Expert: Amy - 1/26/2009

Question
QUESTION: I just my client a jpg of an illustrator file. Can that change  or distort the color of the image?

ANSWER: Hi Laurie,

Definitely and sometimes severely with sensitive areas, like skin tones.

Hopefully, if you're working towards a printed piece, you're currently working in CMYK mode and working with a CMYK photo. That would be the first thing to check.

When you Save for Web in Illustrator, it's going to change that artwork into sRGB and modify the color palette.

What you can do:
Send the client a PDF instead, making sure to choose the correct color management (or no color management) when generating the PDF.

Instead of Save for Web, do a File > Export > JPEG. Make sure to retain the CMYK color mode.

Let me know if you have any other questions about it!
-Amy

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

QUESTION: Thanks Amy,

I checked my color mode and it was CMYK. So I just sent them a PDF as you directed. He is printing posters from this file. Will the pdf make any difference other than size?

Answer
Hi Laurie,

As long as you include the fonts/subset of the fonts and don't use too much compression when saving the PDF, you will get gorgeous results.

Do you know what I mean about compression?

If you are saving as PDF, just make sure that you leave the image quality set at Very High or Maximum, if possible. The file size will be larger but the quality is what you need for a good, clean print.

-Amy