Types of content Contone –DEMS –Photos –Some statistical layers Spot color (drawings, vector) –Points –Polylines –polygons –Categorical rasters: Land cover GoogleMaps ESRI ArcMap Data Set
Export File Formats Contone: –JPEG –TIFF with JPEG compression Spot Color, Line Drawings –GIF –PNG –TIFF with LZW or run-length compression Combined: –JPEG with high quality (low compression) –TIFF without compression
PDF Portable Document Format –Maintains page layout –Can be high resolution –PDFReader available free from Abobe.com –Many PDF “Print Drivers” available BullZip PDF Writer rated highest by CNet.com
Map Production Computer Screens (CRTs, Monitor): –Emit light in a grid – dpi –Red, Green, Blue: Millions of colors –Good for contone Printers: –Place ink on paper –Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, Black (CYMK) –300 to 2000 dpi –Good for spot color
Color Theory Light: AdditivePigment: Subtractive Computer Screens (CRT)Printers
CIE Color Diagram
Color Separation
Process Color
Color Printer Process Get the layout right Test the margins on a black and white printer Test the color print Adjust the colors until they look good Show it to others including target audience Cut off a white border if desired
Offset Press Professional grade Large numbers of copies –$500 for 500 copies –Cheaper for additional copies Each color on a separate “plate” Can mix special colors Almost all magazines and books are printed on offset press
Pre-Press Process 1.Talk to the printer! 2.Follow color printer process 3.Take the file and the color print to the process printer 4.Process printer creates “photo ready art” 5.May do a test run 6.Approve final output
Paper Paper is graded by “hardness” –Newspaper –Office paper –“Hard” paper (Hammermill) –Glossy paper Colored paper –Dark colors rarely work with computer printers –Use white paper and print the background solid