Making Transparent Images (inexperienced)

[Jean-luc]

Software used:
CorelDraw 9
Adobe Photoshop 6.0

My story:
I have a picture that was given to me in .cdr formate (CorelDraw). In CorelDraw, I changed the colors to all white and saved it as a .psd (for Aphotoshop). In Photoshop, I then made the background transparent (with the wizard that, I think, makes a clipping path or something). The image in .psd format is transparent.

My printer contact wants the image in .tif. So I saved the image as a .tif. An alert appeared at the bottom of the "save as" dialog box in Photoshop, informing me that there were certain elements of the image that could not be saved in the current file format. I did not notice this until I went back.

Opening the .tif I find a white background. I want it transparent. Is there a way to make .tif images transparent? I am still learning/messing up with Photoshop.

Thanks from a learner,
Jean-luc

[Jean-luc]

Software used:
CorelDraw 9
Adobe Photoshop 6.0

My story:
I have a picture that was given to me in .cdr formate (CorelDraw). In CorelDraw, I changed the colors to all white and saved it as a .psd (for Aphotoshop). In Photoshop, I then made the background transparent (with the wizard that, I think, makes a clipping path or something). The image in .psd format is transparent.

My printer contact wants the image in .tif. So I saved the image as a .tif. An alert appeared at the bottom of the "save as" dialog box in Photoshop, informing me that there were certain elements of the image that could not be saved in the current file format. I did not notice this until I went back.

Opening the .tif I find a white background. I want it transparent. Is there a way to make .tif images transparent? I am still learning/messing up with Photoshop.

Thanks from a learner,
Jean-luc

[Mark (theKeeper)]

Hi Jean-luc...

Welcome to the board, hope you get something out of it. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Ok first off... even when you do save an Alpha Channel with a tif, you will not see any obvious transparency when just viewing the image with a normal viewer program.

The alpha channel info is embedded in the file and only used by programs that can read & understand how to use it. Otherwise... it's just a normal image like any other.

Try this and see if it changes anything for you when you go to save out your Tif:

Open the EDIT menu and then the Prefs menu. In there, flip through the tabs, you'll see an option to "Save Tifs with advanced options". Make sure that is ticked ON.

See if that helps in any way. Then let us know ok.

PS: When your print house goes to print the image, their graphics software should be able to detect and use the embedded Alpha Channel info. If not, they need to get better software. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

[Ataki]

Mark, I'm working in one of those "print houses", and I don´t quite agree with you [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
Instead, I wonder why they don´t accept the original CorelDraw file. And, if they don´t have CorelDraw and tif-files are all they are able to print, why is the white background so bad? Do they have white ink in their printters?

[Ataki]

After thinking a few moments, I just have to write another post [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Jean-Luc, have you talked to your printing service about your problem? If not, ask what they have to say.

If your picture is to be used in some page layout program, they mast be able to use generic EPS file saved from CorelDraw, or Photoshop EPS file with clipping path saved with it. With FreeHand 9 and 10, TIF-file with clipping path in it may also be used.

[Mark (theKeeper)]

haha no i agree with your points in your first reply Ataki. No problem here. Makes good sense really. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

"The lessons to be learned, are found along the path of your journey, not at your final destination. That is only where you will rest, between lessons"

[Jean-luc]

Thanks for the reponses. I really appreciate it.

I am rather sure the printer contact is able to work with the CorelDraw file. I asked my question because I wanted to take the opportunity to learn something. And I did!

I followed Mark's advice and set the tif saving preferences to advanced. This was not checked off in my program. Upon saving the psd image as a tif, a new dialog box appeared that gives me options like "save transparency." I now have my transparent tif.

Just for your info Ataki, the image needs to be transparent to be placed on a brochure that I am not doing. My supervisor (who is less technical/knowledgable than myself) is making the brochure. The printer prefers to work in tif and I was asked to get the image in that format. I am not in direct contact with the printer and I am not in charge of the whole project, else I would be asking questions. Thanks for your input.

One more question: another option in saving the tif file is to "save image pyramid." Any info on that?

Thanks again for the replies. This looks like a great forum.

[mikeius]

Jean if you have DRAW9 you don't need to export to Photoshop to convert to TIFF or PSD with transparent background.

In DRAW select Bitmap/Convert to bitmap.
Bitmap/Edit. It will trigger CorelPHOTO-PAINT.

Here you have three choices.

1. Save file as PSD

2. Create Mask form object, save mask to a new channel, and save as TIFF.

3. Create Mask from Object. Save as EPS with clipping mask, and it will works as Photoshop Clipping Path. You could also convert mask to path, and clip path as in Photoshop.

Regards

Michael Cervantes
MC Design Studio

[Mark (theKeeper)]

Jean-luc...

This is taken verbatum from the PS6 Help files:

"Select Save Image Pyramid to create a pyramid data structure that contains multiresolution information. The highest resolution is the image's resolution when you save it."

I personally have no use at this time for a feature like this. Therefore, all i know of it is what i've read. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

"The lessons to be learned, are found along the path of your journey, not at your final destination. That is only where you will rest, between lessons"

[Ataki]

Jean-Luc, I hope that the printers RIP (the computer that does the final printing) accepts your file.

If someone is willing to hear my opinion, here it is: If you are planning to send your files to some printing service, just keep your raster images (tif or eps) clean and simple. No extra layers, channels or paths.