A

Anonymous

Answered

CMYK values of an imported image don't match with CMYK in Illustrator

Forum|Forum|12 years ago
March 24, 2013
4 replies
20292 views

Hello everyone. I made a simple poster using photoshop to make the background and illustrator to make the fonts and some other stuff.

In CMYK my black is just 100% K ( in photoshop)

When placing image in illustrator the 100% K (black) changes to different black with C M Y added. But then when I save it as PDF the preview shows black as a bit grey (which is something normal- in print it will be just black). So my question is .. should I change enything just to be able to see a 100% K in illustrator in order to match CMYK values of Photoshop? Or should I leave it this way? I guess if I am getting a "grey" in PDF preview is something good isn'it? because in photoshop when I set to 100%K in my screeen it looks like grey and not total black.

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer Monika Gause

to be honest I've never tried to embed a psd file before. In order to have a preview for the client I was using png or jpeg (less space in disk) then after having the ok from the client I used the same jpeg to do the rest in illustrator. Do I have to change anything in color settings?

eg. Preserve Numbers (Ignore Linked Profiles) is the current state as I can remember.

I will try to embed the psd file. but I am also having an issue with this eyedropper tool in illustrator. Like I mentioned above it seems not to work properly.

I have a white (all set to 0 ) and it gives me C 0.98 M 0.76 Y 0 K 0 instead of all zero.

OK, so you used the eyedropper to measure the black. THis was not clear in your initial post.

You cannot take precise measure with the eyedropper in linked photos. It's simply not possible. sampling colors with pressed shift key will always sample the screen representation, i.e. go through color management.

If you want to check colors, create a PDF and then use Adobe Acrobat.

When embedding your linked images you have to take special care of color management to prevent CMYK-to-CMYK-transformations. And you have to check color profiles and you have to properly set up color management. Which of course apllies to saving a PDF as well.

There's a huge document on print prdouction with Creative Suite, you might want to read it: http://rufus.deuchler.net/2011/06/adobe-publishes-a-new-creative-suite-555-printing-guide.html

MW Design

Inspiring

Is your PSD linked or embedded? If linked, try embedding it. Do this in a copy of your working document. Then shift-click on your black and report what it reads.

Take care, Mike

Jacob Bugge

Community Expert

billef,

Your description seems to imply that you have your File>Document Color Mode set to RGB Color.

If that is the case, any CMYK colour will be converted into RGB, and the corresponding CMYK values will be distorted to the ugliest degree.

For less conspicuous inconsistencies between documents, I believe the replies from John and Monika are the best guesses to follow up on (unless we are talking weirdnesses such as preference corruption and the like).

A

Anonymous

no no . both Photoshop and Illustrator are set to CMYK. I made my background picture in photoshop with black set to 100%K ...

then I placed that image into illustrator (also set as CMYK) and even though I am seeing the same colors I am not getting the same CMYK values.

It's very important to have the right values in order to have a good print. When I saved my work into pdf (from illustrator) I saw black color as grey.. I guess taht is because of CMYK coding of black? I mean if I am getting Grey "look" it's good isn't it? black should appear as grey when it's in CMYK mode with 100% K.

Jacob Bugge

Community Expert

billef,

The appearance also depends on the monitor (setting/calibration), but the different values point to something else. The right/synchronized colour management/settings across applications may be the cause: it has to be done with care.

Just to rule out preference corruption, you may try to Move the folder ; you can move it back and retrieve your settings.

Off to other duties, in the snow.

Monika Gause

Community Expert

How is color management in the two applications set up? Which color profiles are you using? How do you treat differing profiles in Illustrator? Did you embed the image or link it?

When displaying "exact black", 100 K will indeed look a little gray. But rich blacks might as well look gray, so you need to check in Acrobat print preview how black is set up.

Ask your print service about how to set up black. It depends on machine and stock used and on how you want black to appear.

A

Anonymous

Monica I don't know how to check what color profile I am using in photoshop - Just in illustrator. "drag n drop" image - I guess this is linking images .
Monica can I send you the file and tell me if it need any changes? When the appereance of black was rich black - I saw only black and not grey.

Please anyone? It's very important and urgent.

Monika Gause

Community Expert

billef32 wrote:
Monica I don't know how to check what color profile I am using in photoshop - Just in illustrator. "drag n drop" image - I guess this is linking images .

What kind of drag and drop? The file from the finder into Illustrator? Or the content from Photoshop diretly into Illustrator? And if from the finder: please check if it is embedded.

Also: in Photoshop you'll need a CMYK document. Setting only the color to 100% K in an RGB document won't be enough.

Please read the manual on how to check the color profiles and how to set up color management.

If black in a placed image is already "rich" in Illustrators seperation preview there's no way for you to get 100 K out of it.

A

Anonymous

In Illustrator, go to Preferences > Appearance of Black > set view and output to "Accurate" Black, not "Rich" Black. Black is Black and shouldn't be seen as Gray. Check your monitor and make sure it is calibrated.

A

Anonymous

Now it shows black as grey even in illustrator.
A small brief:
- image containing black created in photoshop in CMYK mode with black set to 100%K

- I imported this image to illustrator and I got rich black (like you said) ... Using the eyedropper I see that CMYK values are different

How can I be sure that if I save into pdf it will be print black and not grey? When using eyedropper in Illustrator on a placed image I want to see 100% K (black) and not rich balck values (shown as grey)

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded