Original Image
Image with Watermark
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Adobe Creative Suite Tutorial Blog 14
The tutorial I chose to do is how to watermark your own photos. The first step to do is open up a picture in Photoshop. Then what you do is go the text tool and you click the picture. When the cursor shows up on the picture you can then pick the font you would like to use and type the name of your business on it to make sure the viewer knows its yours. After you type what you want and adjust it to wear you want, you then go to the opacity and bring the color of the text down by dragging the opacity bar down on the right side, so it will turn out to be a watermark. Don't forget before saving to go to Layer > Flatten Image so you know that it will have the watermark on it and now look different than what you expected. Examples of mine shown below. I learned how to do this on a Photoshop Tutorial website.
Original Image
Original Image
Newspaper Ad Project
The budget for the newspaper ad project is $97. It can't cost anymore than that. The formula to calculate an ad is column width multiplied by height of ad equals answer then multiplyon it again by $4 and you get your total cost. For my project I chose 3 columns wide by 8 inches high, which equals 24 and multiply that by $4 its $96. It means I am one dollar under my limit, which is great news. My target audience for my pretend bakery business is families or the community in general because they might be interested in having cakes done for their kids or anyone in their family really. My call to action is for my Grand Opening give them a free cupcake just for checking out the new place. The purpose is to convince people to checkout a new place in town.
A bitmap image only contains black and white pixels with no shades of gray and they also need to be at a high resolution. You get a bitmap image by creating it by hand then scanning it in with a scanner. An example of this would be like if someone wrote their name in marker than uploaded it or created an image with a marker and uploading it would work too. Below are my thumbs and roughs for my project. When the image is scanned in for a bitmap it needs to be 1200 ppi.
A bitmap image only contains black and white pixels with no shades of gray and they also need to be at a high resolution. You get a bitmap image by creating it by hand then scanning it in with a scanner. An example of this would be like if someone wrote their name in marker than uploaded it or created an image with a marker and uploading it would work too. Below are my thumbs and roughs for my project. When the image is scanned in for a bitmap it needs to be 1200 ppi.
On the Master Image Checklist I used a bitmap image and I also used a vector image that I created in Adobe Illustrator. It cost me 5 cents to print at Quick Print, but if it were for an actual price in the Collegio, it would be $96 to have it printed in the newspaper.
The Final Finished Image
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Master Image List Blog
A bitmap image only contains black and white pixels with no shades of gray and they also need to be at a high resolution. You get a bitmap image buy creating it by hand then scanning it in with a scanner. An example of this would be like if someone wrote their name in marker than uploaded it or created an image with a marker and uploading it would work too. Here's an example shown below.
Reverse is relatively easy to explain. Reverse is basically when you switch black and white colors on a page. An example is like you type a white font on a black background. This can be done in Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator.
Vector art is a pixel free graphic. It generates smooth lines when it's brought it because of like I said before it don't contain pixels. They are also not subjected to scaling restrictions. Not every vector format is the same though, which means they all can't be printed. This can be saved as an EPS or AI file. I didn't have anything to upload for this example.
Grayscale raster is basically a black and white image and is used many times in newspaper advertisements. This is done in Photoshop then you save it as an EPS file then bring it into InDesign. Example of a grayscale raster is below of my friend, who I took a picture of last semester.
Duotone raster is when an image is made up of two colors and one of the colors is usually black while the other is a spot color. It is a great way to add a visual interest to a job. This can be done in Photoshop and is usually saved as an EPS file. Example below is a duotone of a light blue and black. The reason its framed is because I had to move it into InDesign so I could put it on my blog.
A silhouette raster is when you erase the background behind your image usually by creating a mask or path that allows the subject to display without a background. It is also called a dropout. This can be done in Photoshop. It can also be created by the print service provider.
A full bleed raster is when an image covers the whole picture box in InDesign and goes to the bleed marks on the outsides, which is 0.125. It hits every side of the square to make sure the picture is in proportion and helps to make sure you know what will be cut off when it is printed. It's hard to show a picture of this one.
A four color raster is when an image or document uses only four colors in the project, which is CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black.) Most files that are printed are in CMYK just a quick note to this as well. This one is basically all ready set up for you in an InDesign document so its not too complicated to figure out.
Screen tint is when you want to fade or give your object more shade in a document to make it have a neat feature to your project. I used the book, Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudi McCue to answer these questions for this blog. All images were taken or created by me.
Reverse is relatively easy to explain. Reverse is basically when you switch black and white colors on a page. An example is like you type a white font on a black background. This can be done in Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator.
Vector art is a pixel free graphic. It generates smooth lines when it's brought it because of like I said before it don't contain pixels. They are also not subjected to scaling restrictions. Not every vector format is the same though, which means they all can't be printed. This can be saved as an EPS or AI file. I didn't have anything to upload for this example.
Grayscale raster is basically a black and white image and is used many times in newspaper advertisements. This is done in Photoshop then you save it as an EPS file then bring it into InDesign. Example of a grayscale raster is below of my friend, who I took a picture of last semester.
Duotone raster is when an image is made up of two colors and one of the colors is usually black while the other is a spot color. It is a great way to add a visual interest to a job. This can be done in Photoshop and is usually saved as an EPS file. Example below is a duotone of a light blue and black. The reason its framed is because I had to move it into InDesign so I could put it on my blog.
A silhouette raster is when you erase the background behind your image usually by creating a mask or path that allows the subject to display without a background. It is also called a dropout. This can be done in Photoshop. It can also be created by the print service provider.
A full bleed raster is when an image covers the whole picture box in InDesign and goes to the bleed marks on the outsides, which is 0.125. It hits every side of the square to make sure the picture is in proportion and helps to make sure you know what will be cut off when it is printed. It's hard to show a picture of this one.
