Colored Images in InDesign

[choneysett]

After running some tests with InDesign CS2 and CS3, I have found a weird quirk. If a grayscale CT is "colorized" with a process color, it is treated as a linework element upon creation of the postscript output file. If it is colorized with a spot, it remains as CT. This has caused some issues upon output.

Ideally I would prefer to never colorize in InDesign (except for a few simple 1-Bit images) and would always opt to colorize in Photoshop. However, I am dealing with client supplied files and the client colorized the images in InDesign. Does anyone know exactly what InDesign does to colorize the image so I could recreate the effect in Photoshop as a CMYK image and eliminate the problem we are having of the CT being converted to linework?

Thanks

 

[almaink]

Re: Colored Images in InDesign

Why are you still writing postscript? Have you tried exporting as PDF?

 

[Franknater]

Re: Colored Images in InDesign

What is the issue with going to CT; trapping...file size?
What RIP are you using?

I'm using Rampage. So far, there's not been an issue.

Frank

 

[rich apollo]

Re: Colored Images in InDesign

Chris, I'm trying to recreate the behavior you describe. I've both RiPped to PostScript and Distilled, and exported to PDF. I'm not getting the results you describe. Are you dumping the PostScript to your RIP? I'm wondering if this isn't something specific to your front-end.

Also, are these grayscale or 1-bit that are being "colorized"? If you wipe everything else off the page except the colorized image what happens?

rich

 

[choneysett]

Re: Colored Images in InDesign

The reason I am creating a Postscript output is because we are processing the pages usin DALiM TWiST. Then, how TWiST treats the linework vs. the CT is causing the problem. The images I am colorizing are grayscale images, and are being colorized by selecting on the object with the Open Arrow tool in InDesign and then the swatch selected.

Quark files get processed through the same workflow, and the colorized grayscale images do not appear as Linework.

 

[choneysett]

Re: Colored Images in InDesign

Thanks to the help from some guys on the Adobe forums I was able to figure this out. I figured I would post the solution here as well in case anyone needed to do the same thing.

The key is to use a +Gradient Map Adjustment Layer+.

The grayscale will need to get converted to a CMYK first, but a standard conversion will spread the grayscale across all 4 channels. If you copy the contents of the grayscale image to your clipboard, then erase the image, then convert to CMYK and then paste the contents of your clipboard into the black channel you'll be all set.

Set your foreground color to the color you would colorize in InDesign with using the open arrow tool, and your background color to white.

Add an adjustment layer of a gradient map and choose foreground to background color.

Voila! You have a CMYK .TIFF version of a grayscale image colorized in InDesign!

Edited by: Chris Honeysett on Jan 2, 2008 1:19 PM

 

[Whitaker]

Re: Colored Images in InDesign

Where do you create a +Gradient Map Adjustment Layer+ in InDesign? I'm using InDesign CS2.
Thanks!

 

[GinSu]

Re: Colored Images in InDesign

I'm guessing it's a RIP issue. A grayscale TIFF placed in IN5 and colorized with a process color (c=100 m=90 y=10 k=0) maintains it's CT type through my Nexus RIP when printed with In-Rip Separations or as Separations.

 

[choneysett]

Re: Colored Images in InDesign

The Gradient Map Adjustment Layer is in Photoshop. You can use this to get the same effect as you would in InDesign if you selected a grayscale image with the open arrow tool and the selected a color swatch.

Another method I was made aware of that works is as follows:

Open the grayscale>D(default swatches)>Select All>Cut>CMYK Mode>Q(Quick Mask*)>Paste>Q>Fill (with the ID CMYK mix)

(*Your Quick Mask Options needs to be Color Indicates Selected Areas or you'll get a negative image.)