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Blastro123
Participant
July 24, 2011
Question

Correctly export PDF for offset printing via photoshop

  • July 24, 2011
  • 1 reply
  • 22217 views

This has been kind of frustrating and I'm hoping you guys can answer this for me. The printer hasn't been helpful in this entire process! I want to make sure it's exporting properly.
My OS: Mac OS 10.6.7 
Photoshop CS5  
Requirements: 600dpi  
CMYK
Embed all ICC profiles 
My process: Flatten image File > save as > photoshop PDF
I check off : use proof setup: working cmyk And: embed color profile: U.S. Web coated (SWOP) In PDF dialogue box after I hit save I make sure NO CONVERSION under color conversion is checked.   
My results: a flat, desaturated PDF image that doesn't match my working .psd file 
BUT! when I don't check the "embed color profile" box, I receive an image that matches the colors of the working .psd ? Sounds a bit counter intuitive to me if I don't embed the colors and it matches? Can someone explain this?  Which colors should I trust? I don't want the printer to print a flat image but then again they want the color profiles embedded. What am I missing here? 
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  Also unrelated, is there a way to save out a portion of the document without cropping and then undoing and saving out the rest? I'm tryin to split an 11inch wide image in two and cropping and undoing seems to be the slowest way to do it? There has to be an easier way.   Thanks so much guys! Look forward to your response.

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    1 reply

    Tai_Lao
    Tai_Lao
    Inspiring
    July 24, 2011

    Please clarify: Do you work in CMYK or RGB?  I understand you want to output a CMYK file but is that also your working space?  If the answer is no then you have to ALLOW the color conversion.

    B
    Blastro123Author
    Participant
    July 25, 2011

    I'm working in CMYK.

    Tai_Lao
    Tai_Lao
    Inspiring
    July 25, 2011

    OK, you're fine then.  Soft proof your image in Photoshop by using Proof Colors in the View menu > Proof Colors and selecting the embedded profile there too.

    Of course, make sure your monitor is accurately calibrated.

    Read this whole site:

    http://www.gballard.net/psd/cmstheory.html

    Monitors need to be calibrated and profiled regularly and often.

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