A four color raster is when an image or document uses only four colors in the project, which is CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black.) Most files that are printed are in CMYK just a quick note to this as well. This one is basically all ready set up for you in an InDesign document so its not too complicated to figure out.
Screen tint is when you want to fade or give your object more shade in a document to make it have a neat feature to your project. I used the book, Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudi McCue to answer these questions for this blog. All images were taken or created by me.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Chapter 11 & 12
Chapter 11
Chapter 11 mainly talks about production tips, such as placing graphics, dragging files, updating missing or modified links, editing graphics, and swatches. PageMaker, QuarkXPress, and Adobe InDesign, all can place graphics on a page. QuarkXPress are most comfortable making a frame to put an image in first. InDesign works the best of both worlds by doing what both PageMaker and QuarkXPress can do. According to the Print Production Book, "It's helpful to know that both the Rectangle Frame tool and the plain old Rectangle tool can create shapes that accept graphics as content." The "Graphic Frame" tools creates shapes. Basically to place an image in InDesign you go to File > Place. You do this after you create the Rectangle Frame in the page-layout. If you do not place the Rectangle Frame then most likely the image will take up most the page.
There are good and bad ways of drag and drop in InDesign. There are many ways to put a file on a page besides File > Place. You can drag and drop from Adobe Bridge. You can use Bridge to drag multiple files and drag them to the top of the InDesign page. Adobe Bridge provides high-quality images and it also makes it easier to find the correct files. Now to explain some of the bad things that can happen when placing images into a document. You can drag and drop Adobe Photoshop images into InDesign, but there are consequences for doing so. The photo will remain RGB instead of CMYK like you are wanting. It will also increase the size of your InDesign document and take up tons of space on your hard drive. If you need to edit the image after putting it in InDesign then it is impossible to edit it in InDesign and you are out of luck.
The next topic in Chapter 11 to discuss is about missing and modified links. The Links panel tells you if you have missing or modified links. If your links are modified then you links will tell you when you have your cursor over the image link. If you have a missing link a question mark will be beside it and if you click it then you will be able to find that image and make sure it is placed correctly. If you package all the files at the end of your project then you will not have any missing links, which is a great thing to make sure happens. Also, forgot to mention that the link will be a blue hyperlink so you know. When transforming graphics, there are several ways to scale frames in InDesign. First thing you do is select the frame with the Selection tool. Then you can use the Scale or Free Transform tool to scale the frame and its contents. You can also enter percentage values in the X/Y scale fields in the Control Panel. When scaling an image, it is best to make sure the scale is proportional using either Command + Shift for a Macintosh or Control + Shift on a PC and dragging the corner of the scaled image while doing so with the mouse.
Swatches are next on the list. Basically there are two kinds. There is RGB and CMYK colors. In InDesign there is a Swatches panel located on the right side of the page. There is such a thing called Lab colors and this is located in the Colors panel. The Color panel does offer a quick way of creating a tint to a certain spot color. It is best to create your own swatches then using the ones provided. You can select from Pantone, Toyo, and TRUMATCH swatchbooks to pick the exact color you want to use. When doing a duotone in Photoshop or Illustrator bringing it into InDesign will actually bring the Pantone Color swatch over without having any problems. There are times occasionally when InDesign will not let you delete a certain swatch at times I learned as well. If you ever have extra swatches you aren't using during a project, the best thing to do is delete them all. According to the Print Production Book, "The primary purpose of the Ink Manager is to fix spot-color errors by remapping extraneous colors to correct inks." It basically fixes the colors so that when it prints, it won't look odd or not the color you are wanting. You can open the Ink Manager in the Separations Preview panel menu or the Swatches panel. You will find it in the Print dialog under Output and also in the Exports dialog for both EPS and PDF. Beside this, I will talk about drop shadows from Chapter 11. Drop Shadows are the little black shadows of either a text or photo. You can manually do this and move the shadow to wherever you want it by going to Object > Drop Shadow, then you can enter whatever you would like to move your shadow. Like I said before always remember when you are completely finished with your InDesign document just to package it so you don't lose anything you want before taking it to the printers. You also need to export it as an Adobe PDF document too just so if you happen to lose the packaging file some way, you still have the PDF to back it up. You just go to File > Export and click Adobe PDF Print. You want to make sure before you click export you want to choose the PDF/X-1a setting. All the images in a PDF/X-1a are converted from a RGB image to a CMYK automatically and your spot color is also maintained as well.
Chapter 12
This chapters summary is all about Acrobat Production tips like Adobe PDF's. PDF files come from the Acrobat program. You can also export PDF files from Adobe InDesign or Illustrator. They could be the result from a PostScript file and feeding that to Distiller, or created by some other process, like Global Graphics Jaws interpreter used by QuarkXPress 6.0 and later. When it comes to PDF files, anyone is allowed to view the information on a PDF reference to write software that creates, reads, or edits PDF files. Not all the PDF creation solutions are the same according to the book. There are various settings of PDF files, such as Standard, Smallest File Size, and Press Qualilty and it gives clues to what kind of PDF is to be created. The PDF/X and PDF/A settings are based on standards to make sure that a PDF works as it's supposed too. The X in PDF/X-1a stands for exchange to signify it will work with one of the PDF/X standards can exchanged between the PDF's originator amd recipients with some assurance, that the file will become a usable file to the user who created it. "The PDF/A settings are based on standards geared toward long-term archiving and retrieval of electronic files (hence the "A")." (McCue) All these settings are stored in a common place that is shared among all Adobe applications.
