Digital BW, The Print

I am contemplating doing a book or two via Blurb.  I have some questions that I am not 
finding answers on their web site...so I am hoping some of you have used this 
medium...Lulu, My Publisher or Blurb.  Here are my questions.

Of course, I want to get the best output.  Since these are run on traditional color presses, 
the recommendation is to save the black and white as sRGB.  So this begs the question of 
how to control the color or tone.

Should I convert to duotone...to get a subtle warmth...prior to saving my files for printing?   
Is this the best way to get the Quadtone look? 

If this is the best approach, should I use the Photoshop grey tones in Duotone folder...or 
should I be using process/pantone colors in same folder.  Since they are asking for jpg's, I 
assume that I should avoid process colors...but my question shows how naive I am on 
publishing. 

---

Any comments about this kind of publishing is very welcome.  The idea sounds great...to 
be able to make short run quality books.  

Thanks in advance.  I trust this post is not too far off topic.


Phil

Make a sample book (all with same image) using several different  
techniques and color tints. Then see how it prints. Small investment  
first.

Mark
http://www.stillrivereditions.com

On Jan 9, 2008, at 7:52 PM, brouwerkent wrote:

> I am contemplating doing a book or two via Blurb.  I have some  
> questions that I am not
> finding answers on their web site...so I am hoping some of you have  
> used this
> medium...Lulu, My Publisher or Blurb.  Here are my questions.
>
> Of course, I want to get the best output.  Since these are run on  
> traditional color presses,
> the recommendation is to save the black and white as sRGB.  So this  
> begs the question of
> how to control the color or tone.
>
> Should I convert to duotone...to get a subtle warmth...prior to  
> saving my files for printing?
> Is this the best way to get the Quadtone look?
>
> If this is the best approach, should I use the Photoshop grey tones  
> in Duotone folder...or
> should I be using process/pantone colors in same folder.  Since they  
> are asking for jpg's, I
> assume that I should avoid process colors...but my question shows  
> how naive I am on
> publishing.
>
> ---
>
> Any comments about this kind of publishing is very welcome.  The  
> idea sounds great...to
> be able to make short run quality books.
>
> Thanks in advance.  I trust this post is not too far off topic.
>
>
> Phil
>

I know that this may not directly apply, but I just did a color book  
with them.  I found the profile to use for soft proofing for their  
printer and used that.  It's a good thing, because when I used it, I  
could see that my images would be lowered in contrast and saturation,  
so I made these needed changes in photoshop, then used the  
softproofed/tweaked images for the book.  Sent it off to them and  
held my breath.   The colors came out very well.  I was quite pleased  
and everyone who has seen the book (admittedly non-serious  
photographers) have been shocked at what you can have printed for so  
little $.

I'll be doing more, including B/W.  Let us know how it comes out.
Brad


On Jan 9, 2008, at 4:52 PM, brouwerkent wrote:

> I am contemplating doing a book or two via Blurb. I have some  
> questions that I am not
> finding answers on their web site...so I am hoping some of you have  
> used this
> medium...Lulu, My Publisher or Blurb. Here are my questions.
>
> Of course, I want to get the best output. Since these are run on  
> traditional color presses,
> the recommendation is to save the black and white as sRGB. So this  
> begs the question of
> how to control the color or tone.
>
> Should I convert to duotone...to get a subtle warmth...prior to  
> saving my files for printing?
> Is this the best way to get the Quadtone look?
>
> If this is the best approach, should I use the Photoshop grey tones  
> in Duotone folder...or
> should I be using process/pantone colors in same folder. Since they  
> are asking for jpg's, I
> assume that I should avoid process colors...but my question shows  
> how naive I am on
> publishing.
>
> ---
>
> Any comments about this kind of publishing is very welcome. The  
> idea sounds great...to
> be able to make short run quality books.
>
> Thanks in advance. I trust this post is not too far off topic.
>
> Phil
>
>
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

If you are going to make a sample book, if you are in the US, I would  
be interested in buying it. Just place lots of notes on the pages. I  
have the Blurb book on how to make a Blurb book and it is really nice  
but one thing they did not do was any kind of b/w or toned  
comparison. The other thing they didn't do was to place several lines  
of text in rows, each getting a little smaller but putting them into  
a raster file and not typeset using their book program; BookSmart.

I'm in the process of making a color book about my trip to the 2006  
24 Hours of Le Mans and while it is going to be in color, I'm  
thinking of b/w for other projects.

In regards to what colors you should use, since you are dealing with  
RGB, anything you do in a duo, tri or quad tone isn't truly going to  
look correct unless it is printed that way. My suggestion would be to  
make an curves adjustment layer and move the curves in the 1/4 tone  
until you get the color you want.

