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You have many choices when it comes to graphics software programs. You can either work in RGB or CMYK. These are called “color spaces”. Scanners and digital cameras create images using combinations of just 3 colors: Red, Green and Blue (called “RGB”). These are the primary color of light, which computers use to display images on your screen. Printing presses print full color pictures using a different set of colors, the primary colors of pigment: Cyan (blue), Magenta (red), Yellow and Black (called “CMYK”). This is “4 color process” or “full color” printing that comprises the majority of magazines and marketing materials you see every day. At some stage your RGB files MUST be translated to CMYK in order to print it on a printing press.
The main reason is that it will save you money. The second reason is that you will have more control over the appearance of your printed piece if you convert all of the images from RGB to CMYK before sending them to us. Whenever we receive RGB images, we do a standard value conversion to CMYK, which may not be perfectly to your liking. WE want you to be happy, so please, take the time to prepare you file properly. We cannot be responsible for sub-par results if you furnish your images in RGB. Even though monitors always use RGB to display colors , the colors you see on your monitor will more closely match the final printed piece of if you are viewing them in the CMYK color space.
Be aware that it is possible to see colors in RGB that you CANNOT make with CMYK. They are said to be “out of the CMYK color gamut”. What happens is that the RGB to CMYK translator just gets a close as possible to the appearance of the original and that's as good as it can be. Everyone in the industry has to put up with it, so don't feel alone. So with that being said, it is best to select any colors you use for fonts or other design elements in your layout using CMYK definitions instead of RGB. At least, that way you will have a better idea of how they will appear in your printed piece. Here is a common example: many programs translate the 100% Blue in RGB into a somewhat purple-looking color in CMYK. Working in the CMYK color space allows you to select the CMYK recipe, or “screen build”, that gives you the results you want.
Corel Draw 9
Select each object you want to convert. Select the Fill toll and click Fill Color Dialog. Make sure the Color model is CMYK. For each object with an outline: Select the Outline tool and click the Outline Color Dialog. Make sure the Color model is CMYK.
Adobe Illustrator 9
Use the following menu options. For and existing file select Edit/Select all and then Filter/Colors/Convert to CMYK. For a new file, select File/New and select CMYK color for the Color Mode.
PageMaker
PageMaker has a wonderful feature called “Save for Service Provider” . This feature will save you lots of time and help to insure your document prints the way you see it on the screen. It automatically checks your links, fonts and graphics and saves it all conveniently into one folder.
You may want to print this screen so you can follow along while you are in PageMaker.
- Open your document in PageMaker.
- Click Utilities and scroll down to Plug Ins and then down to Save For Service Provider (second to last selection).
- Click Preflight Pub (if anything comes up about a non-postscript printer just click OK.) it will now check your links and fonts.
- At this point it will tell you by either a red “x” or green check mark how your files are. Anything with a red “x” will need to be fixed by clicking on the red “x” or appropriate tab. Click Relink All to fix any problems.
- In the lower left hand side of the screen, click Package.
- Select the location to save your file. If you are saving it to a Zip, select your disk, if you will be FTPing the file, make a new folder, preferably on the root of you HD.
- Check copy Fonts, All and Update Links in Source Pub Before Packaging.
- Click Save, and then Close when it is done.
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