Sijun Forums :: View topic - Photoshop

mza · Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2002 11:07 am

I've been doing all these pretty pictures in PS at work & now have been told some of them maybe be used for print. I switched from RBG to CMYK mode and the colors are all whacked and a lot of the luminosity is lost... From my understanding all print work is done in CMYK... Sorry if this is an amateurish question, but I realize how little I know about the technical aspects of digital painting. Any solutions?

Gort · Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2002 11:26 am

Color is typically determined by the process. Some "intermediate" jobs do not involve color seperations, so RGB is fine. An intermediate job is defined by one that does not require color seperations (typically), so CYMK mode isn't required (I've had a couple of jobs done this way, and the output was less in cost and looked great). Ask your printer, and if they can't oblige you then try to find one that can.

If you're going to go through the process of seperations, then start off in CYMK - next time.

-t

Motorfish · Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2002 4:37 pm

Pat would be one of the best people to answer this question for you. It's a field he has a lot of experience in.

mza · Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2002 5:13 pm

Thanks everyone for the information...knowledge at your fingertips, I love the internet!

t- I thought about painting in CMYK so I won't be sorely disappointed, but then I can't get any of those rich dark warms in the shadows... What I'm painting is primarily going to be seen digitally with the off chance that they'll us them for print. I have no control over how things will be printed.

vurx- wow, I really appreciate info.

I guess my main concern is what can I do to get what I have showing on my computer monitor to look fairly similar in print and on video/TV/etc...

vurx · Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2002 12:18 am

RGB - additive colors link the primary colors of light, if you are making images for the web use RGB.

CMYK - subtractive colors link the primary colors of transparent pigment (painters use opaque pigments of red blue and yellow) when you are making images for print, use CMYk

additive means you are looking at light, subtractive means you are looking at light reflected off of the surface of something.

The rgb and CMYk color systems have different gamut ranges: they have limitations on how many colors are available. link

wewt, color theroy class ACTUALLY came in handy... cant believe it.

-- vurx
<edit>added pic</edit>

[ March 08, 2002: Message edited by: vurx ]

Ben Barker · Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2002 9:25 am

"I guess my main concern is what can I do to get what I have showing on my computer monitor to look fairly similar in print and on video/TV/etc..."

In a different world maybe. You can only take steps to minimize the damage if you know what your final output media is going to be. TV, print, and computer monitors are so completely different you can't make anything that will survive the translation totally intact. There are actually colors that the FCC bans from TV broadcasting because they interfere with emergency radio bands. Colors interfering with radio, that's pretty cool.

ken · Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2002 6:34 am

quote

Quote:

Colors interfering with radio, that's pretty cool.

yeah, well i'm waiting until they invent colors that can kill people.

-Ken

Highfive · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2002 12:29 am

LOL, ken!

Pat · Posted: Thu Mar 14, 2002 1:51 am

Heh heh. [tongue in cheek] Oh, but color kills all the time...

Lead White has done in quite a few artists. If only it wasn't so buttery and seductive!

In some nations, being black can get you killed. In others, being white can have the same effect!

I've heard that fashing red and blue cartoons can make some people just seize up!

Colors are hideously powerful! Use them with caution! The life you save may be your own!

-Pat