Author Topic: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing  (Read 87541 times)

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #15 on: December 01, 2013, 08:57:00 PM »
Yes, Elsa is right.  :)  (Hi Elsa, by the way - love your web design!)

I started with Photoshop Elements (it used to come free with scanners!). But since I was a professional photographer, I bumped up to the full Photoshop. However, you probably could do everything you need to with Elements initially. I could even do actions in Elements. I believe everything I have done in the tutorials can be done in Elements (someone please correct me if I'm wrong - it's been a long time). But I agree with Elsa in trying out the free trial first.

If you are a student or homeschool your children, you can purchase Photoshop at a very good price at http://www.academicsuperstore.com.

Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline emrdesignstudio

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #16 on: December 01, 2013, 10:58:03 PM »
Hi Erica,
Tanks and I'm glad to be here :)

Yes, Elsa is right.  :)  (Hi Elsa, by the way - love your web design!)

Elsa Martinez
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Offline Selle.A

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #17 on: December 02, 2013, 03:34:51 PM »
Thank you ladies!

Maybe I'll try the photoshop elements since I'm just doing calligraphy for a hobby.

Offline Lynda

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #18 on: December 04, 2013, 04:50:58 PM »
Hi Erica,

Thank you for sharing your knowledge!  I like it here at the Forum and have started a new notebook dedicated to it.

I have a question about how to save something that is going to be sent off to a printer to be printed.......does it matter if you save it as a jpg, tiff etc  I don't understand what half of those "things" mean (and obviously what they're even called).
I know saving as a PS file allows you to still work on your piece before flattening it, right?

Thank You ~
Lynda

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #19 on: December 04, 2013, 07:23:49 PM »
Hi Lynda,
So happy you are finding good information on the forum!  :D

This is an excellent question and I am preparing a very descript answer for you. I will post it as soon as it is complete!  :)
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Erica
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Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #20 on: December 05, 2013, 01:10:44 AM »
Hi Lynda,
I posted the answer to your question under it's own topic: http://theflourishforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=114.0. If you have any questions, please post them in that topic. Thanks!
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline dreamingkathleen

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #21 on: January 29, 2014, 09:21:22 PM »
This is great! I bring my lettering into Photoshop and do some of the same things but now I see I do them the hard way. Your way is much better! I did not know about threshold and color overlay...amazing! I can use those all the time.
"Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle."

my 2014 Lettering Project.

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #22 on: January 29, 2014, 09:33:28 PM »
Thanks Kathleen! I am glad it is helpful!

Just remember the Threshold adjustment is to turn the work into true black and white. So what it does is force any "gray" areas into either black or white. It won't be the same for every piece of work (or every ink used). So 210 is just a rough starting guideline but you should adjust it based on how the lettering looks going higher or lower. You want a nice crisp, black line, without losing any hairlines and without noise being created.

I wish now I had included that in the video. So hopefully those watching will read the comments.

Thanks for your comment!  :)
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Erica
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Offline dreamingkathleen

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #23 on: January 31, 2014, 01:02:04 PM »
No worries - just making me aware of that feature is enough! I'm mostly self taught in Photoshop and get around it pretty well. This video is a great starting off point for getting us going and giving us basic tips.
"Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle."

my 2014 Lettering Project.

Offline Selle.A

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Re:magic wand tool and color overlay
« Reply #24 on: March 10, 2014, 04:20:18 PM »
Hi Erica!

I seem to have some difficulties with the magic wand tool. I tried to use it to transfer the word I cleaned up (after scanning) to a new document but whenever I use it, it would highlight the whole document I scanned instead of just the word I want. Also, another trouble I had with was the color overlay. I attached a screenshot to give you an idea. I used the lasso tool to transfer the word that I want instead of the magic wand. I'm thinking its because of the lasso tool that's why it's coloring the whole area?? Does that make sense?

Thanks!

Selle

Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #25 on: March 10, 2014, 11:08:53 PM »
Hi Selle,
Yes, that is why - there is too much white still included with the lettering. The magic wand will typically choose the whole document if you haven't clicked right on the letter. So if you can, zoom in quite close, and then use the magic wand to click on the widest, blackest part of the lettering. Then change back to the black pointer tool to grab the selected lettering and pull it to the new document. You should get a little tiny pair of scissors when it is over the selection.

If you are still having trouble with the magic wand - check to see what your tolerance is set at (at the top along the top of your document). It is usually set around 32-36. For straight black and white, that should be fine. "Anti-alias" and "Continguous" should be checked but "Sample All Layers" should not be.

Let me know if that helps or if you are still having trouble.  :)
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline Selle.A

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #26 on: March 11, 2014, 10:43:50 AM »
OH IT FINALLY WORKED! Ahhh Thank you so much Erica!!

Offline tintenfuchs

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #27 on: March 31, 2014, 11:07:16 AM »
I do most things differently, too, but I tried your ideas as well.
One thing I can't get over is how ugly it all looks when zoomed in. The edges! Ugh. I had something printed and it looked just fine, but I still have the feeling that it shouldn't be quite so ugly and I'm afraid the zig-zaggy edges will show when printed on a larger scale.
As a graphic designer I'm used to smooth edges, but the threshhold command and also the levels adjustment (which I use instead) just kill the pixels in between black and white, which takes away many "filler pixels" and therefore the smoothness. I feel the need to fill this in with black again.  :-[
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Offline Erica McPhee

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #28 on: March 31, 2014, 05:37:26 PM »
Yes, I understand what you mean. It especially looks horrible zoomed in. At 100%, it should look fine. But there is a very big difference between how it looks in Illustrator and in Photoshop so I understand what you are saying.

That is exactly what the threshold adjustment does - it forces all shades to either black or white - no inbetween. So there is a fine line  ;)  that is the right adjustment - too far over and you have excessive noise, not far enough and you lose lines.

If you were to print it on a larger scale, you very well could see the pixeled edges because it is not vector based. However, I have printed calligraphy on canvases over 16x20 with no pixels showing, just smooth calligraphy lines  :D. But yes, no doubt, the potential is always there since it is indeed pixel based.  :)
Warm Regards,
Erica
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Offline tintenfuchs

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Re: Preparing Calligraphy for Printing
« Reply #29 on: April 03, 2014, 10:31:37 AM »
I'd really love to see a scan of one of Joe Vitolo's works. I've never seen anything as smooth as his stuff.
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