Like mentioned before it is possible to export PDF files from InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop without using Distiller. The time you use export is when you wish to retain layers, live transparency, or interactivity. Export is way faster and easier than using Distiller. You need to have a long conversation with file recipients to find out why you are being asked to take the long way around using Distiller. You ask them to test an exported PDF that is created to their specification, then the both of you find out if it will really work or not. The last thing I will describe from Chapter 12 to use is editing PDF files. It is very limited to edit a PDF. Usually you aren't even supposed to mess with the files after they are created. They need to be finished files that are ready to be shipped.There are times when a comma is missing or something like that. "Acrobat offers three editing tools in the Advanced Editing Toolbar. Choose Tools > Advanced Editing > Show Advanced Editing Toolbar to display the tools." (McCue) You use the TouchUp text tool for selecting and editing the text of a document. That is assuming that you have the correct font throughout your page. You sue the TouchUp Object tool to fix your images on the page, whether it be vector images or just images from Photoshop. The last tool that can be used for editing is the TouchUp Reading Order tool that actually reads the text you. It is mainly for impaired users. If you want to experiment just go to Read Aloud > Activate Read Out Loud from the View menu in the Acrobat programs. The rest of the chapter basically just talks about comments and the review of the whole book. All this information I got was from the book, Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudia McCue.
Chapter 11 mainly talks about production tips, such as placing graphics, dragging files, updating missing or modified links, editing graphics, and swatches. PageMaker, QuarkXPress, and Adobe InDesign, all can place graphics on a page. QuarkXPress are most comfortable making a frame to put an image in first. InDesign works the best of both worlds by doing what both PageMaker and QuarkXPress can do. According to the Print Production Book, "It's helpful to know that both the Rectangle Frame tool and the plain old Rectangle tool can create shapes that accept graphics as content." The "Graphic Frame" tools creates shapes. Basically to place an image in InDesign you go to File > Place. You do this after you create the Rectangle Frame in the page-layout. If you do not place the Rectangle Frame then most likely the image will take up most the page.
There are good and bad ways of drag and drop in InDesign. There are many ways to put a file on a page besides File > Place. You can drag and drop from Adobe Bridge. You can use Bridge to drag multiple files and drag them to the top of the InDesign page. Adobe Bridge provides high-quality images and it also makes it easier to find the correct files. Now to explain some of the bad things that can happen when placing images into a document. You can drag and drop Adobe Photoshop images into InDesign, but there are consequences for doing so. The photo will remain RGB instead of CMYK like you are wanting. It will also increase the size of your InDesign document and take up tons of space on your hard drive. If you need to edit the image after putting it in InDesign then it is impossible to edit it in InDesign and you are out of luck.
The next topic in Chapter 11 to discuss is about missing and modified links. The Links panel tells you if you have missing or modified links. If your links are modified then you links will tell you when you have your cursor over the image link. If you have a missing link a question mark will be beside it and if you click it then you will be able to find that image and make sure it is placed correctly. If you package all the files at the end of your project then you will not have any missing links, which is a great thing to make sure happens. Also, forgot to mention that the link will be a blue hyperlink so you know. When transforming graphics, there are several ways to scale frames in InDesign. First thing you do is select the frame with the Selection tool. Then you can use the Scale or Free Transform tool to scale the frame and its contents. You can also enter percentage values in the X/Y scale fields in the Control Panel. When scaling an image, it is best to make sure the scale is proportional using either Command + Shift for a Macintosh or Control + Shift on a PC and dragging the corner of the scaled image while doing so with the mouse.
Swatches are next on the list. Basically there are two kinds. There is RGB and CMYK colors. In InDesign there is a Swatches panel located on the right side of the page. There is such a thing called Lab colors and this is located in the Colors panel. The Color panel does offer a quick way of creating a tint to a certain spot color. It is best to create your own swatches then using the ones provided. You can select from Pantone, Toyo, and TRUMATCH swatchbooks to pick the exact color you want to use. When doing a duotone in Photoshop or Illustrator bringing it into InDesign will actually bring the Pantone Color swatch over without having any problems. There are times occasionally when InDesign will not let you delete a certain swatch at times I learned as well. If you ever have extra swatches you aren't using during a project, the best thing to do is delete them all. According to the Print Production Book, "The primary purpose of the Ink Manager is to fix spot-color errors by remapping extraneous colors to correct inks." It basically fixes the colors so that when it prints, it won't look odd or not the color you are wanting. You can open the Ink Manager in the Separations Preview panel menu or the Swatches panel. You will find it in the Print dialog under Output and also in the Exports dialog for both EPS and PDF. Beside this, I will talk about drop shadows from Chapter 11. Drop Shadows are the little black shadows of either a text or photo. You can manually do this and move the shadow to wherever you want it by going to Object > Drop Shadow, then you can enter whatever you would like to move your shadow. Like I said before always remember when you are completely finished with your InDesign document just to package it so you don't lose anything you want before taking it to the printers. You also need to export it as an Adobe PDF document too just so if you happen to lose the packaging file some way, you still have the PDF to back it up. You just go to File > Export and click Adobe PDF Print. You want to make sure before you click export you want to choose the PDF/X-1a setting. All the images in a PDF/X-1a are converted from a RGB image to a CMYK automatically and your spot color is also maintained as well.
Chapter 12
This chapters summary is all about Acrobat Production tips like Adobe PDF's. PDF files come from the Acrobat program. You can also export PDF files from Adobe InDesign or Illustrator. They could be the result from a PostScript file and feeding that to Distiller, or created by some other process, like Global Graphics Jaws interpreter used by QuarkXPress 6.0 and later. When it comes to PDF files, anyone is allowed to view the information on a PDF reference to write software that creates, reads, or edits PDF files. Not all the PDF creation solutions are the same according to the book. There are various settings of PDF files, such as Standard, Smallest File Size, and Press Qualilty and it gives clues to what kind of PDF is to be created. The PDF/X and PDF/A settings are based on standards to make sure that a PDF works as it's supposed too. The X in PDF/X-1a stands for exchange to signify it will work with one of the PDF/X standards can exchanged between the PDF's originator amd recipients with some assurance, that the file will become a usable file to the user who created it. "The PDF/A settings are based on standards geared toward long-term archiving and retrieval of electronic files (hence the "A")." (McCue) All these settings are stored in a common place that is shared among all Adobe applications.
