Trapping Pictures

[EllieMae]

I hear Quark will not trap an imported picture. I am using black photographs (.jpg and .eps) on top of a screened blue background. When I print test separations, the photos are knocked out of the background. Will these be trapped or is there something else I need to do? I'm sort of confused on what Quark will and will not do as far as trapping and I need to know for certain if it is trapped before I go to film.

Also, when working with imported pictures, are there preferred formats to use in Quark?

Thanks.

 

[jimoblak]

Can you overprint black?

Are your black photographs really grayscale? Using JPGs tells us something about your design.

- - picklefish - -
Why is everyone in this forum responding to me as picklefish?

 

[MarcusStringer]

That can't be true, can it? I haven't come across any traping issues with 4 colour book covers and magazines etc.
As far as I was aware Quark traps 4 colour pics....

Marcus

http://www.midlandtypesetters.com.au

 

[EllieMae]

"Can you overprint black?"
No the pressman doesn't want it that way.

"Are your black photographs really grayscale?" 
Yes.

"Using JPGs tells us something about your design. "
What do you mean. (This file was created by a client.)

"I haven't come across any traping issues with 4 colour book covers and magazines etc.
As far as I was aware Quark traps 4 colour pics.... "
I though trapping was not necessary in 4 color.

 

[MyFavoriteLetterIsB]

A simple solution (if its acceptable to the designer) would be to add a 1pt border around the photo and set trapping to .144. Im sure the pressman is concerned about a white hairline showing up.

Tif and Eps are preferred formats, jpg files are usually overcompressed and show artifacts, so are better suited for screen viewing.

B

 

[EllieMae]

Yes, I read that you could add a line around the photo, but would that work if they used clipping paths?

 

[MyFavoriteLetterIsB]

You could try converting your image file to a duotone with the second color being the same as the screened background, and stroke the clipping path on the inside .144pt. (pretty much what jimo said)

B

 

[EllieMae]

But won't creating a duotone change the appearance of the picture when it's printed?

 

[signal49]

I just tried a quick thing with a blue screened background and a greyscale tif on top with an Auto Item clipping path in Quark... If you go to Window --> Show Trap Information and select the picture you want to trap, it will show your options for that item. On my quick experiment, the only choices I had for trapping the image were Knockout and Overprint. So, if this were a file that I had to output myself, I wouldn't be able trap it as far as I can tell.

If anyone knows a way to do it, PLEASE prove me wrong! I'm sure everyone here would love to know... (and my pressman hates me when I say "the program can't do it!&quot

 

[MarcusStringer]

This is worrying me...Can Quark trap a black pic if it had to?
I know black neally always overprints so it doesn't matter if it gets traped or not, in this case it has to be knocked out (why, is beyond me) and it appears not to be trapped. I did a test, set my trap to 1pt, PDF'd it then checked it with pitstop, and there was no trap.

Having said that, If you are sending it to a Printshop then 9 times out of 10 they will do their own trapping.



Marcus

http://www.midlandtypesetters.com.au

 

[EllieMae]

"Having said that, If you are sending it to a Printshop then 9 times out of 10 they will do their own trapping."

I AM the print shop and I have to do the trapping manually (not with trapping software), and that's what we're trying to figure out here.

 

[signal49]

ElliMae,

Have you checked out the Show Trap Information box? That's where you can control your trapping for individual items. For example, if you have a text box, you can tell the box itself how to trap, set different trapping instructions for the text inside the box (if you highlight it), etc... If you don't see the option to do what you want to do, my guess is that you would need specific trapping software for that. I also "AM the printshop" and we don't have any other trapping software either, so we're both limited to what we can actually force Quark to do. I'd try experimenting with the Trap Info box and see what you can get it to do. I always use exaggerated point sizes for trapping so I can print laser seperations and view them on a light table to see if it's going where I want it, then I tone it down to a more realistic size for the plates. Let us know what you come up with!

 

[MarcusStringer]

None of the printshops I work with use the Quark trap.
have a look at

http://www.rti-rips.com/TrapProTrapping.html

Even still it appears Quark only traps colours and EPS's
here is a Quote from the book V4.1

"QuarkXpress cannot apply trapping to imported pictures, you can apply trapping to any frame or line to create the trapping effect you need."

Marcus

http://www.midlandtypesetters.com.au

 

[EllieMae]

The background screen is 7% PMS 280. I f I overprinted the black photos instead of knocking them out, would they look real different?

 

[MarcusStringer]

No, none of the background colour will show through.
If the pic is on a page next to another pic with a background of white then it may appear a little darker.

Think of it, instead of a picture, but as a box filled with white, you wont see any background screen in that, so why should you see it in the picture? (unless you have complex clipping paths)

Marcus

http://www.midlandtypesetters.com.au

 

[EllieMae]

I guess I would have to try it. My pressman is out there shaking his head no, the screen of the background will show and the photo will not be clear and crisp.

 

[MarcusStringer]

Do you have a proofing device, like a sherpra or make a colour proof from the film (chemical proof, is what we call them), before going to press

Marcus

http://www.midlandtypesetters.com.au

 

[EllieMae]

The best I can do would be a dylux.

 

[MarcusStringer]

Well, your just going to have to knock it out, and hope you pressman is good at getting things in register

Marcus

http://www.midlandtypesetters.com.au

 

[EllieMae]

Ha! Thanks Marcus. Actually the job was printed yesterday (knocked out) and when I quizzed my pressman about trapping the photos this morning, he didn't even realize they weren't trapped. It really did turn out good. It was printed it on a Heidelberg Quickmaster.