Placing images with a transparent background

[Eidetix]

On Mac OS 10.3.9, I am running Quark 6.5 and Photoshop 8.0.

I am trying to place a graphic in Quark without background color. In Photoshop, I easily erase the white background from the image; it shows up as a transparency when I save it.

However, when I place the image on a Quark page, the white background reappears. I have tried saving the Photoshop file as a .jpg and a .tiff, with the same bogus results.

I am not sure if this is a Photoshop or Quark problem, but I thought I'd start here since I'm using Quark to create the finished product.

Your help is much appreciated!

 

[apepp]

...quark 6.5 does not support transparent import unless you use a clipping path in photoshop and save as EPS, or TIF from photoshop, this however does mean you can only have sharp edges, not feathered...

...there is an extension for quark 6.5 found here for mac:

http://downloads.quark.com/Details.aspx?fid=4&

...here for windows:

http://downloads.quark.com/Details.aspx?fid=5&

...however it allows you to import PSD, but transparency is lost, so you therefore need quark 7 or 8 to support transparent import as PSD, as per how InDesign functions...

andrew

 

[apepp]

...what you have essentially discovered is how Quark 6.5 needs to be used as a page layout tool, with all the fancy stuff being created before import as flattened files, clipping paths are all that quark 6.5 handles with regards to transparent bitmap images, anything else you import has to be built outside of quark and imported flattened, this includes PDF...

...this kind of workflow is still in use, and was how everyone had to work in the early part of this millennium, then InDesign came along and Quark had to catch up, Quark had a monopoly on the industry, which is not quite the case anymore. Many people have turned to InDesign, but total domination by Adobe is someway off as the world contains so many Quark files from old that still need to be used. So for now Quark still lives on with Quark 8, which as it happens, is pretty good...

andrew

 

[apepp]

...with the above in mind (and depending on what you are trying to achieve), you need to path out the area in photoshop, use the path palette flyout menu (arrow top right of palette) and choose "Clipping Path"...

...then save to photoshop eps or tif, import to quark...

...anything fancier, build in photoshop (or illustrator eps format) and import to quark 6.5...

andrew

 

[Eidetix]

Thanks for your help. I don't think I can get the results I am looking for using the above suggestions, at least not with my limited Photoshop skills.

I think I should go get InDesign and start from scratch.