Wato

Hi!

I am creating a logo in PS6 (working on a PC) using a graphic from clip art. This logo will be used on letterhead, biz cards, buttons, etc.

My concern is when I take the final logo to the commercial printer, will they be able to use all the colors of the graphic (clip art) if there are no separate layers? How will they be able to print out all of the colors if so?

Also, how do I successfully convert the final logo to be used by the printer if they are working on a MAC (in either PS or Quark)?

Thanks!

ladyfinger007

Hi! the best would be so call your printer and ask him exactly how he would like to receive the logo
(the format, I guess that he will ask for an EPS or a Tiff, the colour mode : RBG if he converts himself to CYMK, or CYMK, and maybe the profile used for the conversion)

We don't use the layers to print the colours... most often, we'll use the Channels to separate the colors, and the way the colours are separated for press printing is CYMK.
Cyan , yellow, magenta+black (take a loupe and look in a colout picure in a magazine)

I don't think that you used single tone layers using Pantone colours, so the best is to talk to your printer, we'll then guide you following what he needs, and how he needs it. (showing us the logo might help us to help you)

Write down everything he asks, make him repeat if needed, and then we'll be able to help you the good way!

Wato

here is clip art graphic (rough version) so you can get an idea of the logo (hope you can open it)....i'm just using the person holding the book and getting rid of the green.

it was suggested that i work in Illustrator (which i don't have) and that i try and only use 3 or 4 colors....what do you suggest?

thanks again!

ladyfinger007

Ah, indeed, there are several ways to print one is to use pantone colours ( a reference chart) or to use CYMK.

Converting the picture to two colors might bring down the printing costs...

Do you intend to make it with vectors, so you can enlarge it at will?

Wato

i think the fewer colors the less problems, too.

(i've not talked to the client about the design yet as i am trying to answer all of my questions first!!! they don't even have an idea as it is all volunteer and from scratch!)

i know they will want to also use it on the web so if they can enlarge the logo...yes.

but how do i use vectors?

for a beginner, am i getting in way over my head?? [confused]

ladyfinger007

Two ways : (in photoshop)

Using the pen tool (I must confess he is not the best friend of the beginners, so look at this tutorial : http://www.gurusnetwork.com/tutorial...pen1intro.html )

The other one is to make selections and use the "convert selection to path" icon of the path palette... then refine the paths with the vector tools...

But if you do the initial design at a large size, it might not be needed to go the vector way (although 99% of the commercial logos are vectors!)

Wato

i'll check out the tutorial....thanks for your help!

i'm sure i will be getting back to you on this!

wbiss

Yeah, looking at your intended logo, jennifern, it would be best designed as a vector file.

However, as Pierre has already pointed out, if you design it at a high enough resolution (say 300 ppi), you won't have any problems downsizing for the web.

If you don't want to go the vector route ('cause the pen tool does take some time to master), I would suggest that you design it at the maximum size(inches) that it will be used for print. Say 2"x3" at 300 ppi resolution. It can then be resized easily to a smaller print size.

And, yes, CMYK is the colour mode for print. The problem that you will encounter with CMYK is that what you see on your screen will differ slightly from print as the colour gamut of CMYK less than that of RGB.
Pierre has really given you the best advice... and that is, talk to your printer! In my experience, some of them accept PS files whereas others don't.

Also, when it comes to PC and MAC compatibility, you do have the option to save a TIFF file in a Mac format.

Bacardi

Just a little extra: for the web, resolution is of no importance at all. The only thing that matters is how many pixels is it large and wide. So if you want to/have to reduce the number of pixels, you will have to downsample. This means that Photoshop or any other pixel software will have to take out certain pixels and keep some else. The app can discern between pixels that bear much resemblance an that are quite different, so that the ones that resemble eachother a lot will be reduced. But if you take a giant step, like going from 300 to 72, meaning that more than three out of each pixels will have to be eliminated, you end up with an unsharp and poor image. That's why it is best to do the wonsampling in steps.
Say you have an image of 1000pixels wide, and you want to reduce it to 250, then it is best to do this in steps that cannot be divided, so Photoshop will have to de some calculation instead of simply eliminating pixels. So don't go 1000>500>250, but, for example 1000>779>511>346>250. The result will be visibly better.

I usually work in AdobeRGB and toggle with Ctrl+Y to the proof setup, which can be Euroscale coated (I live in Europe) or even sRGB for the Web. You can set this yourself.

And if I doubt, I use Lab mode which allows anyone to do anything with the file. If they have an app like Photoshop that is...

BUt in your case, me too I'd take the vector road.

stickdiesel

Personally I would do this logo in illustrator as a vector and only use pantone if your looking at no more then 2 colours. I would also save a cmyk version and rgb version then each time you want to use the logo, simply resize and export as tiff into quarkXpress (if printing cmyk version) or save for web if optimizing for internet.

You will need to discuss your printing specs with printer, but to start with I would create a default setting in photshop that you can also use in Illustrator....for example I set my cmyk settings as follows

Ink Colours: SWOP (coated)
Dot Gain: 20% (ask you printer!)
Select UCR (Under-Colour Removal)
Enter 65 for the Black Ink
Set Total Ink Limit to 365... this means that black ink will replace CM and Y ink in areas that are neutral ie. even mix of CMY.

Save it as (your name default) then when in illustrator load it as your colour setting and that way you always have same settings etc. (do so for whatever desktop publishing you use as well ie. indesign or quark.

When printing letter heads, logo etc, export your work from desktop publishing proggie as a PDF and embedd fonts, colour profile when possible.

Print out seperations and check all your colour details ie...make sure no rgb in there etc, and hand into printer with cd containing pdf, images, fonts etc etc.

Anyways, hope that helps some
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