Photoshop® CS4 All-in-One For Dummies®

Chapter 1. Prepping Graphics for Print

In This Chapter

• Picking the right resolution, mode, and format

• Prepress and working with a service bureau

• Printing vector images

• Managing color when printing

• Creating color separations

Preparing images for the screen is a snap compared to what you have to go through to get images ripe for the printing process. If all you ever want to do is print your images to a desktop laser or inkjet printer, the task is a little easier, but you still must take some guidelines into account. And prepping your images for offset printing? Well, throw in an additional set of guidelines. It's not rocket science, mind you. If you stick to the basic rules and, more importantly, spend some time developing a good working relationship with your service bureau and offset printer, you're good to go.

Getting the Right Resolution, Mode, and Format

If you're not familiar with the concept of resolution, I suggest taking a look at Book II, Chapter 1. That's where I cover all the basics on resolution, pixel dimension, resampling, and other related topics. For full descriptions on color modes and file formats, see Book II, Chapter 2. That said, the following sections give you the lowdown on the proper settings for an image that will ultimately go to print.

Resolution and modes

Table 1-1 provides some guidelines about what resolution settings to use for the most common types of output. ...