Need Help with Color Problem on Placing PhotoS images into Illustrator

[slobizman]

I have Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator CS. I had a photo that was RGB in Photoshop and had it placed (linked) in an Illustrator file that was CYMK. I realized that the printer needed the images in CYMK, so I went into Photoshop and changed the photo to CYMK. It barely changed the way the image looked, so good so far. Then I went back to Illustrator, and it said "file updated, click Ok" (or whatever it said) and I did. Now, the colors in image in Illustrator no longer match the colors in the image in Photoshop. I can't get it to look right in Illustrator no matter what I do.

So, a CYMK Photoshop photo "placed" into an Illustrator CYMK file results in them not matching (the placed one has more red); yet, a RGB ohoto "placed" into an Illustrator CYMK file results in a perfect match. But, the printer wants the photo image in CYMK. I don't know what to do, and it's all due in the morning.

Can anyone tell me what's going on and how to fix it?

 

[itchybug]

Check here:

http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?50@934.DIWfdkDn842.539865@.3bb965ae

Bert Philippus

http://www.itchybug.com

http://www.amenpackaging.com

 

[slobizman]

That's the same qustion I posted elsewhere.

 

[jmgalvin]

PS and ILL are different in the way they interpret color. If you want to take a color from a photo and use in Illutrator and/or Indesign, you can place the cmyk (high resolution tiff is best) in ILL and use the eyedropper tool to pick up the color from the tiff and make a swatch in ILL - or make numerous swatches.

If you're creating colors in PS, try using the Pantone Solid to Process library in PS. If you then use the Pantone Solid library in ILL (changing the colors to Process after selecting) the cmyk values will match. If you do not have the Pantone Solid to Process Guide you will not be able to get an idea of the color shift that will occur at print output, which can be dramatic depending on a partcilular color.

 

[slobizman]

It's actually a photo. How can I take a photo that looks good in PS and make it look the same in IL? There has to be a way to know what I'll be getting.

 

[jmgalvin]

If you have the photo in Photoshop, set to cmyk color mode and at least 300 dpi, which is an absolute must for professional print, it should print just fine out of ILL or a pdf generated from ILL.

Make sure that you have the color settings, and any profiles set the same in both PS and ILL. In PS go to Image menu/Mode and pick cmyk. The go to Image menu/Mode/Assign profile and select proper one. US Web coated swao v2 will be safest.

In ILL go to Edit menu Color settings. US Prepress defaults is the safest. Under Color management, select Preserve for both rgb and cmyk. Right under Management check everything - Profile mismatch, etc.

One other alternative is to turn off color management across both ILL and PS.