Jump to content
You must now use your email address to sign in [click for more info] ×

Recommended Posts

I'd appreciate some feedback on the process I'm using to convert image files for print (book). I've recently come over from Photoshop and am sure that Affinity Photo/QuarkXPress2017 are the right combination to produce the result I want, but I need reassurance - or suggestion of a better way ...

 

This is what I do:

  • Open the file (usually a .jpg) in Affinity Photo
  • Change colour format to CMYK (8 bit)
  • Using Resize document, change DPI to 300, uncheck Resample and click resize
  • Then using Resize document again, change units to Millimetres (is there a way to make this the default unit) and then change the width to slightly over the finished size of the image in the book, choosing Resample at this stage.
  • Then save as ...
  • Then Export as TIFF CMYK (making no other changes on that dialogue box)

 

However, I then always seem to have to resize the image (sometimes to less than 10%)  once I've imported it into QuarkXPress2017 ... and the image file produced is rather large.

 

Can anyone suggest what I'm doing wrong?

 

Help would be much appreciated!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why are you changing to a TIFF?

 

1 Changing to CMYK is OK.

 

2. Select the Hand tool and set Units to Millimetres

hand.png.3d3999b616e01c630efd0103c05f3e20.png

 

3 In Resize Document, set the size you want in MM

 

resize.png.f277b325dad091838bcc7df395ffd44f.png

4. Set DPI to 300 ,

 

5 In Resample: use Bilinear if sizing down, Bicubic if sizing up.

 

6 Make sure Resample is ticked.

 

7 Click Resize.

 

8. Export in JPEG or Tiff format for Quark.

 

Tiff files will be much larger (in MB) than JPEGs. If you use a high quality JPEG setting like 85%, that is considered "Press Quality".

Windows PCs. Photo and Designer, latest non-beta versions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, toltec. Just tried your method and it works a treat.

 

Since posting and playing around, though, I wondered whether dropping the original image straight into QuarkXPress2017, and letting it do the work would produce a result of comparable quality. Do you have a view on whether resizing an image in Affinity Photo and then placing in QXP is a better method than bypassing AP altogether and just using QXP?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it depends very much on the images. Do you know the source and resolution of all of them?

 

I certainly would not trust Quark for every image unless I knew the original resolution, colour format etc. That is why we use pixel editing programs like Photo or Photoshop rather than DTP programs like Quark.

 

But then, I'm a bit of a control freak ;)

 

 

Windows PCs. Photo and Designer, latest non-beta versions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No problem with being a control freak!

 

So, would you judge the final quality of the image editing purely visually, or do you have a rule of thumb (eg. file size change) for determining whether an image will print well? I'm producing a 200-page book with c100 images of natural history, so quality is important. 

 

I'm also surprised that, even using he method you recommended (great to apply, thanks) when I then take the correctly sized image into QXP, I still have to reduce to say 30% to fit the image box. (eg. I've changed document size to 100mm wide, at 300dpi using Affinity Photo, then import it to a 100mm wide box in QXP and it comes in as say 72dpi but resizes to 300mm when reduced in dimension to fit the box). 

 

Any comment, anyone?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Guidelines | We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.