Like mentioned before it is possible to export PDF files from InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop without using Distiller. The time you use export is when you wish to retain layers, live transparency, or interactivity. Export is way faster and easier than using Distiller. You need to have a long conversation with file recipients to find out why you are being asked to take the long way around using Distiller. You ask them to test an exported PDF that is created to their specification, then the both of you find out if it will really work or not. The last thing I will describe from Chapter 12 to use is editing PDF files. It is very limited to edit a PDF. Usually you aren't even supposed to mess with the files after they are created. They need to be finished files that are ready to be shipped.There are times when a comma is missing or something like that. "Acrobat offers three editing tools in the Advanced Editing Toolbar. Choose Tools > Advanced Editing > Show Advanced Editing Toolbar to display the tools." (McCue) You use the TouchUp text tool for selecting and editing the text of a document. That is assuming that you have the correct font throughout your page. You sue the TouchUp Object tool to fix your images on the page, whether it be vector images or just images from Photoshop. The last tool that can be used for editing is the TouchUp Reading Order tool that actually reads the text you. It is mainly for impaired users. If you want to experiment just go to Read Aloud > Activate Read Out Loud from the View menu in the Acrobat programs. The rest of the chapter basically just talks about comments and the review of the whole book. All this information I got was from the book, Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudia McCue.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Microsoft Tag
You usually find tag bar codes, QR codes, and other recognition technologies in magazines, product packages, or bumper stickers. "The Microsoft Tag marketing solution gives you and your customers the easy way to use a rich suite of recognition technologies, from QR codes to the current Tag barcodes and beyond to the next generation in mobile, Near Field Communication (NFC)." It is possible to create a simple campaign with a text message from a mobile phone or by just giving the phone number out. You can get videos, contact information, and much more by downloading this one certain video app. Using the Tag solution, you get free reporting access of measuring the success of your campaigns you created, using the free Tag Manager Tool, by just scanning the Tag with your smart phone. That is how you track the Microsoft Tag. Like I said before you can generate and track these Microsoft Tags from your cell phone. The reason you would want to use a Tag on your project is because it will tell or show the viewer or customer more information about your product or business and what they would benefit from buying that certain product or considering looking into it. Using Microsoft Tag, makes it a lot easier for customers or clients to use. It's becoming more and more popular everyday because it is so easy to use and everyone likes to make designs for a certain campaign that he/she designed for free.
One of the differences between the QR codes and the Tag barcodes is that QR codes can't have as many different colors,designs, or pictures like the Tag barcodes can. Tag barcodes are more flexible than QR codes. They are also the newest thing compared to the QR codes. QR codes are not stored on a service like the Tag barcodes are. QR codes are meant to have simple designs, unlike where the Tag barcodes have the more creative design look. QR codes do actually contain more information than the Tag barcodes do, which is kind of surprising. Posted below is an example I made of my photography business into a Custom Tag. All the information I got this information from was the Microsoft Tag Website.
One of the differences between the QR codes and the Tag barcodes is that QR codes can't have as many different colors,designs, or pictures like the Tag barcodes can. Tag barcodes are more flexible than QR codes. They are also the newest thing compared to the QR codes. QR codes are not stored on a service like the Tag barcodes are. QR codes are meant to have simple designs, unlike where the Tag barcodes have the more creative design look. QR codes do actually contain more information than the Tag barcodes do, which is kind of surprising. Posted below is an example I made of my photography business into a Custom Tag. All the information I got this information from was the Microsoft Tag Website.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Chapters 8, 9, & 10
Chapter 8
Chapter 8 deals with explaining how to prep your designs so you can get ready to submit your work to the printers the correct way. It explains how to do it in each design program to like InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. When you are contacting a printing company, it will probably be the salesperson you will speak to first. They will gather your information and provide you with an estimate of how much it will cost to produce your work and tell you all the steps you need to go through along the way. The steps will include like when you can expect the first set of proofs, when the press run will take place, and when it will be delivered to you. The salesman then sends your work to a CSR, which is a customer service representative. The CSR will give you information on what you will need for your job's special needs. The CSR is the main contact for jobs and is expected to know everything about a job. A key point to remember is to inform the CSR as soon as possible about if anything about your job or project needs to be changed.
You need to discuss special issues with a CSR, such as unusual stock, special mixed inks, varnishes or coatings, custom finishing, unusual content. It is important to keep your sanity and theirs. Only contact the main CSR people, know about your project so you can give specific details about when you want your print job done so it doesn't screw up the final date its supposed to be done. Planning for print is the next step. It is important to do this building from the ground up. Make sure you established the following important specifications like external document size, adequate bleed, internal panel sizes, artwork interactions with folds, perforations, or die cut trims, correct number of pages, and correct inks.
Next step to do is check the raster images or vector artwork. "It is important that all your images are sufficient resolution at final size, and that you've saved the images in an appropriate format and in the correct color space." (McCue) Make sure you consult your print service provider so you know they get your job requirements right. Some of the guidelines are resolution should be 300 ppi, color space, which comes in one of five major flavors for printing purposes like CMYK, RGB, grayscale, monochrome, and duotone. The other guidelines are retouching, rotations and scaling, and filenames. For vector artwork, illustrator or freehand allow you to place raster images as content, and you actually encounter the same issues that you would with page-layout applications. "Make sure you check for correct colors, images, fonts, text, and bleed. Image proofs are sometimes referred to as random proofs or scatter proofs, since they are proofs of just the images without any page-layout context." (McCue) You may want to print some of your proofs before just giving them to the print service provider just to make sure it turns out the way you want it. There are two kinds of proofs and they are image proofs and page proofs. The only different is you do one in Photoshop and the other in InDesign. They each have their checklist as well.
