Behold the Value of Color  

Why you should be designing pieces to be printed in color.

EDSF (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

The Big Picture on Monitors

The analog format of the CRT is challenged by the digital capabilities of the LCD monitor.

Hawver, Mark. Digital Output (2003). Articles>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

Color Glossary

This glossary lists and explains color and visual perception terms which are relevant for graphic and Web design as well as usability. The information was taken from several sources and adapted to the needs of this glossary

Wiegand, Christine and Gerd Waloszek. SAP Design Guild. Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

Color Imaging Workflow Primitives: Details and Examples  

The term 'color fidelity' refers to the successful interoperability of color data, from image creation to output across multiple targets, such that color reproduction quality consistent with the user’s intent can be achieved Note: Interoperability among system color components, necessary for color fidelity, is both color-workflow and market-segment dependent definitions for architecture, image state, and image processing.

McCarthy, Ann. International Color Consortium (2002). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

Color in Mind  

Despite advances in the technology of measuring and managing it, how we perceive color is still full of mystery and illusions.

Fraser, Bruce. Adobe Magazine (1996). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

Color Management How-To: Understanding Computer Color

Learning how to match the color you see on screen with that in your printed output is critical information for any digital artist or photographer. But first you need to understand how color works both on computer display and on paper. Start with this chapter from 'Real World Color Management.'

Bunting, Fred, Bruce Fraser and Chris Murphy. Creative Pro (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

Digital Photography Resources

A collection of links to online resources for desktop publishers interested in digital photography.

IPA. Resources>Directories>Prepress>Graphic Design

Easy Duotones and Silhouettes

Using the Blend If sliders in the Layer Style dialog box, you can quickly and easily create interesting duotone and silhouette effects.

Bauer, Peter. Planet Photoshop (2006). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Adobe Photoshop

The Full Gamut  

Give your colors the room they need in Photoshop by understanding and choosing RGB working spaces.

Fraser, Bruce. Adobe Magazine (1999). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

Getting it to the Printer: DTP to Press FAQ

Although it takes many hours and piles books to prepare yourself for competent DTP -> Print, we've capsulized a series of comments which address some of the most frequent questions readers and workshop attendees ask. These are also based on our mentoring program, and makeover clinics as the most common problem areas we see in beginner to intermediate desktop publishers. These steps will help you as you approach each project. Each topic is by no means a complete text -- but serves to alert you of problem areas, and suggest simple entry-level solutions.

Showker, Fred. Design, Typography and Graphics (2001). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress

Getting to the Finish Line  

You're a designer, so you shouldn't waste your creative energy worrying about how your Illustrator document will print, right? Wrong. Spending a few minutes planning your project can ensure that its final output will go smoothly, potentially saving you hours of printing-related hassles.

Alspach, Ted. Adobe Magazine (1998). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress

Review: Graphic Designer's Digital Printing and Prepress Handbook  

The Graphic Designer's Digital Printing and Prepress Handbook is not a beginner's manual. Sidles does not walk you step-by-step through the basics of trapping or scanning. Instead, hers is an approach that expands on the knowledge of the graphic design professional. I think her aim is to help you become someone who easily knows how to avoid buying paper that will curl or using overprinted type that is illegible. Sidles, with her print production experience, seems to care about sharing the wisdom she has acquired through decades of haps and mishaps—no small benefit.

Blount Brodersen, Carolyn. Technical Communication Online (2004). Articles>Reviews>Prepress>Graphic Design

A Horse of a Different Color is Fine--Just be Accurate!

As much as the hardware and software manufacturers in the digital imaging world would like you to think that buying a digital camera and a photo quality printer will make you Ansel Adams, those of us that earn our living as pixel jockeys battle with color management in one way or another every day. Depending on your workflow and the final destination of your images, there are a number of ways to keep your colors accurate.

Dorgay, Jeff. Digital Output (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

ICC Color Management for Print Production  

An introduction to device-independent solutions for color management.

International Color Consortium. Presentations>Graphic Design>Prepress

Mastering Image Exposure Corrections in Photoshop

It's very important to always do your exposure corrections in Photoshop first, before any other corrections or effects. If you don’t, you’ll find that correcting exposure is extremely hard (if not impossible) to do.

Milburn, Ken. Graphics.com (2005). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

Soft-Proofing and Printing with Profiles

Many photographers today print directly from Photoshop to photo-quality inkjet printers or send images to a lab to have enlargements made on LightJets, Lambdas, or the Fuji Pictography and Frontier systems. All of these devices are capable of stunning, photo-realistic output. However, if you do not employ color management effectively the output from these devices will not match the image you saw on your monitor. At best, you will waste some time, ink and paper making reprints. At worst, if you are sending images to a lab, proofs and reprints to get the image correct can become costly.

Hagadorn, Matt. Nature Photography (2004). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress>Color

Trapping? Dangerous Subject

Oh, it's in vogue these days isn't it. Trap here. Trap there. All the computer graphics experts and magazine writers showing off their divine knowledge, writing about 'trapping.' Some people don't even know what trapping is. Some don't even care. But the computer industry sure wants us to know – and they want us to buy the latest and greatest software to prove it. Do I sound cynical? (He asks with a sly grin.) Your first line of defense in avoiding trapping traps is to understand the concepts.

Showker, Fred. Design, Typography and Graphics (2001). Design>Graphic Design>Prepress