Mark



On Jan 9, 2008, at 8:03 PM, Mark Savoia wrote:

> Make a sample book (all with same image) using several different
> techniques and color tints. Then see how it prints. Small investment
> first.
>
> Mark
> http://www.stillrivereditions.com
>
> On Jan 9, 2008, at 7:52 PM, brouwerkent wrote:
>
> > I am contemplating doing a book or two via Blurb. I have some
> > questions that I am not
> > finding answers on their web site...so I am hoping some of you have
> > used this
> > medium...Lulu, My Publisher or Blurb. Here are my questions.
> >
> > Of course, I want to get the best output. Since these are run on
> > traditional color presses,
> > the recommendation is to save the black and white as sRGB. So this
> > begs the question of
> > how to control the color or tone.
> >
> > Should I convert to duotone...to get a subtle warmth...prior to
> > saving my files for printing?
> > Is this the best way to get the Quadtone look?
> >
> > If this is the best approach, should I use the Photoshop grey tones
> > in Duotone folder...or
> > should I be using process/pantone colors in same folder. Since they
> > are asking for jpg's, I
> > assume that I should avoid process colors...but my question shows
> > how naive I am on
> > publishing.
> >
> > ---
> >
> > Any comments about this kind of publishing is very welcome. The
> > idea sounds great...to
> > be able to make short run quality books.
> >
> > Thanks in advance. I trust this post is not too far off topic.
> >
> >
> > Phil
> >
>
>
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Brad,

Was the profile easy to find? I would like to have it.

Mark


On Jan 9, 2008, at 10:00 PM, Brad Smith wrote:

> I know that this may not directly apply, but I just did a color book
> with them. I found the profile to use for soft proofing for their
> printer and used that. It's a good thing, because when I used it, I
> could see that my images would be lowered in contrast and saturation,
> so I made these needed changes in photoshop, then used the
> softproofed/tweaked images for the book. Sent it off to them and
> held my breath. The colors came out very well. I was quite pleased
> and everyone who has seen the book (admittedly non-serious
> photographers) have been shocked at what you can have printed for so
> little $.
>
> I'll be doing more, including B/W. Let us know how it comes out.
> Brad
>
> On Jan 9, 2008, at 4:52 PM, brouwerkent wrote:
>
> > I am contemplating doing a book or two via Blurb. I have some
> > questions that I am not
> > finding answers on their web site...so I am hoping some of you have
> > used this
> > medium...Lulu, My Publisher or Blurb. Here are my questions.
> >
> > Of course, I want to get the best output. Since these are run on
> > traditional color presses,
> > the recommendation is to save the black and white as sRGB. So this
> > begs the question of
> > how to control the color or tone.
> >
> > Should I convert to duotone...to get a subtle warmth...prior to
> > saving my files for printing?
> > Is this the best way to get the Quadtone look?
> >
> > If this is the best approach, should I use the Photoshop grey tones
> > in Duotone folder...or
> > should I be using process/pantone colors in same folder. Since they
> > are asking for jpg's, I
> > assume that I should avoid process colors...but my question shows
> > how naive I am on
> > publishing.
> >
> > ---
> >
> > Any comments about this kind of publishing is very welcome. The
> > idea sounds great...to
> > be able to make short run quality books.
> >
> > Thanks in advance. I trust this post is not too far off topic.
> >
> > Phil
> >
> >
> >
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I'm not Brad, but I came across an artical in the Digital Outback 
Photo website concerning their(favorable) experience with Blurb. The 
artical explains the profile used, where to get it, and his workflow.
http://www.bonsai-photography.com/blurb-color-management.pdf
In addition, there is a Blurb forum were many things are discussed.
http://forums.blurb.com
Hope this helps!

KeithR



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Mark Gilvey 
<mark@...> wrote:

>
> Brad,
> 
> Was the profile easy to find? I would like to have it.
> 
> Mark

Thanks Keith, I must have confused myself. I'll check out the articles.

Mark


On Jan 10, 2008, at 8:23 PM, Keith R. wrote:

> I'm not Brad, but I came across an artical in the Digital Outback
> Photo website concerning their(favorable) experience with Blurb. The
> artical explains the profile used, where to get it, and his workflow.
> http://www.bonsai-photography.com/blurb-color-management.pdf
> In addition, there is a Blurb forum were many things are discussed.
> http://forums.blurb.com
> Hope this helps!
>
> KeithR
>
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Mark Gilvey
> <mark@...> wrote:
> >
> > Brad,
> >
> > Was the profile easy to find? I would like to have it.
> >
> > Mark
>
>
> 



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]