Chapter 9
Chapter 9 is all about Photoshop and tips how to do it. When scaling or rotating an image you need to know the fate of the image. You need to ask yourself a few questions. At what scale factor will the image be used? Will the image be used at multiple sizes? Will the image be rotated in its final size? What are the important elements in the image? Will the image be used on the Web, as well as for print? When scaling you basically definitely want to make sure its in proportion or it will not turn out well. For rotating it looks best when you rotate at every 15 degrees or the image will have curvy lines on the side of the image. The scaling depends a lot on the size of the image when you bring it into Photoshop as well. Resolution has similar rules to the image size, because the concepts are connected. 300 ppi is the final image size that is best to use when printing. If your project is going to be printed at a higher line screen, such as 175 lpi or above then you need to increase the resolution of your image that is over 300 ppi. Color space in Photoshop deals with the image being in either RGB or CMYK. When printing you always want to convert your image either to CMYK or grayscale depending on what you want to use it for. When you convert an image to CMYK you lose some flexibility. When puttting images on a website you will need to make sure its RGB. When you use an Illustrator file you need to make sure its converted into CMYK or it won't be able to print because of the color space.
When working with a layered image it is best to save the original copy of the image so if you need to back and edit you can., but for printing you need to make sure the image is flattened, which can be done by going to under the layers panel and choose merge layers in CS4. In CS5, underneath the layer panel there is an option now you can go to by just clicking flatten image. It works the exact same. Transparency is the percentage in Photoshop that is by the opacity. This is honored not just by Photoshop, but also my InDesign and Illustrator. It basically fades the background or image in a document to create a creative project. There are right and wrong ways when creating a path in Photoshop. "Photoshop's attempts to convert an active selection ("marching ants") to a clipping path are valiant, but the results are usually less than stellar." (McCue) Magic Wand selection is not the best tool used for clipping a path. A better clipping path is made by the Pen Tool. There's no wiggles in the lines using it. Duotone's are images made up of two colors, which one color is usually black then one spot color to go with it. It adds a lot of visual interest to a job with a limited color palette.
Chapter 10
Chapter 10 is basically the same as chapter 9, only difference is this is covering Illustrator. Artboards is like an imaginary piece of paper in Illustrator and its a bit confusing to a relationship to the actual artwork. To create an new artboard you just create a new Illustrator document then its automatically created after you enter the dimensions. You can actually make a total of 100 artboards manually in one existing document. All you have to do is click and drag the artboard drag tool. When it comes to bleeds you can actually go to an existing document and go to File > Document Set Up. Bleed values are usually applied to Illustrator within the actual document.
To simply artwork you can go to Choose Object > Path > Clean Up to delete little stray points that are caused from pen clicks or objects that have no fill and stroke, and empty text paths. This also is how you clean up your document when you are done. Clean up deletes all unnecessary artwork that you don't plan to use and it simplifies your complex art as well. "Illustrator offers a number of imaginative live effects that allow you to transform a simple object into something much more interesting with just a few clicks." (McCue) Live means that you can modify how an object looks by editing effects in the Appearance panel, without altering anything. It is also possible to hide or remove an effect from a specific object. The Effects menu is divided into two parts, which are Illustrator Effects and Photoshop effects. "The Illustrator are applied to the interiors and the edges of vector objects, including objects being used as Clipping Masks for placed images." (McCue) The Photoshop effects apply to the interior of vector objects without having to do any modification to the images, even including the ones as Clipping Masks. Effects would be like shadows or glowing as examples.
Transparency is similar to the one in Photoshop because it makes an image lighter and blends the image into its background and adds more of a creative look to your project. With Illustrator, spot colors may be involved because you are converting the image to CMYK. You may have bad results if you try to create spot color objects and try to bring them into InDesign because the color may not be the same as you intended it to be. Overprint Preview is a great tool to overlap objects and it won't cause any problems because in fact it can help you figure out problems you have. You can also flatten a transparency in Illustrator like you can in Photoshop as well.
Lastly, I will explain linked and embedded images. There are pros and cons to each. When you link an image in Illustrator it actually is a smaller file than when its embedded. Its because they are easily color corrected or retouched. When you embed an image, it actually increases the file size, since the file image is added to the file. The good thing about embedding is that its easier to track all the components in a file because if its a Link, it would then send you to Photoshop for that specific image. Embedding complicates image editing. If the original image is available then you can go the Re-links underneath the Links panel menu and find that image you are searching for. Afterwards you can then update your Link so that doesn't happen again unless you don't Package the file. All the information I got this from was the book, Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudia McCue.
Chapter 8 deals with explaining how to prep your designs so you can get ready to submit your work to the printers the correct way. It explains how to do it in each design program to like InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. When you are contacting a printing company, it will probably be the salesperson you will speak to first. They will gather your information and provide you with an estimate of how much it will cost to produce your work and tell you all the steps you need to go through along the way. The steps will include like when you can expect the first set of proofs, when the press run will take place, and when it will be delivered to you. The salesman then sends your work to a CSR, which is a customer service representative. The CSR will give you information on what you will need for your job's special needs. The CSR is the main contact for jobs and is expected to know everything about a job. A key point to remember is to inform the CSR as soon as possible about if anything about your job or project needs to be changed.
You need to discuss special issues with a CSR, such as unusual stock, special mixed inks, varnishes or coatings, custom finishing, unusual content. It is important to keep your sanity and theirs. Only contact the main CSR people, know about your project so you can give specific details about when you want your print job done so it doesn't screw up the final date its supposed to be done. Planning for print is the next step. It is important to do this building from the ground up. Make sure you established the following important specifications like external document size, adequate bleed, internal panel sizes, artwork interactions with folds, perforations, or die cut trims, correct number of pages, and correct inks.
