Brightening photos for commercial newsprint 1

[Liana66]

I have been tasked with creating a weekly color magazine thet is printed on newsprint on a web press. Can anyone give me a good rule of thumb for brightening the photos properly? example: decent looking photos, up brightness by 20, darker photos 30+, or should it be more? There are 100's of photos in each weekly issue (used car sales) so I would like to be able to batch process as many as possible. Most of the photos are 3"x2" or smaller Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

 

[duncdude]

just set the 'dot gain' in the preferences to simulate newpaper print - then adjust the pictures to look good on screen - then all will be fine

this will darken all the pictures on screen so you have to lighten them up - i.e. it simulates the effect of printing on the newpaper web press

there are lots of default settings for you to choose from


Kind Regards
Duncan

 

[Liana66]

Thanks Duncan, I have dot gain set as 20%, I can't find any setting that specifies newsprint although I may have overlooked it. I am using PS7 and quark express 5. I am new to this mag and found and the original layout artist won't return my calls. Do you think 20% dot gain is enough? By the way I am working on a PC

 

[duncdude]

File / Colour Settings / CMYK setup...

sorry, use 30% not 20% to be sure

there should be an 'ink setting' for SWOP (Newsprint) that will set it all up for you

thanks for the star!


Kind Regards
Duncan

 

[Liana66]

Hi again Duncan
Should I be using the "Kodak SWOP Proofer CMYK newsprint" Setting?, or just the SWOP Press one? Your kind help is greatly appreciated

 

[duncdude]

hi Liana

use the SWOP Press one - just make sure it says approx. 30% dot gain... the other is for a Kodak proofing device (probably a dye sublimation printer or something)


Kind Regards
Duncan

 

[Liana66]

Should my Quark settings be the same as the photoshop ones as well?

 

[duncdude]

Hi Liana

I'm not aware of any Quark settings that you need to worry about - the pictures carry all the information they need to take care of themselves. In my opinion all you really need to be concerned with is the dot gain amount - not any other rubbish - especially with newsprint!


Kind Regards
Duncan

 

[barehug]

I always used to send the newsprint media to the printers, and told them to knock it back for print. Make sure they don't do it automatically or you'll end up with an image eben lightr again!

Moe: It could have been a real ugly situation, but luckily I managed to shoot him in the spine.