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Techhead124
Participant
April 15, 2017
Answered

CMYK: Illustrator exporting to JPEG

  • April 15, 2017
  • 1 reply
  • 5715 views

Hey, I've been printing stuff for a while now so I have some basic understanding of file formats and CMYK vs RGB, but I'm starting to make designs in illustrator for print and keep running into a problem. Every time I export my illustrator file to a JPEG and save it as CMYK, the colors change. Blues turn more of a purple, semi transparent backgrounds darken, etc. When I save it as a PDF, the original colors are maintained though. The Illustrator file is already in CMYK color mode, the elements that come from photoshop have also already been converted to CMYK.

The reason this is a big concern for me is because I don't know what will be the true color that is printed. The AI and PDF files are one color (and print that way on  my home printer, w/ a few minor differences) while the JPEG file is another color (and prints that way on the home printer).

Help would be appreciated.

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Monika Gause

    I'm just using Windows Photo Viewer to display it. That could be the issue. Is there another application you would suggest for displaying images?

    Thanks, I will start studying up on color management.


    You need an app that supports color management.

    And not only that, but it needs to be set up the same way as Illustrator's color management is.

    1 reply

    Monika Gause
    Community Expert
    Monika GauseCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    April 15, 2017

    Your home printer is not a reference for commercial printing at all.

    Apart from that: Which options do you select when exporting to JPG? And which ones to PDF?

    What I don't understand: do you first export to JPG and then convert the color mode somewhere else?

    How is your color management set up?

    T
    Techhead124Author
    Participant
    April 15, 2017

    Good to know about the home printer.

    For JPG- CMYK, Max quality, Baseline compression, 300dpi, Type Optimized.

    For PDF- I use the High Quality Print preset.

    I don't do any color changes after the export. I create the design with Illustrator (CMYK Color Mode) with Illustrator objects/shapes and some linked Photoshop objects (also saved as CMYK). So, as far I can tell, my whole document is set up to be CMYK ready. But, when I export it as a JPG for the customer using the options above, it further changes the colors.

    Ummm, I've never touched any setting for color management set up. I've only ever chosen the color mode as CMYK or RGB. Everything else is preset. I hope that answers that question.

    Thanks for your help.

    T
    Techhead124Author
    Participant
    April 15, 2017

    If you don't change the color mode of your JPEG, then it should show any color shifts.

    Which application do you use fr display? If the browser: browsers don't support CMYK

    You need to learn color management, calibrate and set up your system.

    Set up color management

    see also this:

    colourmanagement.net

    (there's a lot more to learn)


    I'm just using Windows Photo Viewer to display it. That could be the issue. Is there another application you would suggest for displaying images?

    Thanks, I will start studying up on color management.

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