Deleted/Transparent background still alters colours when placed on top of shapes

[ruthp60185689]

Placing images with transparent backgrounds created in Photoshop, e.g.:

in Illustrator, over a black background, #040505.

However, when testing with colour picker, the 'transparent' part of the image changes to #08090a:

When printing, this of course leaves different-coloured boxes around all Photoshop images that are supposed to have completely transparent backgrounds.

I believe the issue is producing itself in Photoshop rather than Illustrator. When testing by inserting a black box shape #040505 behind the image in Photoshop, the same issue occurs.

Things I have tried:
- changing Blend mode from 'Normal' to 'Screen'
- checking that CMYK colour profiles match in both Illustrator and Photoshop: 'Coated FOGRA39 (ISO 12647-2:2004)' (but not helpful seeing as the issue is likely in Photoshop)
- changing to various colour profiles, both RGB and CMYK
- removing backgrounds using magic wand tool (both check and unchecking contiguous)
- removing backgrounds using select and mask

Unfortunately I am ignorant when it comes to Photoshop, so struggling here. Have you encountered anything like this before?

Using Photoshop 23.0.1.

Thank you in advance!

[Bojan Živković]

Not sure where you are testing color? In Photoshop? I am testing using 23.0 version, still haven't updated to latest. Check what is set for Color Picker from Sample drop-down list. It must be set to Current Layer and you must select layer in the Layers panel.

i have discovered that everything works fine with pixel based layers. With shape layers it is behaving differently, picker is picking whatever color is set for shape even when clicking outside of shape on transparent area. 

[ruthp60185689]

Thanks for your reply - yes, testing the colour in Photoshop. I am testing the right layers.

[@mj]

Hi @ruthp60185689 ,

Ensure that your color settigns are the same in both Ai and Ps.

You can use Bridge to synchronize your settings across your apps.

Here's an explainer on how to do it. https://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/sync-photoshops-color-settings-creative-cloud-apps/

Color management is a big topic though.

Let us know how you go.

Best

mj

[ruthp60185689]

Hi mj, thanks for your reply!

Yes, colour management is huge and conscious that there could be so many things going on that might be creating this problem.

I have already used Bridge and both Illustrator and Photoshop are set to the same colour profile. I have tried and tested changing this to several different profiles, but the problem always occurs in the same way.

At the moment, as mentioned I have landed on 'Coated FOGRA39 (ISO 12647-2:2004)'.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Please provide the two files (ai and psd). 

[ruthp60185689]

Hi, thanks for your reply - here are the files.

[ruthp60185689]

The issue is occurring in Photoshop (tested by placing #00000 and #040505 coloured squares behind)

[PECourtejoie]

Hi!

I've seen transparent areas of PNGs produce a color shift on underlying layers when printed from AI.

If I remember correctly, there was a postscript problem that caused it...

How is the transparency created on those files? was it brushed in a mask then applied? Was the black used pure black, on a RGB file?

[ruthp60185689]

Hi, thanks for your response!

As mentioned, I initially created the transparency by using:

- removing backgrounds using magic wand tool

I have also tried:
- removing backgrounds using magic wand tool (both check and unchecking contiguous)
- removing backgrounds using select and mask

I have tried using pure black in RGB and also hex #040505 in CMYK to test how true the transparency is in Photoshop. Both times, the 'transparent' areas altered the hex code of the black.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

Are you working in CMYK or RGB? Combining them can lead to unintended results. 

Why are the images untagged? 

I can see no immediate problems in Illustrator. 

Placing the image in Photoshop appears to give the correct colors, too. 

[ruthp60185689]

Thank you very much for taking the time to check. That means it must be my settings in Photoshop.

Working only in CMYK. I am not sure how or why the images have become untagged.

I have found a sticking plaster for now, as deadline approaching for this piece of work. I will keep looking into colour management and write in here if I find a fix.

Thank you again.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

What are you outputting from Illustrator? 

pdf, png, …? 

[Test Screen Name]

I'm not sure why or even how you can say you have a colour of #040505 when working in CMYK. I suggest you quote the CMYK colours you are designing in, and seeing. The hex colours are just going to confuse things with meededless RGB conversions.