Soft Proofing Images with Photoshop 7.0

Using Photoshop 7.0 has now become a DTP system because of its absolute advantage in image processing, becoming the most common application software, and using the soft proofing function of Photoshop7.0 is not so well known, this article will be to this function A more detailed introduction: soft proofing the image, the first is the color conversion, when you want to preview the output file, you need to complete the two color conversion - from the color space of the image to the output device to preview the color space; From the device's color space to the monitor's color space. In Photoshop 7.0 contains two separate color conversion functions.

Conversion from image color space to output device color space

Select Proof Setup in the View drop-down menu and select the Custom command from its lower menu.

Note: The ProofColore command is also available in the View menu. The function is the same as the CMYHPreview function in older versions: it allows a more accurate preview of the files you want to convert to CMYH mode. The new CustomProofSetup is more useful for CMYH output, and it also allows previewing of RGB output files.

After selecting the ProofSetup > Custom command, a ProofSetup dialog (shown below) will pop up. This small, unassuming dialog box contains powerful features.

In the submenu of the Setup menu in the upper part of the dialog box, there are already saved proofing settings. These settings are saved in a fixed folder. If you are using the Windows platform, the folder address is: ProgramFiles/CommonFiles /Adobe/Color/Proofing; If you are using the Mac platform, the folder address is: SystemFolder/ApplicationSupport/Adobe/Color/Proofing.

In the next Profile (Device Description File) menu, you can select the profile of the output device to be simulated on the screen. In which you can select almost any device, you may not find description files for some input devices (such as some scanners or digital cameras). This is normal because soft proofing of files on an input device is not possible on the screen. What is the meaning? In this menu, you can select RGB, CMYK, or grayscale printers, as well as select displays.

PreserveColorNumber The function of the radio button is to help the user see what happens if an unconverted file is sent to an output device that specifies the profile. This function is only available if the output file and output device description file share the same color mode, such as an RGB file and RGB output device description file, or CMYK file and CMYK output device description file. It can show how a CMYK file prepared for a printing process is output in another printing process. In this case, using this box is particularly useful. It can help you decide whether or not a selected output device is Needs proper conversion or editing to work properly.

Selecting the PreserveColorNumber radio button actually means that you do not want to convert the image. You do not need to apply any of the conversion methods. Therefore, the Intent menu underneath it will change to the class color.

From the Intent menu, you can choose how to convert from the file color space to the proof color space. You can see from this how different transformations affect the image. The menu item usually defaults to the default conversion of the device description file (not always Perceptual), so it is necessary to develop a habit to check the settings here each time you open the CustomProofSetup dialog box.

Change from proofing color space to display color space

The next step is to set the transition from the proof color space to the monitor color space. By default, the InkBlack and PaperWhite checkboxes at the bottom of the dialog box are closed. At this time, Photoshop automatically executes the Relative Colorimetric conversion method that includes black point compensation, completes the conversion from the proof color space to the monitor color space. This is the same operation as the old version of Photoshop, and it only works in two ways. In this case, the accuracy can be maintained: one is that the paper is not displayed on the image, and the other is that the dynamic color compression that occurs during printing is not displayed.

The RelativeColorimetric (relative colorimetric) conversion method calibrates the whiteness of the destination (in this case, the white color of the proof color space is the white of the paper when printed on paper). The calibration of the black point compensation is also the black of the destination (in this case, the blackness of the display). In most cases, the white of the display is brighter than the white of the paper, and the black of the display is darker than the printed black, which is especially obvious when printing on less-smooth paper.

Select InkBlack and turn off BlackPoint Compensation. You will notice that the black color in the image has become brighter. The dark part of the image has a feeling of being washed. This is even more effective when printed on paper. Close to. However, this setting is not recommended unless you specifically want to keep the details of the dark part, because although it can accurately show the details of the dark part, it does not show the colors contained on the paper. Offset and highlight compression. PaperWhite is selected, and PhotoShop executes the AbsoluteColorimetric method, which transforms the proof color space into the monitor color space. InkBlack is not selectable when the PaperWhite checkbox is selected. BlackPoint Compensation cannot be applied to AbsoluteColorimetric conversion because it is absolute, so the black value is How much will be displayed directly on the screen. AbsoluteColorimetric (absolute colorimetric) conversion method can also show the color and dynamic compression range of the paper when printing, to achieve the most accurate soft proofing.

For printouts, this is the most accurate proofing, but it also takes a while to become familiar with it. When PaperWhite is selected, the image is not as vivid as it was because the dynamic range of the image was compressed during this process. There is a very useful technique for dealing with this situation. When selecting Paper White, do not stare at the image. If you don't actually see the image change, you can easily accept the effect of soft proofing. Now.

Using soft proofing can optimize the file for a particular device, such as adjustments for gradations, saturation adjustments, and sometimes for hue adjustments. You can use the Adjustment Layers menu to create a unique output layer and combine it into the main file so that you can use the same master file and output different layers to a variety of different devices Go to.

When you need to output a soft-proofed file to the actual device, do not use the space in the Proof Setup dialog as the source space. Instead, use documentSpace and print space. Space) is set to the following two device description files.

1. The device description file selected in Proof Setup (to confirm that all color conversions on the print driver are turned off);

2. The device description file in the printer color management (this is to confirm that the color conversion on the print driver is turned on).

There is only one case where the space in the Proof Setup dialog is used as the source space, ie when other output devices need to simulate the final CMYK printer. To realize this process, you need to first soft proof the CMYK file of the printer, and then set the space set in the Proof Setup dialog box as the source space, and proofing by the inkjet printer.

Once you have mastered how to use Photoshop 7.0 for soft proofing, you will find that the output image is more predictable and can save a lot of costs.

Source: Ke Yin Network