based on the fact that a monitor is emissive (i.e., it's a light source) and a print is reflective (i.e., it only reflects light that's hitting it.) However, in a proper, well controlled editing environment, it's possible to get a shockingly close match between monitor and proof/print. All the variables are controllable.
    The bottom line with all of this is to be able to get accurate, predictable color on press (or out of your inkjet) based on what you see on screen. It can be done; I do it every day. It just takes some study and rigorous process control.
    I humbly suggest that you check out my book.
    Good luck!
    HTH,
    Rick
    Rick McCleary
    author, CMYK 2.0: A Cooperative Workflow for Photographers, Designers, and Printers
    Peachpit Press

  • Color turns Grayscale when converted from RGB to CMYK?!

    I have a complex pattern, that looks brilliant with a color layer. However, it was originally created RGB.
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    If I do this, it turns it into an image and it loses its clipping path?

  • Convert Colors RGB to CMYK something i don't understand.

    Hello!
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    Thanks.
    P.S. If something isn't understandable please ask, i'll try to make my point more clear (english isn't my first language).

    The 'create album' button is identical to File>New From Selection>Album (Command-L).
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  • Automatically convert from RGB to CMYK color mode

    I have over 900 barcodes provided in EPS format. When I open them in illustrator, they are coming in as an RGB color space file. I need them gray scale solid black in CMYK color mode. I can batch using actions to convert the artwork using "Edit Colors > Convert to Grayscale". However, the document color mode remains RGB. It appears, even after using "Convert to Grayscale", that the RGB color mode goofs up the placed .ai file in InDesign, treating it as RGB and seeing it as a mix of CMYK rather than the 100% black only it needs to be for proper sharp printing.
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    While recording the action, from the popup menu in the Actions Panel choose Insert Menu Item, then from the main menu choose File > Document Color Mode > CMYK color.

  • Converting from RGB to CMYK

    A client gave me a PNG made in Fireworks, and I need to pretty much convert this over to a CMYK file that I can send to a printer. SOme pointers would be greatly appreciated...

    This is not possible in Elements. You would need the full version of Photoshop to do this.
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  • Converting to .jpg to print (RGB vs.CMYK)

    Hi all,
    I am fairly new to adobe and all things it has to offer. I am slowly learning how to do everything myself.  I am currently using CS6. I made myself a 16x20" poster in Illustrator, converted it to a .jpg using the export menu. I put it to my flash drive and printed it out at a local fed ex office. When converting it to jpg, I kept it in CMYK color mode, and set it to be at the highest resolution and the highest quality file I could have.
    Now, I made another poster for a friend and did the exact same thing.  Instead of taking her .jpg somewhere to get printed, she is trying to upload it to a photo printing site (walmart, snapfish, shutterfly) to get it printed and mailed to her. Her poster keeps getting errors on the photo uploading site saying it is corrupted and not a valid file type.  I was confused, so I tried messing around with the illustrator file a bit, I ended up changing the color mode to RGB when I converted it to a jpg (I still made the artwork in CMYK mode). This uploaded fine to all the photo sharing sites, and was also half the size of the original .jpg (12 MB vs. 24).  So then I googled it, and came across a website that says printers only print in CMYK.  So if that is the case, what will happen when she prints this poster?  And why won't these photo uploading sites allow me to upload a poster that is in CMYK mode? If printers only print in CMYK, you would think it wouldn't be a problem.
    On a side note, when I try to upload the CMYK .jpg image to Fed Ex office online, it perfectly uploads.  So maybe this is just a problem with simple photo uploading sites?
    Thanks for the help!  Again, I am fairly new to illustrator so I don't understand color modes much or much else.

    I suggest you get your hands on Adobe's Print Publishing Guide.  I am sure there are many online "photo" print services out there.  The key is they are "photographic" printers which are RGB based.  It wouldn't surprise me if they incorprated some type of default rejection coordinance where they reject CMYK files.  You should be looking at PDF instead of JPEG anyway.  And, since that is a large format print job, a medium resolution based PDF is adequate and small enough to send FTP.  The advantage to PDF is it can honor a well established color workflow.  Focus on reading the various RGB color spaces and the different levels of PDF.  Also, spend some time on color management and converting from RGB to CMYK.  I'd be interested in learning which color settings and workspace profiles you have in place.

  • RGB  to CMYK gives me a white glaze? how to get rid of it

    In photoshop cs5 when i convert an image i am working on from RGB to CMYK i get a white glaze over the image? as if i have added a photo filter or something? do you know how to prevent this on a mac computer?

