Comments on: My Grayscale Images and Colors Changed Suddenly http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php InDesignSecrets Blog and Podcast Thu, 24 May 2012 08:00:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: JGG http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php/comment-page-1#comment-481819 JGG Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:33:32 +0000 http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php#comment-481819 I realise this is an old thread, but it is the only thing that came up when searching google for this issue. I really need to overprint some PMS spots on top of a few greyscale images, but it is impossible to achieve because the images all lighten up. Is there a way to reliably print transparent-looking color over a grayscale image (for a tw0 color printing job, so the final PDF cannot have more than two plates active, i.e. black and the PMS). Most of the posts here mention that the visual changes are on the monitor, but in fact the changes are also carried through to the output! First I thought it was just a display glitch, and that it wouldn't be a problem for print, but it actually is. I realise this is an old thread, but it is the only thing that came up when searching google for this issue.
I really need to overprint some PMS spots on top of a few greyscale images, but it is impossible to achieve because the images all lighten up.

Is there a way to reliably print transparent-looking color over a grayscale image (for a tw0 color printing job, so the final PDF cannot have more than two plates active, i.e. black and the PMS).

Most of the posts here mention that the visual changes are on the monitor, but in fact the changes are also carried through to the output! First I thought it was just a display glitch, and that it wouldn’t be a problem for print, but it actually is.

]]> By: Richard D http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php/comment-page-1#comment-475841 Richard D Fri, 29 May 2009 21:42:20 +0000 http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php#comment-475841 I have all the symptoms mentioned above when transparencies of any kind are added to grayscale images! Text 'fattens' and the grayscale image gets much lighter. I can reduce the on-screen effect by changing to the RGB Transparency Flattner setting. However, it doesn't seem right to do so when you are outputting to CMYK, cause some pages are colour. The whole spread is affected. Even the PDFs show the effect. Adobe's 'A Designers Guide to Transparency for Print Output' is no help, but has some intersting material. I also see the effect in the print outs. I have all the symptoms mentioned above when transparencies of any kind are added to grayscale images! Text ‘fattens’ and the grayscale image gets much lighter. I can reduce the on-screen effect by changing to the RGB Transparency Flattner setting. However, it doesn’t seem right to do so when you are outputting to CMYK, cause some pages are colour. The whole spread is affected. Even the PDFs show the effect.

Adobe’s ‘A Designers Guide to Transparency for Print Output’ is no help, but has some intersting material.

I also see the effect in the print outs.

]]> By: Linda Yaciw http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php/comment-page-1#comment-472562 Linda Yaciw Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:56:41 +0000 http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php#comment-472562 We were having trouble with colours when printing proof copies to our colour laser photocopier if the InDesign file contained any transparencies. The InDesign file printed perfect, and Acrobat 4 pdfs printed perfect, but Acrobat 5 pdfs changed the colours of the entire page to lighter greys and colours. However, our commercial printer could print the Acrobat 5s with no colour problems. So it's only our colour photocopier that has a problem with transparencies/colours as far as I can tell, and saving to Acrobat 4 lets us print good colour proof copies. We were having trouble with colours when printing proof copies to our colour laser photocopier if the InDesign file contained any transparencies. The InDesign file printed perfect, and Acrobat 4 pdfs printed perfect, but Acrobat 5 pdfs changed the colours of the entire page to lighter greys and colours. However, our commercial printer could print the Acrobat 5s with no colour problems. So it’s only our colour photocopier that has a problem with transparencies/colours as far as I can tell, and saving to Acrobat 4 lets us print good colour proof copies.

]]> By: adobehouses http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php/comment-page-1#comment-468450 adobehouses Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:40:11 +0000 http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php#comment-468450 in reference to the orignal question. this is a common problem, and manifests in many ways, not just grays. I have found the following in general: do all layout in the same version of color RGB or CMYK. convert all photos, images, etc. tiffs are the most reliable, psd transparencies and effects seem to screw with indesign. try to place in ai file, and export as pdf. set transparency and other effects in indesign, then duplicate that in photoshop and place that image, indesign sees as completely opaque(particularly in transparencies) set volume to 11 and rock in reference to the orignal question. this is a common problem, and manifests in many ways, not just grays. I have found the following

in general:

do all layout in the same version of color RGB or CMYK. convert all photos, images, etc. tiffs are the most reliable, psd transparencies and effects seem to screw with indesign. try to place in ai file, and export as pdf.

