Expert: Kevin Stohlmeyer - 6/14/2008

Question
QUESTION: I am not sure if this is an Illustrator or Photoshop question, so bear with me!
When I import a TIFF (which was a scan of B&W line art)  into my InDesign
layout, I do not know how to make the TIFF art a CMYK color. I have tried
opening it up in Illustrator and in Photoshop to edit, but cannot figure this out!
Any step by step help would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER: Hi Mary,

You would do this in Photoshop. Once opened, go to image>mode>CMYK.

Thats it!

Thanks

Kevin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Kevin, I can change the mode like you suggested, but I do not know how to grab the black line art & change to a new color. For example, I tried to highlight with the magic wand tool, create new foregound color, but nothing happens! Am I missing something obvious? Also, I thought that maybe changing a TIFF color was something that could be accomplished within the Indesign document, but I do not know how to do that either...Thank you so much for your response!

ANSWER: Hi Mary,

BMP files allow you to change the black line art color in InDesign. Tiff files do not. You are missing one step in the process. After you choose the new foreground color, go to Edit>fill.

This will apply the new color to the selection.

Thanks

Kevin




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your prompt response. I did not know that about changing to a BMP, that is great to know!! Your instructions were very easy, but here is what happened: I placed BMP art in my Indesign layout, made the foreground color I needed (gray), selected the art–and the entire backgound became gray! When I went to edit, Fill was not an available option with the selection tool selected or the content tool selected. Did I miss a step?

Answer
Hi Mary,

Sorry for the confusion. You need to do the edit>fill in Photoshop. You had made it most of the way, by selecting your image with the magic wand tool, but the step you were missing was once you have it selected, go to edit fill and fill it with your new color.

If you wish to do this in InDesign, you need to make sure you have the image selected inside the box, not the frame or it will fill the inside of the box with the color. Use your direct select tool (white arrow) then choose a new fill color. This should change the bmp line art to that color.

Thanks

Kevin