    Apple Custard Studios wrote:
    …yes i can see that it is broke, but if you look in your last post the before image is in there for some reason, and the after picture is at the top in the earlier discussions. 
    Sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to say here.    How can the "before" image be in any post of mine if I have never been able to see it?
    The image I posted in my post, was your "after" image CORRECTED by me as explained in that post:
    "Converting it to sRGB and setting the black and white points via a quick Auto Levels adjustment, brings about an improvement."
    In other words, I downloaded your "after" image, opened in Photoshop, went to the Edit menu and used Convert To Profile to convert it to the sRGB color space, then I ran and Auto Levels adjustment.  That's how I fixed your mess. 
    Apple Custard Studios wrote:
    Hi station_two
    …When i convert from rgb to cmyk, i SIMPLY GO: Image > mode> then click cmyk?…
    Geebus Chrysler!  No, that is indeed not just "primitive" but totally wrong.  Go to the CONVERT TO PROFILE menu item in the Edit menu in Photoshop, and from that menu select the specific CMYK profile you want (or your printer requests).  Be careful to select CONVERT TO PROFILE, do not under any circumstances choose "Assign Profile"!  Converting to the appropriate CMYK profile will also automatically change the image mode to CMYK mode.
    Apple Custard Studios wrote:
    …which i am unsure it it may mean i have wrong profiles set, but if so what would i need to change it to?…
    Apple Custard, it's obvious that you have no clue as to what Color Management is, and teaching you Color Management step by step here exceeds the scope of what can be accomplished in a forum.  A good place to start reading up on it is here:
    http://www.gballard.net/psd/cmstheory.html 
    In a nutshell:  Your Monitor profile should be the file resulting from your calibrating and profiling your monitor with a hardware calibrator puck.  Calibrate and profile your monitor regularly and often.  Your monitor profile thus will be device-dependent, specific to your monitor.
    Your working space, on the other hand, should be a device-independent profile, such as Adobe RGB or sRGB.  It should NEVER, ever be your monitor profile.
    Your target profile when printing should be device-dependent and specific to the combination of ink, paper and printer model you'll be using.  For the web, create a copy of your image file and convert it to sRGB, then save it as a JPEG as needed.
    Good luck!

  • Auto rgb to cmyk

    when i open a file in photoshop cs5 i want it to be automatically converted from rgb to cmyk with me having to kick off any action.  I had this setup on my previous puter.  Pls help.

    Maybe you had an Action or Script and triggered it with the open event in
    File > Scripts > Script Events Manager
    But why do you convert the images to CMYK anyway?
    And are you certain the particular CMYK space meets all subsequent needs?

  • Best results when changing RGB to CMYK

    Hi There,
    How can I get the best results when converting a RGB to CMYK? For example, a tif visual when offset printing... Is there any programme, plug in, machine for this?
    Many thanks

    I agree with Marco U.
    I might have said: only use Perceptual if an extremely important color in a photo changes terribly using Relative Colorimetric -- otherwise use that. The reason: The former method can make the whole picture shift (usually yellower and weaker) but the latter can make several distinctly different colors (like 3-5 different reds for example) and make them the same. Usually, one or two really strong colors can get shifted somewhat, but won't be noticeable in an otherwise great looking image.
    The secret to converting for good print color is to choose the source and target correctly.
    If you are serious about color, buy the book "Real World Color Management" by Bruce Fraser, Chris Murphy and Fred Bunting.
    http://www.amazon.com/Real-World-Color-Management-2nd/dp/0321267222/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF 8&s=books&qid=1198178251&sr=1-1
    Sadly, Bruce Fraser passed away, so the book may not go to a third edition.But you can still get the second edition and the first 5 or 6 chapters are an education in themselves.

  • RGB to CMYK conversion issue- Pulling my hair out@

    Hi there-
    I have downloaded a VECTOR image from Shutterstock, and it was built as an RGB file. When I try to convert it to CMYK (File-->Document Mode-->Concert to CMYK), it totally whacks out the image. I have tried everything I know how to do, and can't figure this out. I've tried changing the colors in the palette to CMYK, but it doesn't convert them permanently.
    I'm attaching two files (as JPEGS so you can see the problem), one shows the sunshine image nice and smooth. The other is after the conversion to CMYK.
    If you have any ideas, or want to see the actual file, please email me at [email protected] and I will send you the actual .eps file.
    THANK YOU!
    Brent

    Original file above.
    Select all
    Object> Flatten transparency (check preserve alpha transparency with slider to 100 vector)
    Change color settings (edit> color settings) to emulate Illustrator 6.
    Convert to cmyk mode
    Results
    There were two main issues converting to cmyk.
    Use of screen blending mode and the gradients themselves.
    Screen blending mode was described in previous posts.
    The gradients look also changed when converting from rgb to cmyk. If the screen blending mode was switched to normal, when converting to cmyk, the gradients would not look the same.
    Flattening transparency is not an elegant solution, but it is a quick and dirty one.
    Mario described this method in a previous post.
    Depending on your color settings, it may yield unwanted artifact colors. Turning off CM, setting to Illustrator 6 emulation, will not yield the artifacts.

  • Color converting RGB to CMYK mode???

    Is it possible to convert RGB to CMYK color mode in Elements 10?

    No, not really. If you google around, Richard Lynch had a sort of workaround for this for very early versions of PSE that could possibly be adapted for current use, but a proper CMYK conversion is much more complex, even with the proper tools, than going from sRGB to Adobe RGB, for example.
    If you have a mac you can do a mode conversion in Preview, but you may not like what you get from the print shop using that method.

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