Saving photoshop files for printing

[default3g30erf4d78b]

What is the best format to save a photoshop file for printing (jpg, pdf, etc.)? For background, I'm putting together an ABC book with watercolour paintings I've done.

[Derek Cross]

If you're going to use a publishing application like InDesign then keep to native PSD format (you would Place the images and add any text in InDesign) and output to PDF for commercial printing.

If you need to send images out to a bureau then use uncompressed JPGs (You can use TIFs but IMO they make huge files with imperceptible improvement).

Whichever way you go keep your images in RGB color mode and in sRGB color space.

[NB, colourmanagement net]

Derek is right,

but do watch out if you decide to make Jpegs because they are compressed

- and cannot be resized or cropped then saved as Jpeg again without damage from re - compression whiuch can introduce some pretty nasty artifacts. 

[you may like to google 'jpeg artifacts' for more info on this]

Once you know the final print size then it's OK to make files at the right resolution with correct sharpening - then and only then save as Jpegs.

I hope this helps

thanks
neil barstow, colourmanagement.net :: adobe forum volunteer
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