| Some answers to common questions to help
you understand more about Colorprep.
What is your normal turnaround time? Do you charge for rush
service?
Turnaround times here vary depending on the time required to complete
the job, and our existing workload. Twenty-four to forty-eight
hour service is typical on smaller jobs. Currently no rush charges are
added.
An
online Bookings Calendar is
always available for clients to view our daily workload.
Why did you ask for my QuarkXPress/InDesign
document?
For best results, we always need to see how the images are being used, for many
reasons. Our main concern is always for the cropped visible portion of each image—there
is no sense making compromising tradeoffs which only improve unseen areas. We
do avoid cropping off any of the full image, though. Your layout document is
processed through a custom AppleScript which gathers scaling and resolution data
for automatically sizing the final images. It is always important that
images be at or near print size for optimal sharpening.
You need the printing specs, too?
It is important to know how the images will be printed to get the best color,
sharpness and tonality. There is a big difference between printing on coated
or an uncoated sheet, so separations must be made to compensate. We handle all
these decisions for you, contacting your printing company when needed. Many finer
printing companies will even share their particular settings or profiles useful
in achieving matchable color on press.
We bought an RGB stock photo to use in an
ad. The color looks terrible. Can you
help?
A big problem with stock images is that they are often missing
their own color profile. Also, much depends on the particular RGB
colors in the image and how they translate into the smaller CMYK
color gamut.
However,
we use many
techniques for getting great color from RGB images that may
appear hopeless.
Do you archive all of our images for us?
At the completion of a project, all final files are transferred to
the client and it becomes their responsibility to archive them
for future
use.
Colorprep
will not be liable for archived images. That being said, we normally archive
the layered Photoshop RGB files and have never been unable to retrieve
any images.
What are your proof prints like?
Prints are always imaged from the final CMYK files, through our carefully
profiled ProofMaster CMYK RIP for excellent
press simulation.
Multiple images are normally provided on neatly
ganged randoms, placed in picture boxes taken directly from your
supplied page layout, with file names placed beneath each. Images
are scaled to final print size yet do include some additional
resolution for
minor enlargement if needed.
I have one image I need done today, but I’m in California.
How do we arrange payment?
The easiest way is with PayPal.
You can link it to major credit cards and it’s simple to set
up if you don’t already have it. We can also directly accept Visa, MasterCard
& Discover via telephone.
What’s a Raw camera file, and what are
the advantages?
All professional digital cameras are capable of producing “raw” files
which contain the image information directly captured by the camera’s
sensor. No filtration or adjustment has been applied by
the camera; truly a “digital negative” which is compressed
in a lossless proprietary format, different with each camera manufacturer.
Appropriate color balance can be dialed in and the image can be opened
into 16-bit depth for extreme latitude on major edits. Lens-induced
color fringing can be minimized. Another camera raw benefit is being
able
to
upsample
resolution
when necessary using a superior algorithm compared to normal Photoshop enlargement. More.
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Wondering
how you’re going to get it all done? Or how your co-workers
are going to get it done without you? Or how you can ever
possibly leave for vacation?
Call Colorprep for answers to these questions and more.
410-549-5564 |
GLOSSARY |
AppleScript™ an
English-like language used to write script files that
automate the actions of the Macintosh and the applications that run on
it
archiving storing
images or data for later retrieval
bleeds extending an image beyond the finished trim size to aid in
trimming and binding
blown-out areas in an image devoid of all detail or tonality
CCD a type of image sensor used in digital cameras
clipping path vector path used to limit the borders of a raster
image
CMYK Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black - The four process colors used
in color printing
color casts an overall coloration of an image as if being viewed
through a tinted gel
color
management software
and hardware system dedicated to handling device-to-device conversion of colors
accurately
color separation the process of making a record each process
color (cyan, magenta, yellow or black) needed to reproduce color in printing
CT abbreviation for Continuous-Tone; the native Scitex raster format
drum scanner an optical scanning device for converting an optical
image to a raster image by analyzing the original copy mounted
on a revolving cylinder
duotone an image that prints with two different inks
EPS abbreviation for Encapsulated PostScript file format
FTP File Transfer Protocol: a protocol that lets
users transfer data to and from computer systems.
ICC profile a file containing information that allows different
programs and devices to communicate color
Illustrator vector drawing program by Adobe
imposed the correct positioning pages on a press sheet so that
when the press sheet is folded to form a signature, the pages are in the
correct sequence.
iView Media Pro popular image catalog application
JPEG is a lossy compression algorithm that has been conceived to
reduce file size of images without affecting the visible
quality.
LAB one of the main color spaces composed of a lightness channel,
plus a pair magenta-green and blue-yellow opponency channels
lo-rez FPO low resolution version of an image used for temporary
placement in a page layout
lossy sacrificing some image detail to reduce file size
moiré a repetitive interference pattern. In printing, it can
be caused by interference between the dot patterns of the different colors
or
by interference between a pattern in the data being
printed and the screened
dots.
Photoshop popular image editing application
pixel a single element of a raster image
post-processing services For digital photographers, any work done
with images after initial exposure
press gain dot gain caused by the spreading of ink on the press,
especially in the midtones.
process colorizations applying blended process color to an image
for a certain effect
PSD Photoshop native format
QuarkXPress popular page layout application
raster an arrangement of pixels
raw camera file the virgin pixel data captured by many pro digital
cameras "digital
negative"
resolution number
of pixels at a given dimension
RGB Red Green Blue. These are the three primary colors used for
additive color mixing
RIP Raster Image Processor: a device or computer program that receives
a description of the content of a page and converts it into
raster format
sharpening the exaggeration of contrast along edges of detail
within an image to increase visual sharpness
silhouette ("silo") normally involves removing a subject from
its background
tagged with images refers to an attached ICC profile
TIFF Tagged Image File Format, the most common raster file format
vignettes image that gradually fades away, blending
into the unprinted paper
vector a mathematic description of an object
white balance the global adjustment of color
based on the color temperature of a lighting situation
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