Design for Print

In todays session, we looked at how to work with colours in Adobe Photoshop.

Once Photoshop is open, first check the colour mode to see if the file is set up how you need, CMYK, RGB etc.

Photoshop files usually open in RGB, which is the standard file for web based design and the computer screen.

RGB colour is an additive process whereas CMYK is subtractive.

Design for print has to be set up to work with CMYK, which is a bit of a dip from the bright colours available with RGB and spot colours. CMYK mixes the ink on the page which can only create darker with more layers, whereas RGB being light based mixes into white, leaving some colours being unable to transfer to print via CMYK due to the gamut of the inks.

In Photoshop, we still work in RGB when designing for print, but can use a couple of tools in Photoshop to check whether the image will be printable by using either the 'Gamut Warning' or the 'Proof Colours' tool.

If prompted, the 'Gamut Warning' shows the areas of the image unable to translate to print as a grey mass, as pictured below.

You can render this problem though by opening up 'Hue/Saturation' and lowering the saturation, in effect dulling the image and reducing how vibrant the original was.

 

 The other way to check if the colours in the image are all suitable for print is by the 'Proof Colours' tool, just above the 'Gamut Warning' option (which is probably a better tool).

This indicates that the 'Proof Colours' tool is on, showing you're working in RGB colours but it's showing you the image you'd see, or a closer representation to the print, in CMYK.

Adobe Illustrator swatches can be displayed in CMYK percentages if the user wants, however, this isn't available in Photoshop. Bit of a strange thing to leave out, but you can have a palette which can be opened across Ai, Ps and Id when the swatch library is saved as an ASE.

To clear your swatch palette in Photoshop, you can't just delete all the colours at once because there is not an option to do so, you have to delete them all individually. Once deleted, add one colour to swatch palette and save the swatch as a blank swatch and a good reference for a document that you'd need to remove the swatches from.

To open the blank swatch palette, from the same menu, select 'Replace Swatches...'

Any colours that can't be translated to print, show up in your palette tool with a little exclamation, similar to the default one on Illustrator.

The easiest way to apply a colour to a swatch is to have it set as a foreground colour and then move your mouse over the swatch menu then add it.