PDF proofs - displaying accurate colors for newsprint
KellyR (525 pencils) | Thu, 2008-05-22 20:03I have a feeling there is probably a very simple answer to this...
I work at a newspaper and for obvious reasons, we have a pretty significant dot gain, in addition to our color ads being affected by the darker color of the newsprint stock we print on.
When we develop our ads, we do have our color settings in InDesign and Photoshop set to reflect the dot gain that will occur when the ad goes to press.
The problem is, no matter what we're doing, we're still viewing the ad in an RGB setting despite developing it in CMYK, and we always have a straight white background that the ad gets developed on (instead of a greyish background).
When we export PDFs to send out to ad clients for proof, the fact of the matter is, they're still viewing the ad in an RGB setting which is always going to look brighter and more vibrant than what's going to come out in print on the newsprint stock.
It is a common complaint we receive from clients that their ads don't look as bright as their PDF proofs when they see their ad come out in print.
Typically, all we can do is explain why their ad looks brighter on screen than on print.
Now, my question is - is there some way when exporting a PDF that we can select a certain setting in the export that will somehow "dull out" the ad to make it appear closer to what it'll look like in print... even though we have already set our InDesign and Photoshop color settings to reflect this in the first place.
We export our PDFs directly from InDesign, so the specific setting would need to be selected that way (instead of through Distiller).
This color calibration stuff is just a nightmare when it comes to printing ads to newsprint instead of on nice, bright glossy magazine stock.
Thanks for any ideas you may have or to any other resources you can point out to me.
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First thing to do is download the SNAP profile from this webpage.
http://www.color.org/registry/index.xalter
And then install it on your system in the following location.
Mac:Users:Your Name :Library:ColorSync:Profiles:
Finally, create your PDF through InDesign as you normally would except go to the OUTPUT section and choose Color Conversion: Convert to Destination (Preserve Numbers) and Destination: SNAP 2007.
You have now created a PDF without changing the CMYK numbers and tagged it with a newsprint profile you just downloaded. Now lets do something interesting with it.
For the person receiving the PDF, they'll need to open the PDF in Acrobat Professional and go to Advanced->Output Preview. In the output preview dialog box, they need to check "Simulate Paper White".
Viola! A proof that looks like its on newsprint on your monitor in all it's glory.
Give it a try and tell us what you think.
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
That's pretty cool.
For some reason, though, I couldn't get the SNAP 2007 to show up in my output options when exporting the PDF - I just used our standard setting we've been using here for a while, which is "KODAK SWOP Proofer CMYK - Newsprint". (Do I need to restart my Adobe programs after installing the SNAP profile?)
I did see the image darken up, though, in Acrobat Professional after selecting the "simulate paper white" for the KODAK setting I had.
It's a nice trick if our clients all have Acrobat Professional. What about the ones who only have Reader? Is this possible there? (I'll go dig around to see if I can find it myself).
A restart could do the trick, though I did not need to perform one myself. Otherwise, simply locate where the "KODAK SWOP Proofer CMYK - Newsprint" profile is and place the SNAP 2007 in the same directory. No problems.
I'm sorry that Acrobat Reader does not have the same feature but if color is important to the client, shelling out the few hundred for a program shouldn't be too painful especially if they are shelling out a grand or more per insertion.
Also take care about the KODAK profile. It is a profile of the proofing device, not an actual newsprint press so it's likely not the best choice for what you're doing.
When you get it working, post again. There is another trick you'll like to know. ;-)
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
*sigh* - well, I was talking with our IT guy and he told me I need to steer clear of icc profiles because they'll choke our RIP.
Any other profiles that work similar to the icc SNAP2007 one that are NOT icc?
And what's this rumor of "another trick"...? ;)
And forgot to mention, too, that a lot of our customers are small mom & pop types who likely won't want to purchase the Professional version, but it is certainly a suggestion we can - and WILL - give. Obviously our national ads (ie: Macy's, Verizon, etc.) never have a problem, it's the little shops complaining.
For one thing, ICC profiles ain't IT's bag.
Furthermore, profiles do not choke RIPs and if you are using an inkjet printer, the ICC features are on all the time.
When you convert from RGB to CMYK you are using an ICC profile. And lastly, the KODAK SWOP Proofer CMYK - Newsprint that you're using is an ICC profile.
Sorry! No more tricks until you get the SNAP profile working ;-) Seriously, I don't want to overload you. Not withholding info, just giving you the steps so I can give you the info.
