How to know Exactly How Many Colors???

[coyotethrust]

Irecently finished a graphic design album cover project for my band. The company that will be printing the copies requires that all images are in the CMYK process, which they are. They also want to know exactly how many colors are in the project alltogether, and I have no clue how to figure this out. I used Adobe Photoshop and later imported the images used into an illustrator template. I was just wondering if there was some way (or somewhere) that either of these programs let you know the number of colors in the project/images. Does anyone know how to figure this out??

Thanks much.

[1984]

four

Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black

[PrintDriver]

Yep. 4 colors for the image
But if you have used spot colors (PMS numbers) in your Illustrator file it could be more. Many more. Print companies charge by the color.
I'm getting the impression you are going to expect this print to look like your computer monitor too. Do you have a printed out hard copy you can show the printer?

PD is a grande format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

[coyotethrust]

PD said...
Yep. 4 colors for the image
But if you have used spot colors (PMS numbers) in your Illustrator file it could be more. Many more. Print companies charge by the color.
I'm getting the impression you are going to expect this print to look like your computer monitor too. Do you have a printed out hard copy you can show the printer?

Ahhhhh, see i figured that if it was in the CMYK process then it's obviously 4 colors, but it just looks like there are more to me.....I have a laser proof for the company printing it........The thing of it is, is that all i did with illustrator was import the images (whcih i am 100% positive they are all converted to CMYK) into a template that the company provided. I followed their instructions to a "T". How would I know if the colors are "spot colors (PMS numbers)"........hmmmmm

thanks

[PrintDriver]

Did you apply any colors?
If all you did was place a raster image (.tif, .gif, .psd, .jpg, .png, .eps .bmp, etc.) into Illustrator and call it an eps or something like that you may not quite be following the instructions.

If you placed a photoshop.tif, or .eps, or .psd, or dcs (all other formats are not for print) into Illustrator and only resized it and added crop marks to show bleed then you only have a 4 color print. Almost all full color raster prints are CMYK (duotones, tritones, etc are a special case).

If you made text or shapes in the Illustrator file and applied color to it, it still, technically, could be a 4 color print.

If you made text or shapes in the Illustrator file, opened a PMS Swatch Library and chose a specific color that you want the printer to match then you would have a 5 color file (or more depending on how many custom colors you chose.)

Don't expect the final to look exactly like your laser print.
ASK FOR A PROOF if color is at all critical to you (HIGHLY recommended anyway, even if you have to pay for it).

PD is a grande format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

[Tyger]

listen to PD, he knows what he's talking about...you da' man PD!

Anyway i would highly suggest that you do some reasearch and studying to get a grasp on the whole colour process, its differences and definitions. If you are going to do some future work every designer needs to know the printing side of things or you'll have some interesting surprises! Learn the lingo, become familiar with it. That way you are more confident doing these projects and it'll cause less stress...i've had to learn the hard way!

http://img237.exs.cx/img237/6410/sig1sy.jpg

[coyotethrust]

[quote]

PD said...
Did you apply any colors?
If all you did was place a raster image (.tif, .gif, .psd, .jpg, .png, .eps .bmp, etc.) into Illustrator and call it an eps or something like that you may not quite be following the instructions.

If you placed a photoshop.tif, or .eps, or .psd, or dcs (all other formats are not for print) into Illustrator and only resized it and added crop marks to show bleed then you only have a 4 color print. Almost all full color raster prints are CMYK (duotones, tritones, etc are a special case).

If you made text or shapes in the Illustrator file and applied color to it, it still, technically, could be a 4 color print.

If you made text or shapes in the Illustrator file, opened a PMS Swatch Library and chose a specific color that you want the printer to match then you would have a 5 color file (or more depending on how many custom colors you chose.)

Don't expect the final to look exactly like your laser print.
ASK FOR A PROOF if color is at all critical to you (HIGHLY recommended anyway, even if you have to pay for it).



[quote]Thank you so much for your help and advicehttp://www.graphicdesignforum.com/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/thumbsup.gif
[quote]
[quote]This is directly from the groovehouse.com design specs....
[quote]"DESIGN SPECS
Graphic Files: Picture files should be saved as either TIFF or EPS. Images must be scanned in at
350 dpi. If you are placing them into Photoshop or any other program, be sure that the document
resolution is also set to 350 dpi. Include all current graphic files linked to documents, including any
placed Adobe Illustrator files. Include “live” (editable) versions of all linked graphic files in case we need
to edit. Do not use PICTs, GIFs, JPEGs, or LZW compression. Size and crop images in Photoshop
before placing them into your page layouts. Never resize images in your layout application more or less
than 5%. When placing files in Illustrator, please “link” rather than “embed.” Do not use Illustrator to
create transparency effects - use Photoshop instead. Do not use a background of “none” in your
picture boxes in QuarkXpress. This can result in a pixelated edge where the edge drops out to 0%.