set transparency and other effects in indesign, then duplicate that in photoshop and place that image, indesign sees as completely opaque(particularly in transparencies)

set volume to 11 and rock

]]> By: Eugene Tyson http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php/comment-page-1#comment-468441 Eugene Tyson Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:37:48 +0000 http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php#comment-468441 Yeh, I make all my PDFs to Acrobat 4. I deal with various printing places and I tried sending some the 5, 6,7,8 versions but they don't fly with them. Mainly because of live transparencies in the 5,6,7,8 versions. Acro 4 seems to work and give the right print results all the time, for me anyway, and printing places don't have a problem with the pdfs I send them, it works for me. In fact, had a terrible time with a .ai file that was enormous. The InDesign file would not PDF quickly at all, in fact I estimated a time of about 4 or 5 hours to PDF. Which was insane. This was because I was exporting to Acrobat 4, and it was trying to flatten it. So I went to the Acrobat 5 and it worked, then the printers couldn't RIP the Acrobat 5 job properly. So I sighed. Yeh, I make all my PDFs to Acrobat 4. I deal with various printing places and I tried sending some the 5, 6,7,8 versions but they don’t fly with them. Mainly because of live transparencies in the 5,6,7,8 versions. Acro 4 seems to work and give the right print results all the time, for me anyway, and printing places don’t have a problem with the pdfs I send them, it works for me.

In fact, had a terrible time with a .ai file that was enormous. The InDesign file would not PDF quickly at all, in fact I estimated a time of about 4 or 5 hours to PDF. Which was insane. This was because I was exporting to Acrobat 4, and it was trying to flatten it.

So I went to the Acrobat 5 and it worked, then the printers couldn’t RIP the Acrobat 5 job properly. So I sighed.

]]> By: David Blatner http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php/comment-page-1#comment-468439 David Blatner Mon, 08 Sep 2008 02:37:06 +0000 http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php#comment-468439 @Aaron: I believe you have to make it an Acrobat 4 file in order to enable Simulate Overprint. That's kind of strange. @Aaron: I believe you have to make it an Acrobat 4 file in order to enable Simulate Overprint. That’s kind of strange.

]]> By: Aaron http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php/comment-page-1#comment-468431 Aaron Sun, 07 Sep 2008 04:06:24 +0000 http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php#comment-468431 David, thanks. I had forgotten about that checkbox. But I can't seem to enable it; under what conditions does it become checkable? David, thanks. I had forgotten about that checkbox. But I can’t seem to enable it; under what conditions does it become checkable?

]]> By: David Blatner http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php/comment-page-1#comment-468419 David Blatner Sat, 06 Sep 2008 12:56:45 +0000 http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php#comment-468419 @Aaron: You may need to turn on the Simulate Overprint checkbox when creating pdfs to send to a client. Basically, it dumbs down the PDF. Or have them upgrade to Acrobat 9 Reader, which is smarter. Not sure if these will work, but they're worth a try. @Aaron: You may need to turn on the Simulate Overprint checkbox when creating pdfs to send to a client. Basically, it dumbs down the PDF. Or have them upgrade to Acrobat 9 Reader, which is smarter. Not sure if these will work, but they’re worth a try.

]]> By: Aaron http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php/comment-page-1#comment-468383 Aaron Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:18:01 +0000 http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php#comment-468383 So, I'm still confused about how to resolve the original issue: colors shifting on spreads that have transparency applied. As mentioned, everything's fine in ID when viewing in Overprint Preview mode. How do I mimic that look in an exported PDF? My end product is for press (2-color Pantone and black) but I'll send several rounds of PDF proofs to the client, and don't want them confused by color shift on certain spreads. Changing the Trans. Blend Space doesn't appear to make a difference as far as the inconsistency among spreads. So, I’m still confused about how to resolve the original issue: colors shifting on spreads that have transparency applied.

As mentioned, everything’s fine in ID when viewing in Overprint Preview mode. How do I mimic that look in an exported PDF? My end product is for press (2-color Pantone and black) but I’ll send several rounds of PDF proofs to the client, and don’t want them confused by color shift on certain spreads.

Changing the Trans. Blend Space doesn’t appear to make a difference as far as the inconsistency among spreads.

]]> By: David Blatner http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php/comment-page-1#comment-410935 David Blatner Fri, 23 May 2008 20:06:02 +0000 http://indesignsecrets.com/my-grayscale-images-and-colors-changed-suddenly.php#comment-410935 T: I'm terribly sorry to hear about your troubles, but your troubles don't appear to have anything to do with InDesign. Good luck! T: I’m terribly sorry to hear about your troubles, but your troubles don’t appear to have anything to do with InDesign. Good luck!

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