Next step to do is check the raster images or vector artwork. "It is important that all your images are sufficient resolution at final size, and that you've saved the images in an appropriate format and in the correct color space." (McCue) Make sure you consult your print service provider so you know they get your job requirements right. Some of the guidelines are resolution should be 300 ppi, color space, which comes in one of five major flavors for printing purposes like CMYK, RGB, grayscale, monochrome, and duotone. The other guidelines are retouching, rotations and scaling, and filenames. For vector artwork, illustrator or freehand allow you to place raster images as content, and you actually encounter the same issues that you would with page-layout applications. "Make sure you check for correct colors, images, fonts, text, and bleed. Image proofs are sometimes referred to as random proofs or scatter proofs, since they are proofs of just the images without any page-layout context." (McCue) You may want to print some of your proofs before just giving them to the print service provider just to make sure it turns out the way you want it. There are two kinds of proofs and they are image proofs and page proofs. The only different is you do one in Photoshop and the other in InDesign. They each have their checklist as well.
Chapter 9
Chapter 9 is all about Photoshop and tips how to do it. When scaling or rotating an image you need to know the fate of the image. You need to ask yourself a few questions. At what scale factor will the image be used? Will the image be used at multiple sizes? Will the image be rotated in its final size? What are the important elements in the image? Will the image be used on the Web, as well as for print? When scaling you basically definitely want to make sure its in proportion or it will not turn out well. For rotating it looks best when you rotate at every 15 degrees or the image will have curvy lines on the side of the image. The scaling depends a lot on the size of the image when you bring it into Photoshop as well. Resolution has similar rules to the image size, because the concepts are connected. 300 ppi is the final image size that is best to use when printing. If your project is going to be printed at a higher line screen, such as 175 lpi or above then you need to increase the resolution of your image that is over 300 ppi. Color space in Photoshop deals with the image being in either RGB or CMYK. When printing you always want to convert your image either to CMYK or grayscale depending on what you want to use it for. When you convert an image to CMYK you lose some flexibility. When puttting images on a website you will need to make sure its RGB. When you use an Illustrator file you need to make sure its converted into CMYK or it won't be able to print because of the color space.
When working with a layered image it is best to save the original copy of the image so if you need to back and edit you can., but for printing you need to make sure the image is flattened, which can be done by going to under the layers panel and choose merge layers in CS4. In CS5, underneath the layer panel there is an option now you can go to by just clicking flatten image. It works the exact same. Transparency is the percentage in Photoshop that is by the opacity. This is honored not just by Photoshop, but also my InDesign and Illustrator. It basically fades the background or image in a document to create a creative project. There are right and wrong ways when creating a path in Photoshop. "Photoshop's attempts to convert an active selection ("marching ants") to a clipping path are valiant, but the results are usually less than stellar." (McCue) Magic Wand selection is not the best tool used for clipping a path. A better clipping path is made by the Pen Tool. There's no wiggles in the lines using it. Duotone's are images made up of two colors, which one color is usually black then one spot color to go with it. It adds a lot of visual interest to a job with a limited color palette.
Chapter 10
Chapter 10 is basically the same as chapter 9, only difference is this is covering Illustrator. Artboards is like an imaginary piece of paper in Illustrator and its a bit confusing to a relationship to the actual artwork. To create an new artboard you just create a new Illustrator document then its automatically created after you enter the dimensions. You can actually make a total of 100 artboards manually in one existing document. All you have to do is click and drag the artboard drag tool. When it comes to bleeds you can actually go to an existing document and go to File > Document Set Up. Bleed values are usually applied to Illustrator within the actual document.
To simply artwork you can go to Choose Object > Path > Clean Up to delete little stray points that are caused from pen clicks or objects that have no fill and stroke, and empty text paths. This also is how you clean up your document when you are done. Clean up deletes all unnecessary artwork that you don't plan to use and it simplifies your complex art as well. "Illustrator offers a number of imaginative live effects that allow you to transform a simple object into something much more interesting with just a few clicks." (McCue) Live means that you can modify how an object looks by editing effects in the Appearance panel, without altering anything. It is also possible to hide or remove an effect from a specific object. The Effects menu is divided into two parts, which are Illustrator Effects and Photoshop effects. "The Illustrator are applied to the interiors and the edges of vector objects, including objects being used as Clipping Masks for placed images." (McCue) The Photoshop effects apply to the interior of vector objects without having to do any modification to the images, even including the ones as Clipping Masks. Effects would be like shadows or glowing as examples.
Transparency is similar to the one in Photoshop because it makes an image lighter and blends the image into its background and adds more of a creative look to your project. With Illustrator, spot colors may be involved because you are converting the image to CMYK. You may have bad results if you try to create spot color objects and try to bring them into InDesign because the color may not be the same as you intended it to be. Overprint Preview is a great tool to overlap objects and it won't cause any problems because in fact it can help you figure out problems you have. You can also flatten a transparency in Illustrator like you can in Photoshop as well.
Lastly, I will explain linked and embedded images. There are pros and cons to each. When you link an image in Illustrator it actually is a smaller file than when its embedded. Its because they are easily color corrected or retouched. When you embed an image, it actually increases the file size, since the file image is added to the file. The good thing about embedding is that its easier to track all the components in a file because if its a Link, it would then send you to Photoshop for that specific image. Embedding complicates image editing. If the original image is available then you can go the Re-links underneath the Links panel menu and find that image you are searching for. Afterwards you can then update your Link so that doesn't happen again unless you don't Package the file. All the information I got this from was the book, Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudia McCue.
Variable Data Project
The purpose of my variable data project beside making a post card is to promote my photography business. Variable data printing is creating a postcard, but targeting it at two different audiences having the same design but different text. My two target audiences are males and females who are seniors in High School or older. I plan to put a picture of a girl on the front of the card to attract the ladies and put a guy on the front of the post card for the ladies to read. It is basically to get each of them interested in doing a photo session and receiving 30% off for St. Patrick's Day special for the month of March. I plan to do make the photo duotone so I can mark it off the master checklist along with a full bleed. My call to action is get people interested in photo sessions that are 30% off. All the images going to be used in this project are all copyrighted by me (John Saunders).
