Please help me "extract"

cjartist · 08-10-2003, 05:08 AM

OK...I'm using QuarkXPress. I tried opening my background image in Photoshop, then placing my SUV on top. I cleaned and fiddled with it, then flattened the image and saved it as a pdf. It didn't give me the option to save out as alpha channels when I saved. [confused] Anyway...when I placed the completed image into QuarkXPress, it was really smudged and awful...like looking through a rainy window. I'm still trying. :{ Hope I don't drive you all to drink right off the bat!! 8}

Rantin Al · 08-10-2003, 06:12 PM

Unless you have the Enhanced Preview extention loaded, the on screen view will look like mince. Quark uses a lo-resolution placement only image for previewing.

Instead of saving as a pdf, save the file as a high resolution tif file.

Is there any reason for you needing the alpha channel?
If you want a feathered edge to the image so that it fades into the page background, do that in Photoshop. IE, apply the mask.

You can use Quark to text wrap to the border of the feather.

Try this link for the Enhance Preview XT-SE (Freebie) and see if it is still available.

www.koyosha.com.

Carry on driving us to drink, you're on the bell anyway! [bustagut]
Al.

Rantin Al · 08-11-2003, 12:42 AM

This screengrab shows what you get with and without the Enhance Preview using tif images.

Pic 1 , Mask saved as an Alpha channel.

Pic 2, Mask applied and saved as an Alpha channel.

Pic 3, Mask converted and saved as a Clipping Path.

You can see that the clipping path gives a cleaner edge.
Using an Alpha channel gives a stepped edge in parts, even modifying the Quark Clipping settings did not improve the edge.

The car was cut out and blended (roughly)with another background and merged.

So my suggestion is to use tif images and a clipping path.

Al

cjartist · 08-12-2003, 05:43 AM

Thanks so much for all your help!! I've really learned a lot the last few days just tinkering with all you've told me! I appreciate your input!

wbiss · 08-12-2003, 11:10 AM

Firstly, welcome aboard cjartist!

You've already received some excellent advice here. R.A. is "bang on". [righton] IOW Photoshop = imagery and QuarkXPress = imagery layout! I've had a bit of experience with Quark and would never, in a million years, rely on it to "produce graphics". Just remember that what you see onscreen (preview) in Quark, in no way resembles output (print).

To further add to R.A.'s excellent guidance, I always save files from PS as hi-res TIFFS... Quark seems to like this format and I've never been disappointed.

As an 'aside', R.A. this new 'enhanced preview' sounds interesting! [excited] I must check it out as I can see that it might be handy from a 'client' point-of-view.