Converting your files to CMYK is easier than you think. Some print companies charge you an extra fee to convert your files to CMYK, leaving you helpless when it comes to converting them yourself. Don’t worry. Here are some instructions for different file types so that you can do it yourself next time.

RGB to CMYK

Existing files means use this if you have already designed your file, but you forgot to put it into CMYK.
New files means use this if you haven’t designed your file yet.

Adobe Illustrator

Use the following menu options:
• Existing files: select Edit/Select All then Filter/Colors/Convert to CMYK.
• New files: select File/New and select CMYK color for the Color Mode.

Adobe InDesign

Use the following menu options: Window/Swatches and Window/Color.

After the above, double click color in Swatches Change color mode to CMYK and color type to Process. Any colors created in the document that are not in the Swatches palette, need to be changed to the CMYK color space. Select each object you want to convert and make sure the Color palette reflects the CMYK percentages. Click top right arrow in the palette to change to CMYK if necessary.

Adobe PhotoShop

Use the following menu options:
• Existing files: Image/Mode/CMYK
• New files: select CMYK for the mode before clicking OK.

QuarkXPress

Use the following menu options:
Edit/Edit Colors/Show Colors in Use/Highlight Color and click Edit. Change model to CMYK and deselect Spot color.

Now that you have that information, lets take a look at some files we do not recommend to use when you want to convert to CMYK, but you still can use to convert.

Adobe Pagemaker
Use the following menu options:
Window/Show Colors. Double click colors in palette and select Model to be CMYK and Type to be Process.

The reason we do not recommended Adobe Pagemaker to convert RGB to CMYK is because Pagemaker does not successfully represent CMYK color on the monitor, causing your color choices to be “off” when you compare to your printing.

CorelDraw

Select each object you want to convert. Select the Fill tool and click Fill Color Dialog. Make sure the Color model is CMYK.

For each object with an outline: Select the Outline tool and click the Outline Color Dialog. Make sure the Color model is CMYK.

We do not recommend CorelDraw for the same reasons as Pagemaker.

Microsoft Publisher 2000

Microsoft Publisher defaults to RGB. It is easy to convert everything to a CMYK color space or to start a new document using the CMYK color space.

Use the following menu options:
Tools/Commercial Printing Tools/ Color Printing and select Process colors (CMYK). Please note that all images incorporated into a layout need to be linked and not embedded in order to maintain the CMYK color space within the image. Using the following menu options does this: Tools/Commercial Printing Tools/Graphics Manager and highlight the embedded image. Click Link and click Browse to locate the original file and link to it.

When you send for printing you have to send both the images and the layout file.

Most people do not know this, causing delays and miscommunications while printing.

Programs that do not convert CMYK to RGB:
• Adobe PhotoDeluxe
• Microsoft Word
• Adobe Photoshop LE
• Microsoft Works
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PhotoDraw
• Picture It Publishing
• Microsoft Powerpoint

And remember, we you are not using a standard font, you would need to send the font as well. This will save you time when waiting for you design to be printed.

Hope this information was helpful,

DeShea
PrintOx Owner
http://www.printox.com