Colors: All scans and artwork must be converted to CMYK from RGB. We cannot output RGB files. If you
base the colors of your design by Pantone (spot), make sure you convert the colors to process
separation. Photoshop files should be saved in Bitmap, Grayscale, or CMYK mode. When creating
four color files, you may prefer to use a rich black if large areas of black are used. This is commonly a
CMYK black made up of 100% black and 30% cyan. Color settings should be saved to match final output."
[quote]
[quote]I followed these instructions exactly........What I did was use a few different drawings I scanned in at 350 dpi to make a collage......When the image altering and design was finished, I merged all the layers (which were alreadyconverted toCMYK) in photoshop and saved it as 1 image in the TIFF format (CMYK color). I then linked this image to the Illustrator template as requested. I definately realize that the final product has the potential to not look exact color wise and I am prepared for that...They (groovehouse) are going to be sending me a proof as well before they begin replication. What do you make of this here? Do you think, from what I've explained to you, that I have done anything majorly wrong?? Is it safe to say that my project is 4 print colors because it is in CMYK??
[quote]
[quote]Sorry if I'm buggin ya, but you are a big help.......and man, I'am confused!http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/eyecrazy.gif http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/wink.gif

[D-Zine]

It sounds like you have it right.
You converted everything in photoshop to CMYK. Is there anything in your Illustrator other than the linked files themself? If so, you just want to make sure they are CMYK and not using Pantones as PD said...because that will account for more colors. Just double check that you are using no Pantones in the Illustrator template (for anything other than the linked image) and it sounds like you got it.

Power to the Oldschoolers

[1984]

What's odd is that in their instructions (which are nicely detailed) they even state that all spot's are to be converted to process. so why they even asked what colors are included is beyond me.

[coyotethrust]

1984 said...
What's odd is that in their instructions (which are nicely detailed) they even state that all spot's are to be converted to process. so why they even asked what colors are included is beyond me.Right-o......I think that is what is causing all my confusion, cause it's like, they want everything in CMYK, and it is, and then they ask how many colors are in the project......so it's kinda a no-brainer turned puzzle.....hmmmmmm......

[coyotethrust]

Okay, so what I just did was open the tif file in Illustrator, and open the color swatch window. Then i selected all unused swatches and deleted them. It left me with 4 colors, and registration black. So would my design include 5 colors because of registration black, or is that a given??

[3howards]

Although we can take files created on a PC, we STRONGLY recommend that you create them using
the Macintosh platform. Because PC graphics take longer for us to prepare for output than Mac, there
may be an additional charge for jobs that take more than 1 hour to preflight.

odd ... i've never had issues like that with JUST pc files ... just reading through their design specs.

the black in your tif is a mix of the cmyk so it won't show up as just black like the registration black in illustrator. if you used their template, that's where the registration black is from.

Underclings (http://underclings.blogspot.com/)

Post Edited (3howards) : 2/22/2005 11:33:15 PM GMT

[D-Zine]

LMAO @ 3Howards!! That IS the most retarded thing I have read in awhile!!!

Umm..if PC files take them longer to output than Mac files...perhaps the printing business is NOT for them?! /DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/lol.gif
Then again..the did START a sentance with the word 'Because' so that doesn't say too much about them either...haa ha!

I'm sorry..I couldn't resist taking a shot at them! LOL!!!

Power to the Oldschoolers

[coyotethrust]

3howards said...
Although we can take files created on a PC, we STRONGLY recommend that you create them using
the Macintosh platform. Because PC graphics take longer for us to prepare for output than Mac, there
may be an additional charge for jobs that take more than 1 hour to preflight.

odd ... i've never had issues like that with JUST pc files ... just reading through their design specs.

the black in your tif is a mix of the cmyk so it won't show up as just black like the registration black in illustrator. if you used their template, that's where the registration black is from.


Hey, thanks a lot for clearing that up for me. Everyone seems to say the same exact thing about groovehouse and their PC problems. A bunch of B.S.! I will be really upset if they try to charge extra........

[morea]

guess I'm more than a little surprised that they don't take pdf's! /DesktopModules/dotNetBB/emoticons/blink.gif

nothing like making the process needlessly complicated. ack!

[I]The more people I meet, the more I love my cats.</A>

[iroc3d]

Honestly, If you send your work ina photoshop format as Tif or BMP in Mode CMYK, then you are following the instruction, just be sure that the image is a 350 resolution before sending. But the problem come with Illustrator because there are many configurations to do. But you can fix some problem after finished the project. Example, if you want be sure that all colours ar in CMYK and not in Spot colour, then use filter option / colour / convert to CMYK, this convert all colours (include the spot colour in CMYK process) except for the gradients, if you are using gradients you must to convert them manually.
If you are using black text, be sure that the option overprint fill or stroke is checked, you can see this in attributes pallete. Finally you always must send your final work in Adobe Ilustrator EPS format, because this format have better results with print process, just be sure that your images are embeded. Dont forget. and they are in 350 dpi resolution
Sorry for my english.
Good luck

[iroc3d]

One more thing, For printing there are only four color, I ve know abouth some other process , than let you use more than four colour, but only use for special colors, as light color, or special process, but if you are talking of a normal print. You are only use FOUR COLOR, nopthing more. CYAN , MAGENTA, YELLOW and BLACK. The registration option is not a one color more. Just is a form to process the black channel. Good luck friend

[PrintDriver]

I don't know about plate printing but I know of a couple of print formats where you can print all your images in CMYK then use additional spot color PMS on top of that. Very special print formats though (screen print types). Even if you can do it in some types of plate printing, the printer may ask 'Why?'.
A lot of PMS colors don't convert to CMYK nicely. That's where a spot-to-process guide comes in handy.

PD is a grande format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing