I have a problem.
Question: Should all B&W photographs be in CMYK or Grayscale while placing them in the layout after it will go to offset printing?

Then, as I would think if it's CMYK , then photos could come out bluish or greenish etc., but when i put in Grayscale, after I'm placing logos and texts and all the photographs immediately goes "grey", loosing contrast, blacks becomes murky. So what a hell happens?

Anyone help on that.
APKIM

Hi Akim, Sorry I didn't see this to assist over the weekend. I guess the first question would be what is the printing requirement or process used for the job.

Black and White 1 Color - If it's a black only publication or signature, then all scans need to be Bitmap or Grayscale, or if not should be converted to that before placing into the layout. If already placed, open and convert them and then update the links is OK.

CMYK or Four Color Process - If your pages will be printed in CMYK or full four color process then there's an either or possibility. If we are talking about black and white photos, most designers would convert to Grayscale, check and set highlights, shadows, maybe adjust midtones, then put a contrast curve on the photo. You could also take that black & white photo and convert it to CMYK, technically making that a "quadtone". The designer can then manipulate the colors to give an artistic cast, or leave the gray balance intact. Atleast 90% of the time, Black and white photos in publications are simply printed in Grayscale, black only, that's my recommendation.

HI, thanks. iIt will be printed in 4 color and there will be B&W photographs it's a magazine. I think Grayscale is easier.
Thanks a lot.
A.
_________________
Algis Puidokas Kim
Design and Photography Director
Essential magazine
www.essentialhomme.com

Hi,

I just finished a photo-album - a biographical book of 168 pages containing all old b&w photographs. After a lot of contemplation and some experimentation with various quadtone options, we printed it in process CMYK quadtone only. And we are happy with the results.

I will just chip in with what we did, if it helps:
Originals were scanned in grayscale ~ Corrected for tonal values working on highlights, shadows and midtones too ~ Converted to CMYK using a convert to profile -> selecting custom CMYK -> in Separation options selecting GCR with heavy black generation.

This generates an image with sharp Black details on top of less contrast - silver like base consisting of three colors CMY. It gives good depth to the photograph compared to plain grayscale and does not generate any unwanted cast.

Scan Density - This is the biggest problem I see when folks go from working with coated stocks to doing a newsprint job, or vice versa. Newsprint cannot handle the same ink density in your scans as coated. A scan that prints perfect on coated will "plug up" or go seriously dark if printed on newsprint. This goes both ways, a scan that prints perfect on newsprint will look washed out and flat, or look very light when printed on coated. Coated and Uncoated, Sheetfed or Web, different threshhold of ink you must limit for best result.

So, really take some time in spot checking your scans and adjusting them if needed. If you are not good at this, have it done by someone that knows how to adjust the scans either way. Here's some rules of thumb for scan density evaluation and adjustment. Do not fail to check for this and have it fixed, it WILL RUIN YOUR PRINT JOB. Practice using Curves, in Photoshop to edit color and Halftones, avoid other amateur tools in Photoshop, take time to learn curves.

In Photoshop, You are looking at 2 things first, Highlights and Shadows.

Highlights: Brightest whitest catchlight areas in scan, No lighter than, but very close to, 3% Black. Highlights are not much different treatment for different stocks and presses.

Shadows: Coated Sheetfed 95% Maximum black, Coated Web 92%

Uncoated: Drop about 7% there on either as uncoated stock will gain up more and go dark.

Newsprint: Drop about 10% in shadows when you go to newsprint stock

.
_________________
JoePostscript -- support administrator

--
Wind Turbine Buyer's Guide


.

FREE PreFlight, 500+ users since 10 days released

Hello, just letting you know that FreeFlight is relesed and you can download it on the FreeFlight Download forum. Must be ( member + 1 post ) to get the download. We are at over 500 users since 10 days released and the software is doing well. I have been using it for a few months before release.
_________________
JoePostscript -- support administrator

--
Wind Turbine Buyer's Guide


.