RGB to CMYK conversion

EG
Posted By
Eric_Gibson
Oct 9, 2003
Views
525
Replies
6
Status
Closed
Hi, I have Photoshop Elements (on a PC) (RGB but not CMYK capabilities) and wondered what I need to do to get a book cover converted over to CMYK. My understanding is:

Take it to Kinkos, open it up in Photoshop and change the mode to CMYK.

But then how do I get a "proof"? Kinkos tells me their Tektronix printer doesn’t come close.

Any other issues I need to be aware of?

thanks!

Eric Gibson

Master Retouching Hair

Learn how to rescue details, remove flyaways, add volume, and enhance the definition of hair in any photo. We break down every tool and technique in Photoshop to get picture-perfect hair, every time.

LH
Lawrence_Hudetz
Oct 10, 2003
You have just engaged the whole, towering edifice of color management.

Get thee to a book like "Real World Photoshop", and read up on color, all the way to seps.

In any case, Elements doesn’t hack it. Perhaps it would be better to allow the printer access to your RGB images and let them do the conversion. Give them a print as you would like to see it.
JS
John_Slate
Oct 10, 2003
Give them a print as you would like to see it.

And then what, Kinkos is going to take full responsibility for matching your print, no matter what type of printer you use, going through more than one output if needed?

Don’t make me laugh.
LH
Lawrence_Hudetz
Oct 10, 2003
I wasn’t referring to Kinkos. I was under the impression that Kinkos was making the conversion and doing a proof which they cannot do. The cover, I assume, is being done by a legit color printing shop. The proof is for them not Kinkos. In fact, if you care to read my message carefully, instead of looking for a way to trash an opinion, I SAID "Perhaps it would be better to allow the printer access to your RGB images and let them do the conversion." Them is the printer, not Kinkos. If Kinkos does it all, you take what you get from RGB.
JS
John_Slate
Oct 10, 2003
Them is the printer, not Kinkos

sorry, I didn’t see another printer referred to in the original post, unless you count Tektronic…

I guess I was in a feisty mood when I responded, no offense meant.

It’s just that too often I have been given color lasers done on some dogsh*t printer by some guy that has never heard of color management and he figures that with his print in hand, it is somehow a simple matter to match his vision.

If everything works like it should, no color laser should be needed right? His embedded profile should be honored when opening and the RGB to CMYK conversion done with a custom profile should do the trick…

Custom profile? Kinkos? yeah, that was the point, but then you knew that.
EG
Eric_Gibson
Oct 10, 2003
Hi,

Well, I see I have posted a newbie question in a forum where participants are probably used to a little more sophistication! At any rate, this Has been helpful and I can see that I need to let my printer do the conversion until I’m better educated.

So my next stop is probably Barnes & Noble (to get "Real World Photoshop" or suchlike rather than Kinkos!!

thanks again!
Eric
LH
Lawrence_Hudetz
Oct 10, 2003
Apology accepted, John. I got up a bit feisty today myself!

Eric,while you are at it, if you are going to continue in a commercial vein, get the full version of PS.

You’ll be glad you did.

How to Master Sharpening in Photoshop

Give your photos a professional finish with sharpening in Photoshop. Learn to enhance details, create contrast, and prepare your images for print, web, and social media.

Related Discussion Topics

Nice and short text about related topics in discussion sections