[X4U] PDFs

[Stroller]

On Mar 1, 2005, at 8:13 am, Alan Holt wrote:
>
> I have a question about PDF files. I have to send some artwork to a 
> printer
> and they have requested it in pdf form. Now it is a BW file with a drop
> pantone colour. If I use the create PDF function in the print option in
> photoshop will that create the required format in the 2 colors I have 
> chosen
> or will it turn the image into a CMYK file.

I assume you've set the colour for the object as Pantone in Photoshop?
If you're exporting from Photoshop, then I'd think that the PDF would 
be correct.

I didn't know the difference between CMYK & Pantone until after I'd had 
my second 10,000 two-colour leaflets printed. Now they come out fine. I 
produced them in InDesign CS, with a cartoon character my designers 
supplied as an Illustrator object. My printer's requirements were for 
legacy Illustrator, but InDesign doesn't export to that directly so I 
ended up exporting from InDesign to PDF, opening that in Illustrator & 
then saving as a legacy file. Some very expensive business cards came 
out perfectly using this method, so apparently the spot-colour was 
preserved through the PDF conversion process.

At the end of the day, ask the printer to check the file for you. I 
know it's difficult to get to speak to the operator himself - I guess 
they're usually busy keeping the machines turning over; certainly I 
always have to go through my sales rep - but you are spending a lot of 
money with them and are entitled to a bit of help getting it right.

In my case it turned out that I'd had unsatisfactory results on one 
occasion - a white unprinted spot in the middle of a black O against a 
blue spot-colour logo - because I made the mistake of sending a file 
which was CMYK to be put through a spot-colour press. Apparently the 
operator had to open the file in Illustrator and go through it himself 
filling each section with a pantone shade, and he simply missed a bit; 
if your printers use a similar setup then you'll be doing them a favour 
in asking them to check the file first & offering to correct it 
yourself if they see any errors.

> Would it be better to use distiller? Once I have created a pdf file in
> distiller is there a way of checking and making sure the colors are the
> correct format?

No idea. I think there are some other lists about, inhabited by 
graphics professionals, where you might get a better answer. I'm sure 
someone will be along shortly with some info about them.

Stroller.