g andrews rgb gatf 2009
TRANSCRIPT
Obstacles to RGB Workflow
Glenn AndrewsColor Clarity
RGB….Leaders
The Academic and Scientific communities got there first!
Biophysical JournalJournal of Experimental MedicineJournal of Lipid ResearchCountless others
“Faster, Brighter, More Accurate”
Biophysical Journal…. “more accurate color when images are posted online, and a more controlled conversion to CMYK for the printed journal”.
“With this change, the online version will become the definitive version, and authors will receive electronic page proofs with a figure quality that will be identical to the online Journal”.
Why did academics get there first?
In academics, transmission of knowledge is the goal….printing is only one of many mediums available, so obstacles were few.
Keeping their eye on the ball….communication….academics expanded their reach into the print world
Why has printing lagged?
In the print world, printing itself is the goal…and other mediums are seen, if at all, as unwanted competition..a strong disincentive.
Focusing on the craft of printing is our tradition, but we risk painting ourselves into a corner.
Reasons to avoid CMYK
Supplied CMYK files are of unknown provenance
CMYK is a one-way streetCMYK has limited archival valueDon’t abdicate the traditional role of color separation.
Reasons to choose RGB
RGB allows more flexibility in Photoshop
RGB consistent with web useRGB exploits the full gamut of digital presses and wide format devices
RGB has archival value
RGB in a CMYK World
Rotinpress of Girona, Spain converted to RGB in the smallest color space of all…newsprint.
“Better chromatic transforms, better control of ink coverage
“No editor or designer who has tried to work this way wants to return to amanagement in CMYK”.
Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself
Everybody has their own concerns:Designers: Fear of looking unprepared, unprofessional.
Color retouchers: Loss of CMYK security
Prep: Fear of the unknown (What if something goes wrong?)
Printers (Just don’t tell them)
Early vs Late Binding
Early Binding: work in RGB, convert to CMYK before creating final files. The entry-level commitment.
Late Binding: Maintain RGB though to final files, allow conversion to take place within the workflow.
What about PMS colors?
Great if you live only in a cmyk+spots world
Some conversion difficulties remainYour spot elements are probably already getting processed anyway
Consider wide-gamut printing
Supplied Image too Dark
Correcting Dark Images
Dark RGB file brightens up easily with minimal side effects
Dark CMYK file loses shape and saturation, “falls apart”
Supplied Image too Light
Correcting Light Images
RGB darkens up easily, TAC remains consistent with output profile intentions intact
CMYK darkens reasonably well. Saturation lags. TAC can easily exceed limits.
Adobe Bridge..
Assure consistent color performance within all Creative Suite applications.
Load custom settings onto server for consistency among all workstations
Adobe Bridge
G7 Commercial Coated 1
Best choice overall for commercial printing.
Does prompt for mismatches.
Custom SWOP 3
Custom sRGB to GRACoL
Light vs Pigment
Plus C in CMYK file
Plus R in RGB file
Using Adjustment Layers to increase precision
Selective Color Correction
Plus “K” in RGB file
Recap:
Management of color is the big picture, CMYK is a narrow specialty
RGB gives BETTER control over the final CMYK files
Skill transfer to RGB minimal To maintain ownership of CMYK, become fluent
in RGB
