Adobe Photoshop Software Finalizing the CMY Image (Part 5) Step by Step Video Tutorial

Once we are done with the main steps of the CMYK to CMY conversion, lets have a look at finalizing the image.

The reason why this next step is so important is because the printer must understand that the image has no K value within it.

This video is part of a Mini-Series.
Previous video covered Printing – Image Adjustments.

Video Transcript

Alright, guys, In today's video, we're gonna be looking at finalising our C M Y image so that when we export it, we can use it for printing. But before that, let's have a quick intro first. So today's video can be found on softwaretraining.co.za. And we make short and easy to watch problem solving videos. And we also have daily updates. The word back in the programme here. So now, with all our layers and that set up, it's a few, um, last steps we want to do so this can actually be exported as AC m y and not AC m Y k Because if we take this process slightly wrong, what's gonna end up happening is it's gonna just add as a K again, even though it stays the same values. So then when you print it, it's still looking for black to make the dark colours, so let's head right into it, and then the process is rather simple. But, um, yeah, it is quite important when we look at the final exporting versus saving. So what I'm gonna do? First of all, I'm gonna select on my K channel my K layer. I'm gonna go to its channels, select the black, it shut back space and do the same thing we did with the actual other one. I'm gonna go back to C. M. Y on the channel. Click here and now we've got an actual image set up without any K in it. Then what I wanna do is click on our actual layers from the top main menu. And then, um, I'm gonna head down and go flat an image. You can go merge, visible, visible as well. But I'm just gonna go flat an image. Now, if we go back to our channels and we click on black, you will see there is no more black in our actual channel or our black channel. So we still have some nice contrast. And if I use a colour picker, I click on the inside of the hand. You can see over here as well. We have zero k at the moment, so I like to use that just before I export or save to make sure everything is set right. So when I prove, test it. I know that all the values were right in my final image. Now, the next thing I want to look at and this is quite an important step is exporting versus saving. So you might think. OK, cool. Let's go file. I'm gonna go to export Export as p N. G or export ads. I'm just gonna go p and G for now. And then let's call this one export, and then I'm just gonna save this. Now, the D four p g will just save like that if you go file export export as you can also adjust a few, um, settings so you can also run through this. So let's say we have JP. I'm gonna leave this on JP just so we can see the difference. Even with that, you've got the option you selected already convert to our S R. GB and embedded colour profile. So I'm gonna swap these two around so you can also see if we do that. The result we get and then I'm gonna say export. And then let's call this, uh, export. Yeah, I think I'm by the wrong place, so we'll just quickly move this to the right, OK, printing and go samples, and then I'm gonna call this one just export and then JP just so we know this was the J pick one click save and then our last version, which we can do we go file save as then now that we are already by the right place, I'm gonna switch this. You're gonna go JP or P N G. I'm just gonna leave mine JP and we call this one save as then I'm gonna say save leave all settings as is and just say OK, now, if I head to the actual folder So let's quickly open this up. It's gonna navigate to the actual, uh, place. We've exported them to samples. Now we can see what we've got here. I'll just zoom in a bit at the moment. I don't see the base export might be here under base. Yeah, There we go. Export export. So I'm just gonna bring these ones up here, zoom in. So now the basic export we know is the actual, um P N g. We've got the JP and the safe. So let's go back to Photoshop and just compare these files quick, so I'm gonna go file open, then let's go quickly up one and then we select. OK, so let's start with the first one which was the export. We'll open this file up and then if we use a colour picker, click on the hand here, we can see we've got a K value there even though we had no K channel and we exported it. Now let's open the next one The JPEG which we exported the JPEG do the same thing Now this one remember we removed so it doesn't convert it to S r. GB and we embedded the profile. So colour picker click there you will see once again we also have a case. So we went through that whole process just to still have a K under our channels. Obviously at the moment is, um r GB so we won't see the k there. But for colour peak, we can see there's clearly a K. Now let's go to the one We saved ads. So this one save as open it. You know, as we swap between these, you can see nothing has changed. Everything looks exactly the same. But with the savers selected If we go colour picker, click here. You can see now there is no more K. Now the reason why I stress this topic so much or had a sample of it is you can be very confused. Follow the whole thing and then export your image, and your printer store wants to print the K. So it is very important that you go file, save as and then adjust this to JPEG or P N. G or whichever other format you use and not exporting it. So this is a very important step to get your final image so that your programmes can read it up with zero K instead of, um, converting it and adding its own custom. K. But yeah, otherwise, that is it on removing the K from C. M Y. It's a bit of a lengthy process, but the more you do it, you'll see you'll just flow through the process and, um, you know, easily get the final result. Obviously, at any point, you can, uh, refer back to these tutorial videos we made. So if you're not sure about a step, you can just go run through it and then get the final result. But yeah, otherwise, that is it. On removing K from C. M. Y K If, uh, we head here to softwaretraining.co.za. You guys will notice we've got a variety of different Softwares we do cover. And you can also isolate your search on the top or right. If you do not. However, find the training videos you're looking for, just simply go. Yeah, request the training video, fill in the mini form and then we'll do our best to try and make that for you. But otherwise thanks, guys, for watching and cheers.

This article is part of our “Large Format Printer Printhead colour channel manipulation workflow” – see the article for more info.