Over Technical Printer Questions

[yourgotoguy]

Hey guys, I have gotten this a couple of times from printers, and am not sure what I should be doing different to setup my documents for print in xara. Here is what the printer asks.

Could you please ask the designer to send us the pdf file converted to CMYK?
I converted your file (check the attached document) and looks a bit off than
the original. If you need a rich black for the background please use C30 M30
Y30 K100. Now you have 0 0 0 100.

[yourgotoguy]

sorry I should add, I thought xara defaulted in cmyk colors, yet when I simulate print colors it throws everything off. I guess I am looking for guidelines for document setups to avoid this problem in the future.

[mwenz]

The color model in the PDF depends upon the PDF profile used. Any of the PDF/X profiles will convert to CMYK. Depending upon the work, one of the other profiles in combination of changing the color model (if needed) to CMYK will also produce a CMYK PDF.

The 100% K and using a rich black is a separate issue. I have no idea what it is you are producing, so have no advice as to whether you should or should not use either over the other.

Simulate Print Colors is Xara's meager attempt to display the color shift that will occur as your monitor is an RGB device and so colors will always look brighter than ink on paper. Xara products are not color managed and so cannot even remotely display faithfully. It can feel like flying blind using an Xara product as regards this color shift that will occur. But the color values you use will hit the PDF, so the best I can recommend is to obtain a swatch book of CMYK colors and use it as a guide for choosing colors--and also use the Color Editor in CMYK mode using Percents as the units (which is set up in the Options dialog).

Mike

[yourgotoguy]

thanks Mike, when you say xara is like flying blind, should I not be using xara for print material design?

Here is the file in question, a business card that I exported using Xara's default settings.. Exported using the 300 dpi pdf and converted all text to shapes, I didn't specify anything for the colors, thats when I got his printer company responding to him with that message.

[mwenz]

thanks Mike, when you say xara is like flying blind, should I not be using xara for print material design?

Nah, that's not what I am saying. I use it and it faithfully exports the PDFs just fine. What I mean is that as regards using the CMYK color model, one cannot fully depend on the screen representation.

Here is the file in question, a business card that I exported using Xara's default settings.. Exported using the 300 dpi pdf and converted all text to shapes, I didn't specify anything for the colors, thats when I got his printer company responding to him with that message.

Yep, that background should be the rich black mix they suggest. Each printer will often have what they would like to see for a rich black--their equipment being set up for them.

Reds, especially towards the end of the spectrum of being a really bright red, cannot be faithfully printed in CMYK. The number of colors in CMYK is far less than what RGB has. In your image, there will be a certain degree of muting in the red band at the top and possibly the purple shirt. Skin tones are in general toned back a bit, but unless one mucks with the color values (over saturation), they will be closer to what you would perceive if that person was standing in front of you.

Your design bleeds off the edges. I am assuming your document has the bleed setting active and that all elements that go to the edge actually go to the bleed area guides?

Mike

[yourgotoguy]

Yes Mike my file did include bleeds. I did a bit more digging and found this link http://www.xaraxone.com/webxealot/workbook49/page_1.htm I do see that cmyk is much more limiting in colors, but I understand that printers have limitations. I have gone ahead and sent in another file after resetting all the colors as close as I could using a cmyk template setup as per the link.

I do appreciate your help, I am far from an expert when it comes to print. I will have to do some reading and trial/error in order to become more proficient in working with printers. Some companies I haven't had an issue, this one I did lol.

Either way your help is much appreciated.

[gwpriester]

That Workbook article was done quite a while back and it was done before Xara had PDF/X export capability.

But it is helpful to know the limitations of the different color spaces (RGB vs CMYK).

When you export a PDF/X document, your colors are converted to CMYK.

[yourgotoguy]

Hey Gary, I noticed also when you choose advanced settings and export a normal 300 dpi pdf file, you can choose the color profile. Is this also acceptable? More curious than anything. Also you mentioned that this workbook was old, is there a more up to date version?

For the record I have learned a lot of neat tricks using your tutorial website. Your work is much appreciated.