- 7 x 5 inches post card.
- Bleed- 0.125 inches
- Margins- .25 inches
- Colors- 3 or 4
10 Thumbnails and Rough Drafts Posted Below
To print the card from Quick-Print Services it cost $0.65 to print. To make an actual post card I found out it cost $0.58 each. From the Master Checklist I used a full bleed on the front of the post card and I also made the picture a duotone so that's two marked off the list for me.
The Final Finish
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Chapter 6 & 7
Chapter 6
Chapter 6 talks about fonts and the kinds there are plus tells you the problems you could run into with some fonts compared to others. PostScript is referred to as Type 1. The 3 major categories of fonts are PostScript, TrueType, and OpenType. PostScript fonts consist of two files and they are a bitmap "screen font", which is used for an onscreen display, and printer component that contains instruction for PostScript. Since this is made of pixels, the bitmap component alone can not provide the correct resolution for the output, so the big thing you can do is not misplace the printer font or it will end badly. Don't get rid of the screen font either. It also contains additional resources you may need. According to the Print Production Book, "TrueType was the result of a collaboration between Apple Computer and Microsoft and consists of a single file (that is, no separate components for screen and printer font component)." There is no need to keep track of the two different components for screen and print. TrueType could also cause terror to a prepress operator because RIPS can't interpret them so they changed the feel of it to a PostScript.
OpenType fonts are single-file fonts. They do not have a separate screen and printer fonts to keep track of. These fonts are a cross platform. The same font file of an OpenType can be opened using either Mac or PC with no special handling. The next topic introduced is a glyph. A glyph is a distinct letter form, a number, or lowercase p, or an ampersand. This would allow a font designer to include swashes, contextual ligatures, titling alternates, even fractions, all in one font. All this information is from the book Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudi McCue. According to Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudi McCue, "The entirety of a font family that previously required separate expert and titling sets can now be contained in one font." Not every font in OpenType contains glyphs.You can use OpenType fonts without having any worries about imaging problems. They are very compatible with RIPs. They can also be activated by a Font Book application on a Macintosh or by Windows Fonts control panel of a PC.
Dfonts is a moniker derived from the fact the fonts are data-only, and not a two headed file consisting of a data fork and a resource fork. According to the book, if this doesn't mean much to you then don't worry about it. Dfonts are very problematic because their names are not recognized from their PostScript counterparts. They are usually active by default. Macintosh systems and PC systems contain mostly the same fonts between the two of them. PC uses more of the Arial system because it has the ability to display an extensive character set, like Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic characters. Macintosh's use fonts like Geneva, Monaco, Chicago, and Charcoal because of their distinctive names. Multiple Master Fonts are another fear to a post press operate because the fonts come up as unknown. The process goes like this, "Start with a PostScript font, and then give users the ability to create multiple weights, angles, and widths (such as condensed or extended) of a single font. Problems happened from lack of education. Multiple Master Fonts are still used for display and printing when fonts are missing in a PDF and for displaying text when fonts are unavailable for an InDesign or Illustrator file. Fonts are licensed because you don't think of it as a software because its usually included in a software, which is why its copyrighted. They contain instructions for their appearance and imaging. It is actually very expensive and complex when designing fonts. When you use fonts for a project be careful when you send them to a printer because the licensing situation for fonts are more complicated than you think. You need to be in compliance with the End User License Agreements (EULAs) because sometimes the printer doesn't always own the font you would like to use.
Chapter 7
Chapter 7 is all about cross-platform issues, such as naming files, file extensions, fonts, and graphic formats. When naming files, you do not need punctuation. Most people use an underscore where there should be a space so you computer will recognize the file quicker and have no confusion. Length is not the only thing that affects file names. Like I said before using an underscore is the best, don't use characters like these: !@#$%^&*()":{}<>?,. Stick mainly to letters that are coupled with numerals, spaces, underscores, and hyphens. When you upload images to the web, it is best not to put any spaces between any letter or word of the file name or the file won't be recognized. Sometimes it is also best to include file extensions. Macintosh does not yet require this to determine which application should be used to open a file, which the icon should have a picture on it of the file it needs to be open in. Most file extensions consist of three letters such as .rtf, .pdf, and .tif. The period always separates the file name from its extension. Failure you to do this will result that you won't be able to open this on a PC from a Mac or vise versa. Ending this blog, I will talk about formats that can cross platforms. The Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudi McCue says, "All current graphics formats including TIFF, PSD, EPS, AI, JPEG, and PDF, are perfectly happy jumping platforms. Just don't forget the file extensions." All the information that I typed above was all from the Chapters 6 and 7 in the book, Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudi McCue.
Chapter 6 talks about fonts and the kinds there are plus tells you the problems you could run into with some fonts compared to others. PostScript is referred to as Type 1. The 3 major categories of fonts are PostScript, TrueType, and OpenType. PostScript fonts consist of two files and they are a bitmap "screen font", which is used for an onscreen display, and printer component that contains instruction for PostScript. Since this is made of pixels, the bitmap component alone can not provide the correct resolution for the output, so the big thing you can do is not misplace the printer font or it will end badly. Don't get rid of the screen font either. It also contains additional resources you may need. According to the Print Production Book, "TrueType was the result of a collaboration between Apple Computer and Microsoft and consists of a single file (that is, no separate components for screen and printer font component)." There is no need to keep track of the two different components for screen and print. TrueType could also cause terror to a prepress operator because RIPS can't interpret them so they changed the feel of it to a PostScript.
