Pictures

[Waggie]

Is there any way to tell how a picture will look after returning from a
commercial printer? We create our small newspaper in Publisher - pictures
look fine, they look great printed out on our laser printer. We send the
newspaper file as a pdf (Adobe) to be printed by a commercial printer. When
the newspaper returns some pictures are fine, others are so dark you can
barely see them. Is there any way in Publisher that can tell me if the
pictures are too dark, even though they look fine on the screen and after
being printed out on our laser? Thanks

 

[Mary Sauer]

Might be time to find a new commercial printer. Have you printed the PDF you
created on your local laser printer? If it prints out okay, I'd talk to my
printer person.

 

[Matt Beals]

Ah the joys of color management...

First thing first. Your monitor is wrong.
Second, Your laser/ink jet printer is wrong.
Third, Publisher and Windows are probably wrong too.
Fourth, your printer isn't giving a proof of what the art will look like
when printed. Which is *COMPLETELY WRONG*!

You can *NEVER* trust what you see on a monitor that is not calibrated
correctly. Yes, you can incorrectly calibrate a monitor. If the monitor
is more than 2 years old, probably not worth calibrating in the first
place. If it is an inexpensive/cheap LCD monitor don't even bother.
Samsung, NEC, some HP's, some Dell's are worth calibrating. Calibration
at best on $3,000 monitors can only last one month. So anything less
that $3,000 will have to be done more frequently.

You can *NEVER* trust your printing unless you calibrate and color
manage the printer. Calibrating a printer is no small feat and requires
a printer that is high quality.

You can *NEVER* trust what Publisher and Windows are showing you on
screen. Even on a $3,000 monitor. Publisher doesn't know anything about
color management. Meaning it doesn't know how to tell the monitor what
colors you are asking Publisher to make when printed. Partly because
Publisher doesn't know what kind of color will be printed. Sure, you ask
for a CMYK color. But that doesn't mean anything if you print composite.
Why? Because Publisher prints in RGB when printing composites. Then some
other part of Windows (GDI) converts that to some unknown kind of CMYK.
And then depending on the printer it may print RGB and then the printer
will print the CMYK. Which is even scarier!

You can *NEVER* predict what the printing press will do if you don't
follow the above. Even then there are a number of factors I
intentionally did not include. So that means if you can predict the
colors the printing press will make you then have to rely on the printer
to show you. And if they aren't showing you a proof, a contract proof,
then you have absolutely no way of knowing what will look like what.

It may seem that I am being overly critical when in fact I'm being
completely realistic. IF you really want to see what the art will look
like when printed then you need to get involved with color management
(which Publisher is incapable of doing) or have your printer provide you
with contract proofs. A contract proof is not expensive nor is it
inexpensive. If you want to adjust the images yourself then you need to
get involved with color management. If you don't want to do that then
you need to let the printer adjust the images. Which means paying them
extra to do that. And even then, they have to be very careful of what
they are doing or their work will be wasted because of how Publisher works.

Matt Beals
Consultant
Enfocus Certified Trainer
Markzware Recognized Trainer
(206) 201-2320 - Main
(720) 367-3869 - eFax
mailto:[email protected]

Come visit me at:

http://www.automatetheworkflow.com
http://www.mattbeals.com
http://forums.mattbeals.com

Friends don't let friends write HTML email

 

[JoAnn Paules]

Go, Matt! A healthy dose of reality and some excellent advice! I've forged a
good bond with my printer and because I that I am always pleased with the
end results. I talk to him about a project - and I heed his advice.

 

[Matt Beals]

Thank you.

Remember though, it is not that Publisher can't do a "good job". It can,
it's just not easy. And even then it requires a lot of post-Publisher
massaging to turn it into truly "printable" art. On the other hand
though you could have the newest version of Adobe InDesign and still
have art that is completely unusable and requires much "massaging" to
make it "passable" on press.

Your in house printer whether it be a laser printer or inkjet printer is
what we would call a "content proof". Meaning yes, there is a "red" box
here. The fact that the red isn't what you like is really irrelevant.
What is relevant is that the "red" box prints where it is supposed to.
Does the text wrap correctly? Does it flow around the pictures
correctly? Do the line drawings print? Heck, do all the pages print? If
you can answer *yes* to these questions then you can move on to the next
step.

The next step is getting a "content proof" from your print provider.
When they print it does it match what you printed? Remember, we still
don't care that the red isn't "red enough". We only care that the red
box prints in the right place. Are all of the pictures you scanned or
your digital pictures printing? If you can answer yes to all of these
then you can go on to the next step which is the "contract proof".

Here is where the print provider gives you a "contract proof". This is
where you say "no, the red needs to be more "red"". Or "That picture
looks to dark, I can't see the persons face." The contract proof is
intended to show you what the final printed piece will look like *AND*
is your legal contract with the printer. The contract implies (everyones
contract proof contract is a bit different) that you assert that
everything you see on the page is correct, is okay to print and that
you'll pay for it. It also implies that the printer warrants that they
will faithfully reproduce the contract proof on the printing press. So
if they screw up the printing and a word drops out then it's their
fault. However if *YOU* screw up and forget to put a comma in somewhere
it is not the printers fault and they do not have to reprint it at their
cost.

There are variations of how many interim prints/proofs that there needs
to be depending on the print providers workflow processes and policies.
Some have less proofs, some make more to really make sure everything is
"perfect" (what ever that is.... Remember, this is a mechanical
process). But *PLEASE* talk *WITH* your printer. Never talk *to* a
printer, only *with* them. Otherwise you're likely to get "garbage in,
garbage out".

 

[JoAnn Paules]

Actually my printer and I talk to each other. He's a great guy who helps me
and has taught me ways to help him.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]
Tech Editor for "Microsoft Publisher 2007 For Dummies"

 

[Matt Beals]

I emphasize "with" because the connotation is that all persons are
sharing in the communication. Generally I think that when you talk "to"
someone it is a with authority over the other. Almost like a command.
It's all semantics really in the end. But as long as you are
communicating it really doesn't matter.

Matt Beals
Consultant
Enfocus Certified Trainer
Markzware Recognized Trainer
(206) 201-2320 - Main
(720) 367-3869 - eFax
mailto:[email protected]

Come visit me at:

http://www.automatetheworkflow.com
http://www.mattbeals.com
http://forums.mattbeals.com

Friends don't let friends write HTML email