Colour management

[Haz]

Hi I'm a first year Graphic Design student and have agreed to design a logo for a friends business as a freebie in order to get some experience. However I have just 24 hours to get it to him and I am starting to panic about file formats and colour as I have a very limited knowledge about both !

I have designed a simple logo in Illustrator and I am going to use just one or maybe two colours. The logo will be used for print as well as web. I have been advised to use a Pantone Solid Coated Spot colour to make life easy when using litho printing for large runs.


Am I right in assuming that I should do the following:

1. Pick the Panatone Solid Coated colour/s that I want to use whilst in Illustrator
2. Make sure the document is set up as CMYK
3. Save the file as .EPS and place it in Indesign
4. Export and package the document
5. Save a Hi-res Jpeg for use in Print in CMYK
6. Save a Hi-res Jpeg for use on the Web in RGB
7. Save a GIFF/PNG for use on non-white backgrounds on screen

1. Assuming that I want to initialy set the document up as a print job, should the document be set up as CMYK? I read somewhere that when using spot colours you should covert the file to Greyscale? But obviously this turns everything to black and white so doesn't make sense.

2.I am designing in Illustrator. Do I definetly need to import the file into Indesign? And if so, is this so I can Package and Export the document?

3. I have been told that I need to save a PNG or GIFF file for circumstances when it is used on the web and placed on non white backgrounds. I have looked and cant seem to find the option to do this in either Indesign or Illlustrator. Any ideas?

My friend needs the logo by Thus evening so he can email it to the government to go on their websites and be printed in their brochures so I need to make sure that all of the files are saved in the right format etc.


Sorry for so many questions! Any advice much appreciated.

[Katedesign]

You do not need to put it into Indesign.
You can save as .ai file and a .pdf and a .eps file from Illustrator.
Set it up as CMYK.
If you want to you can export from Illustrator as .tif .jpg etc.
A webdesigner can use (or should be able to) the ai or pdf.
I would supply him with the .ai file, a pdf file and an .eps file in the Pantone colours and let any designers deal with those files.

Hope this helps.
Kate

[bigdave]

I always find it beneficial to keep a copy of the original .ai or .indd files as well as giving them to the client. That way, when the client loses all but a tatty print out (and they will) you can supply them, the web designer or printer with exactly whats needed. I also find it helps to supply a printed sheet with specific details eg, colours, fonts, any adjustments to leading etc.. this guarantees that your artwork can be exactly replicated or used for further re-branding.

A couple of things to consider if youre using pantone colours:

1. You need to consider what media youre printing onto as this will affect the pantone colour. For example, youve mentioned using pantone solid coated, this is fine for a coated stock but if you print onto an uncoated stock the colour can change drastically

2. Don't pick your spot colour on screen, you need to use a pantone reference chart. this is because you screen displays colour very differently to the printed colour and you'll only be dissapointed when your lovely bright blue prints out dull and dirty.