Creative Suite Session 2 : Photoshop

Creative Suite Session 2 

Photoshop

every image has a mode, to see this go to image- mode...

you can set the colour mode on a new photoshop  document

if you take an image from a digital camera the colour mode is RGB

scanning is also RGB

(the colour mode you need for print is CMYK)

the default mode on photoshop is RGB

some of the options in filter become unavailable when the colour mode is CMYK

many RGB colours sit outside the CMYK colour gamut (range)

so colour from RGB mode will shift when changed to CMYK

view- gamut warning

(will show you any colours outside of the CMYK range)

shows in grey

you can adjust the hue and saturation 

or the levels

or brightness and contrast

Or just change the mode to CMYK- but you aren'y entirely in control of the colours, adjusting it yourself you can make selections

view- proof colours

image made changes to ... 

so you are still working in RGB but it shows you it as if it was CMYK

ensuring your adjustments don't go out of the colour gamut

this is a recommend work flow, and the last thing you do when its finished is convert the mode to just CMYK

swatches 

 to delete swatches in photoshop you have to do it individually , by holding the alt key and clicking

It is possible to save swatch palettes 

reset swatches brings back the default swatch palette

replace swatches will load up your swatch palette

to apply a colour go to foreground/ background, and use the colour picker

foreground colour is the active colour

the square with the triangle and exclamation mark within it is a warning that that colour is out of the CMYK gamut

click on the warning to get the closest CMYK colour

once you have chosen your colour you can 'add to swatches'

spot colours

color libraries are the pantone referencing books

The colour applied to the CMYK image will change to CMYK , and so it won't be a spot colour ( different ink ) 

and so there are specific ways to work with spot colours in photoshop

in order for spot colour to be printed there has to be a reference to its unique number code/ name

grayscale- only printed with black ink

if you want to use a spot colour the image firstly has to be grayscale

then in the colour mode menu , select duotone

duotone curve , allows you to map the ink to the gray areas of the original image

Monotone

(1 colour)

Duotone

(2 colours)

Duotone curve

You can always tweak the duotone curve, it isn't final, its editable all the way through 

(Three tones)

save the duotone as a photoshop file 

channels

are always shown as grayscale images

the channels give us an insight into the print process (CMYK)

almost as if the each of the channels is an ink 

this method works for grayscale images and CMYK

make sure the pantone reference number is there or else it can't be referenced

(and white removes the colour)

x to switch between background and foreground colour

switching to a grey shade will let you work with a tint of that colour

to spot varnish you would use a spot colour you that you weren't using and specify to the printer that this is where you would like your spot varnish

solidity, the transparency of the ink, 

when saving make sure the spot colours box is still checked. 

if you try save as JPEG you can't choose a spot colour