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A
Anonymous
July 24, 2009
Question

CMYK Profile for Printing

  • July 24, 2009
  • 3 replies
  • 38036 views

Hi
I have just migrated from CS3 to CS4 Extended. And now when I convert my image from RGB to CYMK, I am asked to set up a profile. I use photoshop for press printing. Which default CYMK profile I should go for?

Thanx
Max

      3 replies

      A
      Anonymous
      July 26, 2009

      Thanx a lot for the help guys

      P
      Printer_Rick
      Inspiring
      July 24, 2009

      OP

      Are you referring to the warning:

      "You are about to convert to CMYK using the (name of profile) This may not be what you intend..."

      The reason I'm asking is because I believe this warning was new in PSCS4.

      A
      Anonymous
      July 24, 2009

      This warning could be turned off. But in fact, I am talking about profiles and not about the warning itself.

      P
      Printer_Rick
      Inspiring
      July 24, 2009

      OK. First, Rick McCleary's advice was good, best case scenario is to have a custom ICC profile describing your precise print conditions (your in-house press, the print standard, the inks, stock).

      If you don't have such a profile you can use others. The three Rick mentioned describe various print conditions on coated paper. Each has a specified total ink limit which is an important consideration. To check this, make a blank CMYK document. Assign the profile. Hit "D". Click on the foreground black color and add the CMYK numbers

      Japan newspaper has a TIL of 240. The profile describes an average newspaper print condition in Japan.

      US Web Coated SWOP has TIL of 300, with black ink limit of 90. It describes US Web Press printing to SWOP standard on a coated sheet. The two Web profiles Rick McCleary specified have TIL of 307 and 300, with black ink limits of 97 and 98.

      TIL needs to be less for uncoated stock. It can't accept as much ink. As the paper stacks up at the delivery end, if there is too much ink it can offset on the back side of the sheet. This is especially likely to happen with a large image with lots of shadow area.

      Since you mentioned US Web Coated SWOP and Japan Newspaper, perhaps you've been using them in CS3. If so, and your press runs have been consistent and reliable, you could also use the same profiles in CS4.

      Message was edited by: Printer_Rick (added items, fixed wording and incorrect numbers)

        A
        Anonymous
        July 24, 2009

        Two ways of determining a "default" CMYK profile to use:

        1) [this is ideal]

        Talk to the printer who will be running the job and ask them if they have a profile they would like you to use. Then, use that one.

        2) [this is more common]

        If you can't talk to the printer, or don't know who will be printing the job, make your best educated guess. To do that, choose from among three new profiles that ship with CS4:

        "Coated GRACOL 2006" - if it's printing sheetfed on a #1 sheet.

        "Web Coated SWOP 2006 Grade 3 Paper" - if it's on a web press on a #3 sheet

        "Web Coated SWOP 2006 Grade 5 Paper" - if it's on a web press on a #5 sheet

        ^^^^^^^^^

        There are variations on this theme, but these profiles will get you very near the middle of the road without running into the ditch.

        HTH,

        Rick

        A
        Anonymous
        July 24, 2009

        The printer is an in-house press. Will they have the information you are talking about?

        Secondly, will the default profile, U.S. Web Coated,  do?

        And what about Japan Color 2002 Newspaper?

        P
        Printer_Rick
        Inspiring
        July 24, 2009

        Maxal123 wrote:

        The printer is an in-house press. Will they have the information you are talking about?

        I missed this before. More than likely the press foreman won't have a profile.

        To make a custom press profile you have to print a special target with color patches. This is read using a spectrophotometer and special software to generate an ICC profile. The profile can be used for Adobe color management, and also with RIPs and contract color proofing devices.

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