Cheers
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
If you create PDF-X1a, you MUST embed a profile to be compliant. I'm simply showing you how to embed the correct profile for your customers.
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
Baahahahahaaa - nuts to Mr. Nazi IT (he's a nice guy, really) :b - I just relaunched my Adobe programs and the SNAP profile finally showed up.
WOWZA - BIG difference between the KODAK version and the SNAP.
I'll have to have a discussion with our Production Manager about the SNAP profile... I get to skip off to my boss now and show her: "LOOK!!!! A PDF preview that shows what it's going to look like when it hits the paper!"
If she thinks that it's spectacular, then I'll have some added backup in getting our Production/IT department to embrace a new profile (yes, the two departments intermix, so IT guy does do a lot of stuff with the production end, too. Funny that he didn't realize KODAK was an icc profile, too.)
Sooo... what's this "other trick" again? (Do I need to bribe with cookies, too - I see that happening here a lot.)
We always use the x1a setting when exporting our PDFs.
So, it's 3 months later and everything is working great. You're sending PDFs and your clients are seeing excellent 'soft proofs' (fancy name for color managed files seen on screen) and making good color decisions before ads hit the press. Now you notice your clients keep saying the same thing.
"Make it lighter, brighter, pull back on the inks 10%. Now pull back another 5%!".
Well you solved one problem, but now you created another and your department is busier than ever before.
Well here's what ya do.
So, maybe you get some files in as RGB or maybe the TAC is at 300 instead of 240. Instead of kicking it back to client, why not open that file in Photoshop (always honor the embedded profile) and convert it directly into SNAP2006? Experiment with it, run a few through your presses and you should be happy with the results.
Once you get comfortable with it, then it's time to convert every file that comes into the shop into SNAP2006, even the ones that are CMYK and meet TAC240 limits.
The result will be that your pressmen will hit the color much easier, with less ink wasted on press as well as eliminating a host of other issues.
You may need to encourage the newspaper as well as the clients to calibrate their monitors (software/hardware package required) so everybody is on the same color page. But first, take baby steps. Implement digital soft-proofing for your clients then see what else the technology can do for you.
In short, the trick is to create 4C separations for the intended output device, in this case a web newspaper press.
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
on the calibration, i just got my colormunki and i really like it. the only true drawback i've found so far (less than a week) is it won't profile a CRT (my second monitor is a CRT). and considering the HW/SW bundle, the $500 price tag isn't bad. it can also be installed on multiple machines (think my IT guy said the limit was 3).
I was just thinking "okay, so we have the digital proofs set so they look more accurate, now should we be applying that same SNAP profile to our InDesign and Photoshop files as we work on them?"
I'm very excited that we have these possibilities - we are going to have to run tests with the SNAP profile for when we send it through our RIP for the plate-maker.
This is a great thing to start with JUST for client proofs, though.
Thank you so much for your help, and I'm still wondering why the hell no one's thought of this before over here!
Exactly! You just took a huge leap of logic and landed right on target, but take care not to spread this knowledge around too much in your workplace. Old-school prepress/press are very resistant to these ideas. I mean seriously!
Recommend selling the soft proofs and collecting the kudos and attaboys as that moves forward. Meanwhile, keep success stories of icc separations proofing & printing close to your chest until you've got plenty of backup on file.
Good luck! It's a very rewarding discovery process and I think you'll have a lot of fun.
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
I actually have a problem. We do color proofs off of a HP 5550 Laser printer and for some reason, that I haven't discovered, it won't print from Acrobat. It spools and blinks a few times and then nothing. I have to go into the print dialog box and under 'advanced' choose "Print as Image" This works. BUT I don't get to use the color profiles under this setting. It uses the Printerr's in built profile (which is VERY saturated). Any hints as to what might be wrong. Maybe I need to update Acrobat?
"Try not, Do! or do not, there is no try."
-Yoda
I've seen that too. The problem is in the driver (little text file that customizes the PostScript for the output device) and to the best of my knowledge that has to be fixed by the printer manufacturer which apparently isn't being done on older models.
I'll look forward to any posts that can correct this problem as well.
Without my sense of direction, I don't know where I'd be.
This has been a fascinating exchange of info. I probably won't need to use any of it in my work, but I have to tell you I'm really impressed. What a great site this is, huh? I mean, wow.
Mara
I'll second Mara's wow. There are some really great minds at work in this site. I am so happy that my first time blogging landed me here.
Cheers.
"Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible."
— Frank Zappa
"Art -- the one achievement of Man which has made the long trip up from all fours seem well advised." - James Thurber