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Designing in PS and Using Illustrator for Vectors-Help!
I have been struggling with these issues for some time now and I need someone to put an end to the agony.
I am currently working on a program for a film premiere and I have been told by many designers that I should always get fancy with fotos, brushes, etc in photoshop and do all text and vector type art in illustrator to get the crisp lines. First off, is this true? I only have Photoshop CS and Illustrator 10 to work with but if I have to upgrade or use indesign I will if it improves workflow.
Second question is resolution. The document is 8.5″ x 14″, CMYK, and 300dpi in PS ( is that to low a resolution) ?
Third, is when I design in PS and send it to the printer, all CMYK of course, colors come out fine from start to finish. But for some reason when I place the PSD file in Ilustrator the colors are immediately off in Illustrator. I’ve asked many designers about the colors being off when going from PS to Illustrator and no one had a clear answer. BUt I notice when I save it out from Illustrator as a tiff or PDF the colors go back to normal. WHats up?
Fourth, I also am working on a bus card, totally in illsutrator. I have placed an image to fill the whole background, the image is from the web and RGB. I set all the vector art and text at 85 percent opacity for the desired effect I want. I have one solid going across the background with COLOR tuurned on in the blending mode. I save it out as a PDF to get approval from the client and all the colors are off. Maybe I’m saving out as wrong file type but I just thought that since PDF is for sure going to open in a MAC or PC and since save for web always changes the colors I’d be safe with the PDF. WHat am I doing wrong?
Fifth, I have been lucky so far because the clients have been happy but there has got to be a way to fix this color issue in illustrator. A so called prepress expert said that there is no way to effectively tackle the issue of color matching from monitor to final print other than printing it out somewhere like KINKO’s or at home and taking the printed version that I like to the printer so they can match it. That just doesn’t seem right?
Give me the medicine I need for my five ailments PLEASE!!!!
Luis
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6 Replies
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[LueyLuey] ?I have been told by many designers that I should always get fancy with fotos, brushes, etc in photoshop and do all text and vector type art in illustrator to get the crisp lines. First off, is this true? I only have Photoshop CS and Illustrator 10 to work with but if I have to upgrade or use indesign I will if it improves workflow.”
Since Photoshop 7, Photoshop has had the ability to save files with vector data included, so you don’t have to set type in Illustrator or a page layout program. You can set your type in Photoshop and it will remain crisp and vector, provided you save it either as an EPS with the Include Vector Data option checked, or as a PDF.
Your resolution seems fine, if you follow the instructions above.
As to the “color shift in Illustrator” question – ignore what you see on the screen, which is just a preview.
I’ll leave the rest of your questions for someone else.
-kim
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Anyone else want to take a crack at my questions?
Luis
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Kim asnwered it all and correctly.. so no
Richard M. Harrington, PMP
Author: Photoshop CS for Nonlinear Editors
Co-Author Final Cut Pro on the Spot, After Effects on the Spot, Broadcast Graphics on the Spot, and After Effects @ Work
Check out the new DVD: Photoshop CS: Essentials for Digital Video from http://www.photoshopforvideo.comedit – produce – direct –
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Thanks for your prompt response
Ok, I understand that in illustrator its in preview mode. But what can i output from illlustrator to get a semi accurate depiction of the final image on my monitor before it goes to print? Also something I can email to a client for approval.
Seperate from that , is there a color setting I should be on in PS and Illustrator , something general for all printers? And is there a book, magazine, class, online class, DVD, etc. you can reccommend for prepress and color management. I live in Los Angeles. A good monthly mag with cool tips would be nice too.
Thanks,
Luis
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I’d save any Illustrator Doc as a pdf for clients
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Kim had some good answers – here’s mine for the rest:
1. Only true if you save out a flattened jpg at 72dpi of your image… then you will lose the crisp lines. But as Kim said – this is not longer such an issue. The main reason for using Illustrator/InDesign now is if you are doing stuff like 2 color print jobs etc. where it’s generally easier to get separations from.
2. Could be too high a resolution. Just depends on your final print size and your printer’s lpi. 225dpi is a standard for a lot of printers. Always find out the exact details from the printers. They’re used to answering those kinds of questions – and every printer is different. Some – for instance – will want the file in RGB as they’ll have better CMYK conversion through their RIP.
3. If it’s CMYK this is a preview issue. Typically. Same thing for Pagemaker and InDesign. As you notice – goes back to normal – so it’s a working problem.
4. It’s because you’re using transparency… in the PDF settings select ‘unchanged’ or whatever under color mode (ie: not CMYK, not RGB)
5. Your prepress expert is somewhat right. You CAN buy an excellent hooded monitor/calibration kit (1k+) and calibrate it exactly to the printer that you are outputting to – and, depending on seasonal weather changes, humidity, temparature, ambient lighting, paper stock etc. you MAY get close. The other common thing is to get a ‘match print’ from the printer. These are typically anywhere from $45 – $90 and will provide the most accurate way of seeing what you’r final will be. Taking a sample to the printer is always good – they can tweak a lot for you if they’re good. Still – it will NOT be perfect. Ever.
Explaining these things to freelance clients is essential. Explaining them to corporations is even more important. The color of their brand is an extremely sensitive thing.
If color is really important – buy a pantone book (buy a new one every year as the colors will alter with time) – Then design by the book – NOT by what you see on the screen. It’s a bit odd – like designing by numbers – but when your printer gets the instructions for Pantone colors – they are fairly accurate to what your client picked out.
Hope that helps!
// jayse
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