CMYK Previewing and accurate CMYK Profiles coming to Designer Pro+

[XByrne]

Has anyone had good experience with the new CMYK Previewing and accurate CMYK Profiles now present in and, at an improved level, coming to Designer Pro+?

Up until now, the CMYK functionality has been a non-runner in my experience with Xara. But proper CMYK functionality would be an absolute deal-breaker for me!

Before I hit the subscribe button, will Magix implement this too in their desktop version? I currently own Designer Pro X17.

[gwpriester]

This is very unscientific. I brought three colorful photos into each program and exported as Commercial Printing but with PDF/X-4 for the output method. I combined the two PDF files into one (in the attached ZIP file)

To my eye, in Pro+ the magentas in the center photo are brighter and the yellow and yellow oranges in the third photo are brighter.

I am using the latest version of both programs.

I am not sure if Magix will update their CMYK output any time soon. They might, and then again.

[XByrne]

''To my eye, in Pro+ the magentas in the center photo are brighter and the yellow and yellow oranges in the third photo are brighter.''

Certainly the Pro+ images (definitely centre and right) are brighter and more saturated. Were you working with/exporting with a specific CMYK Profile?
Did you print the images?

[gwpriester]

At present there is only one export profile, which is industry standard (whatever that means). No I did not print the images.

But I have used Xara since 1996 to create color stereogram images for books and magazines and the CMYK color has always been predictably muted in case of certain colors, such as bright green or purple. But in the end the question is, does it look convincing? Most people will never see the original of an image only the printed image.

In the 70s when I was fresh out of art school and working as an advertising art director, I spent literally two months fine tuning a magazine ad for Datsun (now Nissan) featuring two cars. The original photograph was printed (dye transfer print) retouched, and then photoengraved for the magazine, with numerous revisions made until the proofs looked absolutely perfect.

The ad ran in Time Magazine, Life Magazine and several other magazines.

When I got my first copy of Time I was appalled. The color was shifted ten ways to Sunday and not at all like the proof we approved.

I showed the ad to my wife and was going on and on about how terrible it looked. She took a look and said it looked fine to her. She could not see anything wrong.

I learned two things. One if the color looks convincing, that is about as much as you can hope for. and Two, you are always at the mercy of the other photographs on the signature. So if in this case one of the images was a white car and on the same signature is a page of red roses, the white car is going to take on a tint of red. Because all the images on the spread are soft of balanced out.

But I do think the PDF output for Pro+ shows a noticeable improvement and the colors are brighter and more saturated. (apologies for the rant)

[XByrne]

Believe me, I could add a rant of my own!! I wish CMYK would disappear from the face of the earth. Even if the designer provides perfect material with the right profile, there are so many ways it can be messed up before it lands on the page!
Currently I'm sticking with a local printer so I can stand beside the press as the pages are being printed!

I did hear there is a new technology, expensive right now in its infancy, but it will print RGB perfectly on paper. Hallelujah!

''I showed the ad to my wife and was going on and on about how terrible it looked.'' I've been there - traumatic! It's true, though, that anyone who hasn't seen the 'original' has nothing to compare it against and thinks it's fine. What a relief!

I wonder if anyone from Xara could chime in here with a taster of CMYK developments?

[handrawn]

sadly I can't help with the cmyk ecept to agree with gary about

which is industry standard (whatever that means)

this interesting

but it will print RGB perfectly on paper

the laws of physics tell me it will be a restricted gamut though... maybe enhanced to a degree with special paper...

[wizard509]

At present there is only one export profile, which is industry standard (whatever that means). No I did not print the images.

But I have used Xara since 1996 to create color stereogram images for books and magazines and the CMYK color has always been predictably muted in case of certain colors, such as bright green or purple. But in the end the question is, does it look convincing? Most people will never see the original of an image only the printed image.

In the 70s when I was fresh out of art school and working as an advertising art director, I spent literally two months fine tuning a magazine ad for Datsun (now Nissan) featuring two cars. The original photograph was printed (dye transfer print) retouched, and then photoengraved for the magazine, with numerous revisions made until the proofs looked absolutely perfect.

The ad ran in Time Magazine, Life Magazine and several other magazines.

When I got my first copy of Time I was appalled. The color was shifted ten ways to Sunday and not at all like the proof we approved.

I showed the ad to my wife and was going on and on about how terrible it looked. She took a look and said it looked fine to her. She could not see anything wrong.

I learned two things. One if the color looks convincing, that is about as much as you can hope for. and Two, you are always at the mercy of the other photographs on the signature. So if in this case one of the images was a white car and on the same signature is a page of red roses, the white car is going to take on a tint of red. Because all the images on the spread are soft of balanced out.

But I do think the PDF output for Pro+ shows a noticeable improvement and the colors are brighter and more saturated. (apologies for the rant)

Very interesting Gary.

[behzad]

No matter what you do, your printer will take your pdf/x and convert it again to their own version of icc profile pdf.