preping for greyscale print

mrp2049

Senior Member
I have never done it before!

From psd to pdf, what do I do?

My brain says save the psd as greyscale in photoshop and then import to indesign, then I'm a bit confused. I would probably just bumble my way through till it seemed right!

So any advice anyone?
 
You could just import the PSD into indesign then save/print as a postscript file, in the output options on the print dialouge box make sure the output options are set to greyscale. Drop you postscript file into distiller and it should do the trick...
 
That seems abit round the houses, you can PDF it straight from InDesign and it'll work fine. Ideally you'd be creating it as a greyscale/black & white layout anyhow, as converting from colour to greyscale via output doesn't always give the best result in regards to contrast and shades of grey.
 
Fair enough, ill import to indesign and go from there! I thought it might be straight forward, just wasn't sure
 
I greyscaled it a selected something along the lines of preserve colour info from original file.

If I get an email from the printer tomorrow, we will know that was wrong!
 
Don't you have to change it to duo tone black and white or something i've only done it once can't remember now! Hmmm let us know how you got on!
 
If you make your pdf as normal, you can then then use one of the preset Preflight profiles.

Or, when you create the pdf, you can set the colourmode as Grayscale.
 
I did get emails, and phone calls from the printer, however that was because the layout was slightly off. Why can't people send a template first!
 
If your converting an image from colour to GS in photoshop it will often go very flat and lack any contrast, once it's converted in PS open your levels (cmd alt L), if your not familiar with this screen you'll see a histogram, a graphic chart representing the tonal info in the image, it's a bit trial and error but you might find dragging the small left hand arrow (at the bottom of the histogram) to the right, it will darken the dark areas and create a punchier image. Save the file as .psd or .jpg and place if in Indesign then select 'adobe pdf preset' - 'press quality'. Lastly and most importantly when you send the resulting pdf to the printers instruct them to only print black, if printers can get it wrong they will.
Hope that helps
 
Back
Top