I can create some beautiful graphics in Illustrator. I want to use them in Pagemaker, but saving graphics from Illustrator either in jpeg, tif, or eps format and loading them into Pagemaker, the resolution is not very good. I understand that rasterizing vector graphics will loose some quality (esp 3-D boxes, etc.) but even relatively simple graphics will loose quality. Is there a trick to saving these images in a quality format that won't loose in the translation?
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How do I save a "good" vector graphic? 3
- Thread starter Roadlouse
- Start date
MarcusStringer
IS-IT--Management
Ok, since you don't want to let it go.
"That's all I have to say about that"
Marcus
"That's all I have to say about that"
Marcus
I did let it go!
I said in my post that I was going to tell how to raise the attriubutes in CS - - your not the only person who reads these posts and some people will benefit from what I'm saying. Other people that are in these forums work the same workflows that I do - -my posts are not pointed towards you -- so enough is enough.
In my line of work this what I and other prepress people do to get designers jobs out correctly. You may disagree with what I'm talking about, but you are not familair with my workflows - - so how can you make comments. I work for one of the top 5 printers in the world - this how we treat all our clients files worldwide.
Alot of people wil post something I never heard of I'll read it and I won't say nothing to them that they are wrong and try to prove them wrong in what they are talking about - -because they do things differently then I do and I am not a expert on everything and neither are you.
And your remark about transparency - -if you knew anything about the rips I work on, you would know that when I'm talking attributes and dpi has nothing to do with transparency they are two different things.
So don't think eveytime someone posts a message it's directed toward you. Where here to help other people from our knowlege and experiences whether you agree or disagree. Nobody is this forum knows everything.
Nuff Said
info@prepress-online.com
"Tell'em we're comin', and hell's comin' with us.
I said in my post that I was going to tell how to raise the attriubutes in CS - - your not the only person who reads these posts and some people will benefit from what I'm saying. Other people that are in these forums work the same workflows that I do - -my posts are not pointed towards you -- so enough is enough.
In my line of work this what I and other prepress people do to get designers jobs out correctly. You may disagree with what I'm talking about, but you are not familair with my workflows - - so how can you make comments. I work for one of the top 5 printers in the world - this how we treat all our clients files worldwide.
Alot of people wil post something I never heard of I'll read it and I won't say nothing to them that they are wrong and try to prove them wrong in what they are talking about - -because they do things differently then I do and I am not a expert on everything and neither are you.
And your remark about transparency - -if you knew anything about the rips I work on, you would know that when I'm talking attributes and dpi has nothing to do with transparency they are two different things.
So don't think eveytime someone posts a message it's directed toward you. Where here to help other people from our knowlege and experiences whether you agree or disagree. Nobody is this forum knows everything.
Nuff Said
info@prepress-online.com
"Tell'em we're comin', and hell's comin' with us.
PixelSweeper
Technical User
For the past few months I visit this site check out the topics..see whats going on, never felt a need to post till now. Until now.
Hey Stringer,
What Pixel is saying is correct . I work in Prepress and I have been also raising the output resolution for many years, and Pix thank you for your post on where to set the dpi in CS, I just started working in it and had no clue where to do this thank you.
Now Stringer if you work in Illustrator there is a big difference between attributes and transparency, I don't see why you keep going back and dwelling on the transparency issue that is not what Pix is talking about it.
You said you worked in Prepress for 12 years and never did this or anyone you know in different companies have changed this. I find this hard to believe and . If you say you worked in prepress for 12 years you would know what exactly Pixel is talking about when it comes to attributres and output resolutions. Judging by your posts, you may have worked in prepress but it wasn't doing alot of Illustrator work. I can't believe none of the people you know in different companies, not one person does this.
I don't like to take sides but I'm going with Pix on this one. String your probally a very good typesetter and I would never call you out on anything that has to do with type, its not my area of expertise. When it comes to output resolution you have to raise it. So let the prepress people who have knowlege and experience in this field say what they have to say and don't be so damn negative towards someone if you don't like what they have to say.
Pixel keep posting - - I'm sure all the prepress people and the designers that want to learn will appreciate your knowlege and experience.
I have said what I had to say , but I'm sure I'll be back if history holds true in this thread.
Pixel Sweeper
PixelSweeper
Hey Stringer,
What Pixel is saying is correct . I work in Prepress and I have been also raising the output resolution for many years, and Pix thank you for your post on where to set the dpi in CS, I just started working in it and had no clue where to do this thank you.
