Enabling Color Management in QuarkXPress

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Note

Before you begin setting up color management preferences, be sure that the Quark CMS XTension, a plug-in that comes with QuarkXPress and provides color management functionality, is installed and enabled.


The first step to a color-managed page creation and assembly workflow is to set up the page layout application to properly handle color data. Like Photoshop, QuarkXPress contains preference settings that determine how it manages color data.

Accessing the Color Management Preferences

1.

Launch QuarkXPress, and choose Edit > Preferences.


Figure 8.1.


The Preferences dialog box appears.


Figure 8.2.


2.

Choose Quark CMS from the list pane on the left, which is where color management options are stored in Quark's preferences.


Figure 8.3.


3.

Check the Color Management Active box.


Figure 8.4.


QuarkXPress's color management preferences let you specify the profiles used for soft proofing and printing and select a source for color data imported to and created in QuarkXPress.

Assigning Default Destination Profiles

Until you assign default destination profiles, the Monitor, Composite Output, and Separation Output fields in the Destination Profiles section of the dialog box indicate that no defaults have been selected.


Figure 8.5.


1.

From the Monitor drop-down menu, choose a profile for your display. Choose the same profile that is assigned in the Windows Display Properties dialog box.


Figure 8.6.


QuarkXPress uses the monitor profile you designate as the default display profile to display images and colors on the screen.

2.

From the Composite Output drop-down menu, choose a profile for your desktop printer.


Figure 8.7.


This selection determines the default profile for the composite output device. I have selected the custom profile for my Epson Stylus Photo 2200 that I created in Chapter 4.

3.

From the Separation Output pop-up menu, choose a profile for your color separation process or device.


Figure 8.8.


Note

The composite output and separation output profiles both can be changed before you print from QuarkXPress.

I have selected the U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 profile, recommended by my print provider.

Assigning Default Source Profiles

Quark uses default source profiles when an item in a document lacks an embedded profile.

The default settings for RGB source profiles determine which profiles Quark CMS uses for images and solid colors (colors defined and used in Quark) in the RGB color space.

1.

In the Default Source Profiles section, make sure the RGB tab is selected.


Figure 8.9.


2.

In the Solid Colors section, make sure Adobe RGB (1998) is chosen from the Profile drop-down menu.


Figure 8.10.


This instructs QuarkXPress to use the Adobe RGB (1998) profile for all solid colors created in the RGB color mode in QuarkXPress. Adobe RGB (1998) is a well-balanced working space and is consistent with the working space we chose in Photoshop.

3.

From the Rendering Intent drop-down menu, choose Relative Colorimetric.

The rendering intent determines how out-of-gamut colors are mapped to colors that are within gamut of the output device. Relative Colorimetric is generally the best choice for the rendering intent.

4.

In the Images area, make sure Adobe RGB (1998) is chosen from the Profile drop-down menu.


Figure 8.11.


The Profile drop-down menu determines the profile that will be used when RGB images that lack embedded profiles are imported into QuarkXPress. By selecting Adobe RGB (1998), we are being consistent with the way we configured Photoshop in Chapter 5 to handle images that lack embedded profiles.

When you import an image into QuarkXPress that lacks an embedded profile, you are given the option to use the setting from the Quark CMS Preferences or to select a different profile. So if you are importing an image that lacks an embedded profile but you know the source of the data, you can choose that other profile instead of the default Adobe RGB (1998).

5.

From the Rendering Intent drop-down menu, choose Relative Colorimetric.

This selection compares the source to the destination color space and maps out-of-gamut colors to the closest reproducible color in the destination space.

6.

Check the Color Manage RGB Sources to RGB Destinations box.


Figure 8.12.


When this box is checked, QuarkXPress color manages RGB images between their source color space and a destination color space. This option must be checked if you want to soft proof and print the document's RGB images to RGB composite devices. If your RGB data is already converted to or defined in the space of your printer and you do not wish to soft proof it, then you can leave this option unchecked.

7.

Click the CMYK tab.


Figure 8.13.


The CMYK Default Source Profiles options appear, allowing you to determine which profiles Quark CMS will use for images and solid colors (colors defined and used in Quark) in the CMYK color space.

8.

In the Solid Colors section, from the Profile drop-down menu, choose U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2, or the profile you use for separating images for press.


Figure 8.14.


This option instructs QuarkXPress to use the selected profile for all solid colors created in the CMYK color mode in QuarkXPress. By using the U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 profile (or the profile you use to separate data to CMYK), you ensure that CMYK colors defined in QuarkXPress will be in the color space of the printing process. This helps ensure accurate proofing on displays using soft proofing and on composite proofing devices.

9.

From the Rendering Intent drop-down menu, choose Absolute Colorimetric, which provides the best gamut mapping for solid CMYK colors.

10.

In the Images section, from the Profile drop-down menu, choose the profile that represents the source for CMYK images.


Figure 8.15.


This setting determines the default profile for CMYK images import-ed without embedded profiles. For example, if you have a CMYK profile for the scanner on which your images are scanned, you can use that profile.

By selecting U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2 (or the profile you use for separating images for press), you are assuming that any untagged CMYK images you receive are already separated for press.

As with importing RGB images that lack profiles, when you import a CMYK image into QuarkXPress that lacks an embedded profile, you are given the option to use this setting from the Quark CMS Preferences or to select a different profile. So if you import an image that lacks an embedded profile but you know the source of the data, you can select that profile instead of the default.

Note

Quark CMS does not color manage CMYK EPS files. Working with EPS files is covered later in this chapter.

11.

From the Rendering Intent drop-down menu, choose Relative Colorimetric.

This rendering intent maps out-of-gamut colors in the source profile to colors that are within the gamut of the output profile.

12.

Check the Color Manage CMYK Sources to CMYK Destinations box.


Figure 8.16.


When this box is checked, QuarkXPress color manages CMYK images between their source CMYK color space and a destination color space that is a different CMYK space.

Note

QuarkXPress can also color manage the six-color Hexachrome high-fidelity-color printing process. These preferences can be configured by clicking the Hexachrome tab, located beside the CMYK tab in the Default Source Profiles section. If you use the Hexachrome system, consult your print provider regarding how to configure these settings.


If you want to proof the data on a CMYK printer or proofer, this option needs to be checked. (This option does not affect soft proofing and printing to an RGB printer.) If your CMYK data is already converted to or defined in the space of your printer and you do not wish to soft proof it, then you can leave this box unchecked.

Optimizing and Saving Preferences Settings

1.

At the bottom of the Quark CMS Preferences dialog box, choose Monitor Color Space from the Display Simulation drop-down menu.


Figure 8.17.


Note

Soft proofing in QuarkXPress is covered in more detail later in this chapter.

This option tells QuarkXPress to use your monitor profile to display color data on the screen, which improves the accuracy of soft proofing.

2.

Click OK to close the Quark CMS Preferences dialog box.

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    Microsoft Windows XP Color Management
    Microsoft Windows XP Color Management
    ISBN: 0321334272
    EAN: 2147483647
    Year: 2005
    Pages: 103

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