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Intern_8033 wrote:Photoshop is a great program; if you are getting 700MB files, you're doing something wrong.

Since you know what I'm doing, maybe you can help me.

I've tried to fix the problem a million times, but it just takes forever! I mean, I've tried everything in the entire world a thousand different ways, but it just won't work!

If it's under the sun, or 10,000 light years away, I've tried it!

Boy, oh boy, I would give you a trillion dollars if you could help me.

Seriously, I'm not exaggerating! I'll do anything! Absolutely anything!

sunset_gun wrote:Probably came off like an ass...I just didn't want mis-information going out.

No, you are quite right. I have dipped my toes into the murky waters of color management, and I have mostly been confused.

My advice to Full Point was based on the (perhaps incorrect) assumption that he wanted to use Photoshop to create flyers for his band. Which I think is a fine idea. I would not suggest that a potential rock star should bother learning the intricacies of Quark just to print some band flyers. Although perhaps Quark has become a friendlier program since I've used it.

In the photo world, most labs require RGB images to create digital C-Prints. My experience has been that with a vaguely calibrated monitor and a high-resolution image saved as an RGB JPG, no noticeable image degradation occurs.

I realize this is not the same as the world of professional printing. But I also know that, if you're just fucking around making some band flyers, you won't notice the image compression or color shift from a hi-res JPG printed at Kinko's.

Enough of my yappin'! I will need advice regarding calibration in the near future.

Godspeed,
Mr. King

Superking wrote:My advice to Full Point was based on the (perhaps incorrect) assumption that he wanted to use Photoshop to create flyers for his band. Which I think is a fine idea. I would not suggest that a potential rock star should bother learning the intricacies of Quark just to print some band flyers. Although perhaps Quark has become a friendlier program since I've used it.

I think Adobe Illustrator is much better for simple lay-up stuff, when used in conjunction with Photoshop. It's what I use all the time. Illustrator is far easier to master than Quark and ultimately a much more flexible application.

If you're really worried about colour callibration you can use a Pantone colour guide to match your colours by eye. They can be pretty pricey, though.

Discuss the outputting side of things with your printer. Generally, they'll take time with you to discuss their requirements before you go to print.

If you type 'Photoshop Tutorial' into google you should get an endless list of sites offering tutorials and tips.

VTC provides really good training DVD's, as well as online training, for nearly every application under the sun. I've been using it here at college to teach the students different software. We have a permanent subscription with them.

www.vtc.com

Try it, you might like it.

I don't remember the precise name, but the Visual Guide series books are very good.

sunset_gun wrote:Why compress the hell out of it using JPEG?

I compress the hell out of my pictures. It makes them really "punchy".

I know that my local Kinko's prefers to work with .pdf format, as have most publications I've dealt with (magazine and newsprint). I use Photoshop 7.0 for my graphics, and it does almost everything I want. The only thing PS won't do that I'd use Illustrator for is curved text effects. And 99% of what I'm doing is show flyers.

A buddy of mine has been doing his band's flyers using PS/Ill for years, and his work is pretty interesting... http://www.still-life-music.com/flyers.php

You just gotta know how to use the programs, which is mostly trying things as you go.

mccreadyisgod wrote:I know that my local Kinko's prefers to work with .pdf format, as have most publications I've dealt with (magazine and newsprint). I use Photoshop 7.0 for my graphics, and it does almost everything I want. The only thing PS won't do that I'd use Illustrator for is curved text effects. And 99% of what I'm doing is show flyers.

A buddy of mine has been doing his band's flyers using PS/Ill for years, and his work is pretty interesting... http://www.still-life-music.com/flyers.php

You just gotta know how to use the programs, which is mostly trying things as you go.

PDFs were developed to transfer graphics and text over the internet. Unless you are sending the files to someone over a wire, it's just more work for the guy on the other end to hand the person that file type. This translates directly into a higher cost. Prepress guys will charge you sometimes $15 PER FILE to open and resave the file as a TIFF. If Kinkos is using some sort of inkjet or lazer printer you are cool, the magazines and newpapers you are dealing with are converting your PDFs to TIFFs before they do the layout, make the plates and print. You can't make a plate using PDF graphics. You are still adding unneeded compression to the files by using PDF.

...and actually if you are using Photoshop only, you can print the PSD as is.

mccreadyisgod wrote:The only thing PS won't do that I'd use Illustrator for is curved text effects. And 99% of what I'm doing is show flyers.

My PS does curved text. But it's hacked. And in French (and I don't speak much French).

Full Point, I make all of my flyers with PS, and I would be happy to give you pointers if you'd like. Just PM me.

-Sean

mccreadyisgod wrote:The only thing PS won't do that I'd use Illustrator for is curved text effects. And 99% of what I'm doing is show flyers.

Use the "warp text" feature (upper right-hand corner). This will give you arcs and stuff...if that is what you meant.