Now Stringer if you work in Illustrator there is a big difference between attributes and transparency, I don't see why you keep going back and dwelling on the transparency issue that is not what Pix is talking about it.
You said you worked in Prepress for 12 years and never did this or anyone you know in different companies have changed this. I find this hard to believe and . If you say you worked in prepress for 12 years you would know what exactly Pixel is talking about when it comes to attributres and output resolutions. Judging by your posts, you may have worked in prepress but it wasn't doing alot of Illustrator work. I can't believe none of the people you know in different companies, not one person does this.
I don't like to take sides but I'm going with Pix on this one. String your probally a very good typesetter and I would never call you out on anything that has to do with type, its not my area of expertise. When it comes to output resolution you have to raise it. So let the prepress people who have knowlege and experience in this field say what they have to say and don't be so damn negative towards someone if you don't like what they have to say.
Pixel keep posting - - I'm sure all the prepress people and the designers that want to learn will appreciate your knowlege and experience.
I have said what I had to say , but I'm sure I'll be back if history holds true in this thread.
Pixel Sweeper
PixelSweeper
Thanks Sweep.
info@prepress-online.com
"Tell'em we're comin', and hell's comin' with us.
info@prepress-online.com
"Tell'em we're comin', and hell's comin' with us.
I haven't had this problem lately, so maybe a combination of recent versions of Illustrator and certain RIPs have sorted it out. In theory, it shouldn't happen at all because vectors are technically resolution independent.
When I worked in large format, though, it came up all the time. Curves would be approximated with lots of straight lines, and raising the dpi in attributes sorted it out. I never had to go as high 2400dpi (800dpi was fine on our systems), but we regularly got jobs as low as 100dpi, and that's where the problems came from.
So, in fairness to Marcus, my own experience seems to be that it's highly dependent on the equipment/rip that's being used. I myself haven't had this problem in about three years, so it's quite possible that it doesn't affect some people at all. Still, it's nice to see it being discussed; you never know when the information might come in useful!
When I worked in large format, though, it came up all the time. Curves would be approximated with lots of straight lines, and raising the dpi in attributes sorted it out. I never had to go as high 2400dpi (800dpi was fine on our systems), but we regularly got jobs as low as 100dpi, and that's where the problems came from.
So, in fairness to Marcus, my own experience seems to be that it's highly dependent on the equipment/rip that's being used. I myself haven't had this problem in about three years, so it's quite possible that it doesn't affect some people at all. Still, it's nice to see it being discussed; you never know when the information might come in useful!
MarcusStringer
IS-IT--Management
Ok. I wasn't going to answer this, but...
After reading Bluearks explaination I'll admit defeat. and apologise.
But also let me explain why I was so pigheaded.
This is going to be long so hang on...
After reading you posts I did some research into the Illustrator Help file.
To me, reading the below quote and my previous quotes from the help file.
The way I understood it, vector graphics do not contain DPI information. Only when you have Gradients and Gradient Meshes and Transparencies and are saveing do you you have to Flatten the file. When you flatten the file it applies the DPI settings which are, as Pixeljock as pointed out, under Object>Flatten Transparency (which is why I keep banging on about transparency PixelSweeper).
If, as I've stated before.
High, Medium and low presets
The Illustrator people who wrote the help file seem to think...
This is also why I keep banging on about Transparency.
So in summing up.
I didn't entend to start a fight.
and as I stated before.
I'm not saying you don't have to do it, because how would I know, I'm just saying I don't do it and everyone I'm associated with have never done it.
and also
Marcus
After reading Bluearks explaination I'll admit defeat. and apologise.
But also let me explain why I was so pigheaded.
This is going to be long so hang on...
After reading you posts I did some research into the Illustrator Help file.
To me, reading the below quote and my previous quotes from the help file.
The way I understood it, vector graphics do not contain DPI information. Only when you have Gradients and Gradient Meshes and Transparencies and are saveing do you you have to Flatten the file. When you flatten the file it applies the DPI settings which are, as Pixeljock as pointed out, under Object>Flatten Transparency (which is why I keep banging on about transparency PixelSweeper).
If, as I've stated before.
This transparency option holds the option to use those DPI settings which are catagorised under the transparency flettener options:
High, Medium and low presets
The Illustrator people who wrote the help file seem to think...
.
This is also why I keep banging on about Transparency.
So in summing up.
I didn't entend to start a fight.
and as I stated before.
I'm not saying you don't have to do it, because how would I know, I'm just saying I don't do it and everyone I'm associated with have never done it.
and also
Marcus
Hey String,
It's all good.
info@prepress-online.com
"Tell'em we're comin', and hell's comin' with us.
