6.2. Preparing the Canvas: Your Position FileUnless you are assembling the file from scratch, you will typically be following a client file to assemble to; I call this my position file. A client can supply you with a position file in a couple of ways. They may supply a low-resolution layered or flat file that you will have to mimic in high resolution (see Chapter 7), or a PDF file that you can rasterize when opening in Photoshop. If the file is a PDF or EPS file, simply drag the file icon onto the Photoshop icon, and Photoshop will process the file.
The final application will determine input information, but I usually accept the default 72 dpi and may even choose grayscale just to speed things up. You can always change the file later, to 300 dpi and CMYK for magazine specs , for instance. I'll OK that and wait for the file to process. Once the information is input, it will continue to process. It may take some time, depending on the size of the file. Be patient! (Although this image isn't all that big, some files of this type opened in Photoshop this way can take a very long time. So don't panic if nothing seems to be happening; eventually something will!) Note: Make sure you save your file when it opensyou don't want to have to reprocess it! 6.2.1. Adjusting the CanvasWhen the file finishes processing, you are ready to go. It should be the right resolution and the right physical dimension. You may want to go into the Canvas size dialog box Image Canvas size) and add a small amount of bleed or image background just in case the client decides to shift the image slightly. By doing this, youll save yourself redoing an image more than a few times! I typically add a half inch or less of bleed , depending on the size of the image (Figure 6-28). Figure 6-28. Use the Canvas size dialog box to add some bleed to the position fileLet's assume that the client supplied the file. The client wants us to place the high-resolution images we have on file in position as she has laid them out on her supplied position file. Once the canvas size is set, double-click on the FPO image layer and rename it "FPO" so you know this is the position file. Note: Again, I am a big fan of keeping layers to a minimum and with names that anyone can recognize. As I have mentioned before, you just never know who might pick up your file. |