Help with Duotones and multichannel.

MC
Posted By
Mark_Ceaser
Nov 24, 2003
Views
800
Replies
11
Status
Closed
When I convert a greyscale image to a duotone, I have the option to edit the ‘duotone curves’. After that is done the file is converted to a multi channel and saved as a DCS 2.0 eps.

Is there a way I can open the DCS 2.0 eps file and still edit the duotone curves? How can I do this?

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JS
John_Slate
Nov 24, 2003
by going to multichannel, the ink tranfer curves are applied to the single grayscale channel of the duotone mode file, and multiple channels are created. So you can’t edit the ink transfer curves any more, you are not in that file mode any more. But you can do curve moves on the individual channels of the multichannel file, and even make selections and do things in multichannel mode that would be impossible in duotone mode.
MC
Mark_Ceaser
Nov 24, 2003
That’s what I thought… Thanks!

I have run into another issue with the DSC file now. My PS printer won’t print a composite image of the file for proofing. (The separations look fine though.)

I was looking in Photoshop for some options to convert the DCS file to CMYK or RGB for proofing purposes, but no luck. I couldn’t find any print options to change that would help either. Any suggestions on printing these files?
Z
zippy2000
Nov 24, 2003
Could you copy the contents of the DSC file to a new PSD document (same dimensions, CMYK/RGB mode)?
MC
Mark_Ceaser
Nov 24, 2003
I tried that Zippy and It didn’t work. I CAN print the file from Photoshop as it is but I want to print from Pagemaker as a placed file to show the entire document layout.

I’m sure there is some option in my printer settings that I just can’t find or I’m overlooking. I am semi-new to duotones and I want to use them more often. I will keep trying though.
Z
zippy2000
Nov 24, 2003
I don’t have any experience with DCS files but I have done quite a few Duotone projects that went off without a hitch. I normally save them as a standard PS EPS for import into a layout program (prints just fine with no special settings). Maybe that is a workaround for you? If this works for you, be sure to specify to your printing company that there are Duotone images w/their respective Pantone colors.

I hope this helps – even just a little 🙂 maybe I eliminated a few possibilities. I hope I havn’t missed something…
RL
Robert_Levine
Nov 24, 2003
I’ll second that. Just save it as EPS and it should be fine.

Bob
B
Brian
Nov 24, 2003
Mark_Ceaser wrote:

My PS printer
won’t print a composite image of the file for proofing. (The separations look fine though.)

DCS files are meant for separated output exclusively; when you print them composite it is only the preview image that is output (assuming you saved the DCS with a composite preview).

One way to get around this (sort of) is to change your image resolution to 72ppi (make sure resample is UNCHECKED), and then place the image into your layout and reduce to 24% – this effectively forces the preview image to print at 300ppi. It’s not going to be a perfect representation of the contents of the DCS, but for a general-purpose proof it may do the trick.

But why are you creating a DCS in the first place? You can save a duotone as a regular EPS file, which will print hi-res composite proofs from all applications.

Brian
MC
Mark_Ceaser
Nov 24, 2003
Thanks Brian! I found the DCS options for a composite. (I had overlooked that before and wasn’t sure what it was… now I understand)

I am using the DCS instead of a regular .eps because that is the only option for my duotone. After creating the duotone and converting it to a mulitchannel I can save as [Photoshop (*.PSD, *PDD)], [Photoshop DCS 2.0 (*.EPS)] or [Raw (*.RAW)].
RL
Robert_Levine
Nov 25, 2003
Don’t convert to multichannel. Just leave it and save as EPS.

Bob
JS
John_Slate
Nov 25, 2003
Yes Mark, Zip and Bob make a good point.

Why do you convert them to multichannel in the first place?

Unless you want to start wanking around the individual channels to produce effects not possible in the duotone mode, why not leave them in duotone mode and save as eps?
MC
Mark_Ceaser
Nov 27, 2003
Well I was following a tutorial on making duotones. I swear I tried saving as an eps in the first place and It wouldn’t import my colors (to Pagemaker) and let me separate them… I just tried it again a minute ago and it works!

Thanks for all the help!

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