OpenType fonts are single-file fonts. They do not have a separate screen and printer fonts to keep track of. These fonts are a cross platform. The same font file of an OpenType can be opened using either Mac or PC with no special handling. The next topic introduced is a glyph. A glyph is a distinct letter form, a number, or lowercase p, or an ampersand. This would allow a font designer to include swashes, contextual ligatures, titling alternates, even fractions, all in one font. All this information is from the book Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudi McCue. According to Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudi McCue, "The entirety of a font family that previously required separate expert and titling sets can now be contained in one font." Not every font in OpenType contains glyphs.You can use OpenType fonts without having any worries about imaging problems. They are very compatible with RIPs. They can also be activated by a Font Book application on a Macintosh or by Windows Fonts control panel of a PC.
Dfonts is a moniker derived from the fact the fonts are data-only, and not a two headed file consisting of a data fork and a resource fork. According to the book, if this doesn't mean much to you then don't worry about it. Dfonts are very problematic because their names are not recognized from their PostScript counterparts. They are usually active by default. Macintosh systems and PC systems contain mostly the same fonts between the two of them. PC uses more of the Arial system because it has the ability to display an extensive character set, like Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic characters. Macintosh's use fonts like Geneva, Monaco, Chicago, and Charcoal because of their distinctive names. Multiple Master Fonts are another fear to a post press operate because the fonts come up as unknown. The process goes like this, "Start with a PostScript font, and then give users the ability to create multiple weights, angles, and widths (such as condensed or extended) of a single font. Problems happened from lack of education. Multiple Master Fonts are still used for display and printing when fonts are missing in a PDF and for displaying text when fonts are unavailable for an InDesign or Illustrator file. Fonts are licensed because you don't think of it as a software because its usually included in a software, which is why its copyrighted. They contain instructions for their appearance and imaging. It is actually very expensive and complex when designing fonts. When you use fonts for a project be careful when you send them to a printer because the licensing situation for fonts are more complicated than you think. You need to be in compliance with the End User License Agreements (EULAs) because sometimes the printer doesn't always own the font you would like to use.
Chapter 7
Chapter 7 is all about cross-platform issues, such as naming files, file extensions, fonts, and graphic formats. When naming files, you do not need punctuation. Most people use an underscore where there should be a space so you computer will recognize the file quicker and have no confusion. Length is not the only thing that affects file names. Like I said before using an underscore is the best, don't use characters like these: !@#$%^&*()":{}<>?,. Stick mainly to letters that are coupled with numerals, spaces, underscores, and hyphens. When you upload images to the web, it is best not to put any spaces between any letter or word of the file name or the file won't be recognized. Sometimes it is also best to include file extensions. Macintosh does not yet require this to determine which application should be used to open a file, which the icon should have a picture on it of the file it needs to be open in. Most file extensions consist of three letters such as .rtf, .pdf, and .tif. The period always separates the file name from its extension. Failure you to do this will result that you won't be able to open this on a PC from a Mac or vise versa. Ending this blog, I will talk about formats that can cross platforms. The Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudi McCue says, "All current graphics formats including TIFF, PSD, EPS, AI, JPEG, and PDF, are perfectly happy jumping platforms. Just don't forget the file extensions." All the information that I typed above was all from the Chapters 6 and 7 in the book, Print Production with Adobe Creative Suite Applications by Claudi McCue.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Copyright for Designers
According to Copyright website, "Copyright protects a range of materials, including artistic works, written material (such as journal articles, novels, and reports), musical works and films. Drawings logos, photographs and other visual images are likely to be protected by copyright as artistic works." Owners of copyright have the right to do only certain aspects with their material. Artistic works have the right to reproduce it, make it public, and communicate it to the public. Copyright owners can assign their own rights. The reason to have copyrights is to make sure you get credit for your actual creation so nobody else takes your image or project and calls it their own. Everyone has moral rights in respect of their own work. Copyright protection is available for all unprotected and protected works regardless of who created it. According to the Copyright website, there are eight categories that are protected by copyright laws, and they are literary works, musical works, dramatic works, pantomimes and choreographic works, graphic works, motion pictures, sound recordings, and architectural works.
Copyrights last for the duration of the persons life who created the material and then you add another 70 years on top of that until the copyright is no good anymore. Copyright affects images, content, fonts, and intellectual property all the same because like I just said, it last the duration of the persons life who created the works then you add another 70 years too it so really in the end you are copyright protected and nobody can take it away from you once you have it. You need to have a copyright registration form to prove it after you fill out the paper work because once you do that then it entitles you the copyrights of your creations. Registrations can be done either on paper or online, which ever one prefers to do. There is also a small fee to create a copyright too. If anyone is caught infringing on copyright laws then it could lead to court and possibly jail time. Everything you find online is mostly protected by copyright also. There are certain sites that allow you to use their images, but you can only use so many and usually need a user name and password to get into the site like istock.com for example. There are restrictions on most though so be careful what you copy from the internet especially images and quotes from other peoples news articles or books. All the information I got this from was the Copyright website.
Copyrights last for the duration of the persons life who created the material and then you add another 70 years on top of that until the copyright is no good anymore. Copyright affects images, content, fonts, and intellectual property all the same because like I just said, it last the duration of the persons life who created the works then you add another 70 years too it so really in the end you are copyright protected and nobody can take it away from you once you have it. You need to have a copyright registration form to prove it after you fill out the paper work because once you do that then it entitles you the copyrights of your creations. Registrations can be done either on paper or online, which ever one prefers to do. There is also a small fee to create a copyright too. If anyone is caught infringing on copyright laws then it could lead to court and possibly jail time. Everything you find online is mostly protected by copyright also. There are certain sites that allow you to use their images, but you can only use so many and usually need a user name and password to get into the site like istock.com for example. There are restrictions on most though so be careful what you copy from the internet especially images and quotes from other peoples news articles or books. All the information I got this from was the Copyright website.
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