Blog update: Image Formats

[pauljholden]

I've updated my blog with a brief overview on image formats, may be dull as ditchwater or very useful (or both)

http://www.pauljholden.com/blog/2010/04/23/tools-of-the-trade-image-formats/

-pj

[Jim_Campbell]

More useful in design than art, but still worth noting, I think, that TIFFs will also hold an alpha channel, which any DTP package worth its salt will be able to use as a clipping path, removing the need to use an EPS whenever you want a transparent BG on an image.

Cheers!

Jim

[pauljholden]

Yeah, similarly, PNG will also hold an alpha but I was aiming for SIMPLES

Worth adding in the comments though!

-pj

[Banners]

...and if you're aiming for print, use CMYK mode and a resolution of 300dpi.

M@

[Kev Levell]

When saving as jpeg, gif or png in photoshop, use the[ b]save for web[/b] option, it gives you control over the level of compression (for jpegs) and saves a smaller file (throwing loads of useless piggy-backed photoshop data away).

[Banners]

Doesn't the "Save for Web..." thingy reduce the colour depth or the palette in some way? I always save JPEGs through the normal "Save As..." dialog box. Am on CS3 here.

M@

[Jim_Campbell]

Doesn't the "Save for Web..." thingy reduce the colour depth or the palette in some way? I always save JPEGs through the normal "Save As..." dialog box. Am on CS3 here.

Me too. Save As from PS, then re-open in GraphicConvertor and re-save. Even if you don't actually change the quality settings, the files are always smaller!

Cheers

Jim

[Kev Levell]

Doesn't the "Save for Web..." thingy reduce the colour depth or the palette in some way? I always save JPEGs through the normal "Save As..." dialog box. Am on CS3 here.

M@

TBH I don't know about that, but I can't say I've ever noticed anything adversely affecting my colours by doing it...
I'd be interested to know if there something like that happening though.

[pauljholden]

Save for WEB has an 'include ICC Colour profile' (or somesuch) that includes some details about colours (I'm clueless here...)

-pj

[Banners]

TBH I don't know about that, but I can't say I've ever noticed anything adversely affecting my colours by doing it...
I'd be interested to know if there something like that happening though.

The only evidence I can offer is anecdotal. The first time I noticed it, I was working on a website where the only way to get this particular shade of purple in the images to match the RGB value in the code, was to save the JPEGs with the "Save As" command. Using the "Save for Web..." option created a significant difference between the shades.

As PJ says, it may be to do with colour profiles (which I confess I'm no expert on) rather than the saving...?

M@

[Kev Levell]

For specific brand colours I can see it would be an issue. I know very little about the colour profiles but I have noticed (and expected) blues, purples and greens to change between RGB and CMYK conversion, I hadn't noticed any further changes when I re-saved the images back out as RGB web files though. *edit* Although my own ignorance of the fact that it might have been happening is obviously going to affect how reliable my evidence is! *edit end*

It's when I come to printing, that's when I really notice problems... file format, colour profiles, paper stock, the time of day, the menstrual cycle of pygmy hippos and anything else the various parties concerned have conspired to involve seem to affect how my images print.

[SuperSurfer]

Just to complicate matters further, when working in Photoshop I find it really is worthwhile selecting the most relevant setting in 'Proof Setup'. Select:
• 'Working CMYK' for print
• 'Macintosh RGB', 'Windows RGB' or 'Monitor RGB' for web.

I would always find that once I uploaded images online the colours would lose all vibrancy and I would forever adjust them and re-upload to see what worked best, whether I used 'Save for Web' or not.

I then worked out this was due to how I was viewing the images in Photoshop.

If I am working on an image for print I set 'Proof Setup' to 'Working CMYK'. If I need to then put an image online I will select 'Monitor RGB', adjust the colour curves to what looks best on screen and then upload the image.  

I now find that what I see in Photoshop matches more accurately what I see in my web browser. This had baffled me for ages.

Colour calibration, matching of colours etc is a massive subject. After years of working with these programmes I have barely scratched the surface. But I do recommend the above.  

[Dandontdare]

but I was aiming for SIMPLES

Sorry PJ, you're going on my list for that one!

It also includes anyone  who says "should've gone to specsavers", sings the 'go compare' song, does bad impressions of Alan Sugar saying "you're fired" or says "are you having that one?" after telling a joke. Grrrr!

[Banners]

Colour calibration, matching of colours etc is a massive subject...

Do any of you designery-types calibrate your monitor? I bought a Pantone Huey from eBay last week but can't use it yet as the USB cable won't stretch between my monitor and PC(!)

M@

[SuperSurfer]

Do any of you designery-types calibrate your monitor? I bought a Pantone Huey from eBay last week but can't use it yet as the USB cable won't stretch between my monitor and PC(!)
M@

I'm a Mac man and I just use system preferences to calibrate my monitor. I'm sure that won't be as good as your Huey (Lewis and the News) gadget but seems to be ok.