Hi everyone, let me first apologize for my late reply. I've been quiet busy this week, and therefore hasn't got the time to respond promptly. I decided to spend some time replying before leaving office today. Really 'pai-say' :embrass:.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To: Jopel
Thanks for your guidance on color management (CM) within InDesign. This is what I needed too, since I only know CM within PS, but not sure about CM within InDesign. Im still relying on the very basic Sypder 2 Express, and am waiting for the Eye One Display 3, which should be available this year.
Thanks for the advice on printer, you and photobum both feel that HP is better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To: Photobum
I guess youre right, even Jopel feels the same way from his own experiences. Thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To: Creampuff
I really appreciate you taking the time and effort to give a detailed reply.
Your explanation on differences between .idd files and .pdf is very helpful, especially when sending files out to third party printers. I recall sending my Illustrator file to an external printer, and the result from the native .ai file was not exactly what I saw on my computer screen. Luckily, I had saved the same project (project for a part-time short course) as a PDF, and brought it along as well. I requested a reprint from the PDF, and indeed, it printed exactly as I saw on my computer screen. From this 'incident', I realized that my program settings and the shops settings may be different, which may have lead to the unpredictable result.
I agree that it is easier to pick up InDesign compared to Illustrator. Personally, I observed from among my course mates, that those who excel with Illustrator are usually proficient with the Pen Tool (the mighty sword of Illustrator). I have difficulty with this Mighty Sword -
too heavy for me, and therefore, is unlikely to excel in digital drawing, so better stick to photo images for illustration purposes. Frankly, I always admire those who uses the Pen Tool well, and I think it does take of bit of gift/talent to master this tool.
You recommended sending files to digital print shops instead of mini labs. Can you recommend a good quality service provider? I have been to several, and none of them knows or even bother with proper color management.
By the way, when preparing files to external digital printing providers, like those using the HP Indigo, should my files be in RBG color space, or should it be CMYK? I know for desktop inkjet printers, it should be RGB, but what about those HP Indigo?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To: IceBox
No worries, I even more amateur than you. You did not confuse me, I am simply not well informed. :bsmilie: Thanks a lot.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks again everyone for your assistance, and have a good weekend.