Layers and exporting pdf

[handrawn]

if you need it vector then yes; can't actually remember the last time I needed an final output for print to be vector though... horses for courses

[mwenz]

And might as well kill the mask layer and the background layer, too. They do nothing that I can tell. Except complicate the drawing needlessly.

Mike

[steelypan]

Thanks for all your help Albacore - very useful

[steelypan]

Thanks all for really useful tips. I'd used clip view when making flash animations, but forgot about using it when designing. I'll try exporting using a different format of pdf. All the best and Happy New Year!

[steelypan]

One other observation...when I export as X-1a, the colours seem washed out (faded). If I export as 'high quality, it's much better, but won't upload to printer!

[mwenz]

High Quality exports using the Native Color model. Which means your use of RGB will remain RGB, so is likely not compliant with what the printer wants/expects.

The so-called washed out look is because the CMYK color model, which is what the PDF/X models enforce, is a much smaller color gamut (range of possible color) than RGB has. So every application that needs to convert from one color model to another has to convert the gamut to what the target requires. Going from a smaller to a larger gamut changes extremely little (say going from CMYK to RGB). However, every time one goes from a larger gamut, and one uses color outside the target gamut, there is a color conversion required.

In your file's case, the bright blue will become far more Cyan (the C in CMYK). Your choice of green will also go from such a pure G (of the RGB) to a mix of Cyan and Yellow (CmYk). Plus, the slightly muted shadows will become darker due to the inclusion of the K component (the K of CMYK).

Designing in RGB if the intent is to print AND the printer insisting on the color conversion happen at the time of PDF creation isn't the best way to handle the RGB --> CMYK color conversion. The best way is to use a printer who has calibrated their specific equipment for the RGB --> CMYK conversion and will accept RGB-based PDFs.

Mike

[wills33]

In my opinion you must check your PDF afterwards in Adobe Reader or, best, Acrobat.

[gwpriester]

Welcome to TalkGraphics wills33

mwenz agrees with you. In post #2 in this thread he advised:

Do check your PDF afterwards in Adobe Reader or, best, Acrobat.

Great minds think alike, eh?