It's all good.
info@prepress-online.com
"Tell'em we're comin', and hell's comin' with us.
Hi there -
First post on this board. Just wanted to say after many years on the Flash boards long ago that even "heated" discussions are helpful for those not in the midst of the fray.
From all this I more or less figured out the specs from the press kit I was given:
Digital File Resolution Specifications: The CT resolution must be 400 dpi, the LW
resolution must be at 2400 dpi. Files supplied at lower resolutions can be processed, but
the quality of the job will not be enhanced. The job will print at the same quality as
shown in the supplied contract proofs.
and feel much better about that.
And going along with this discussion (way back there) can someone explain why EPS is better than tiff? I am assuming it will print clearer than 400 dpi tiff but I am REALLY new to print after 10 years on the web. For all of you that went in the other direction, you know the rules are very different![[wink]](/data/assets/smilies/wink.gif "[wink] [wink]")
IF I export to EPS are there any particular settings I should be concerned with? Can I zip the EPS file to upload? Think I have the Illustrator basics down but this final step opens a very large can of worms.
I am using CS2
Thanks a bunch![[smile]](/data/assets/smilies/smile.gif "[smile] [smile]")
First post on this board. Just wanted to say after many years on the Flash boards long ago that even "heated" discussions are helpful for those not in the midst of the fray.
From all this I more or less figured out the specs from the press kit I was given:
Digital File Resolution Specifications: The CT resolution must be 400 dpi, the LW
resolution must be at 2400 dpi. Files supplied at lower resolutions can be processed, but
the quality of the job will not be enhanced. The job will print at the same quality as
shown in the supplied contract proofs.
and feel much better about that.
And going along with this discussion (way back there) can someone explain why EPS is better than tiff? I am assuming it will print clearer than 400 dpi tiff but I am REALLY new to print after 10 years on the web. For all of you that went in the other direction, you know the rules are very different
IF I export to EPS are there any particular settings I should be concerned with? Can I zip the EPS file to upload? Think I have the Illustrator basics down but this final step opens a very large can of worms.
I am using CS2
Thanks a bunch
I don't think EPS is better than TIFF any more than an Excel file is better than a Quicktime movie. They're just different file formats, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. As this is an Illustrator forum, though, EPS is preferable, because it retains the vector information of the original illustration.
So, while a 400dpi TIFF might be fine up to a point, vector graphics can be scaled indefinately, subject to the shortcomings described above. Also, vectors usually print sharper, even at small sizes, because any screening will be masked precisely by the edge of a vector.
Zipping the EPS files? You can if you like, but if you're uploading artwork for others to view, maybe PDF might be a better option as it's more ubiquitous. It also has built in compression, so it can be viewed without having to unzip it. You also mentioned Flash, and EPS files work very well imported into that program, as it's largely vector based too.
So, while a 400dpi TIFF might be fine up to a point, vector graphics can be scaled indefinately, subject to the shortcomings described above. Also, vectors usually print sharper, even at small sizes, because any screening will be masked precisely by the edge of a vector.
Zipping the EPS files? You can if you like, but if you're uploading artwork for others to view, maybe PDF might be a better option as it's more ubiquitous. It also has built in compression, so it can be viewed without having to unzip it. You also mentioned Flash, and EPS files work very well imported into that program, as it's largely vector based too.
Thanks Blueark
The EPS files I ended up with, because of the complexity and the LW resolution were in the 350 MEG category and even with cable that would take me almost 2 hours with my provider. Hence the zipping question.
This is to upload to magazine servers with FTP, not just for proofing. I just send jpgs by email and everyone seems fine with that. Will keep the pdf option in mind for the future though.
Think things are fairly clear after some more experimenting and some other advice from other boards. Glad the steapest part of the learning curve seems to be over.
The EPS files I ended up with, because of the complexity and the LW resolution were in the 350 MEG category and even with cable that would take me almost 2 hours with my provider. Hence the zipping question.
This is to upload to magazine servers with FTP, not just for proofing. I just send jpgs by email and everyone seems fine with that. Will keep the pdf option in mind for the future though.
Think things are fairly clear after some more experimenting and some other advice from other boards. Glad the steapest part of the learning curve seems to be over.
Ah, I saw the word "upload" and I just assumed it was for a web site or something. Generally (not always) an EPS file saved from a vector illustration will give substantially higher quality per Mb than a raster version, and a PDF could possibly be even better. Read up about PDFs, though, make sure you understand all the options, and keep a copy of the original artwork before experimenting.
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