IMAGES' computer graphics expert, Dane Clement provides some essential tips on how to manipulate
photographic files to give the best possible printed results…
Before and after: the original photographic image (above), and the same image after Dane has completed his recipe of enhancements for optimising image quality
for print (below)
Whether you use screen printing or digital printing, a critical aspect
of your workflow is ensuring that your artwork looks as
good as possible. Basically, the better your artwork appears
before going to print, the better it will look when printed.
With digital printing, in particular, decorators are now receiving more
colour photos for reproduction on shirts than ever before. However, as
most of you will already know, the photos that those customers supply
are not always of printable quality, and yet the customers still expect you
to make the images look good when they are printed on their garments.
While some photos are beyond 'saving', Adobe Photoshop does provide
a range of tools that, used correctly, will help you to greatly improve the
majority of photos – dramatically so, in some cases.
Here are some of the aspects of a photo that can generally be improved:
Lightness, darkness and contrast
Sharpness
Colour (enhanced to look brighter and richer)
Optimising photos or paintings is fairly simple if you follow certain steps.
Even though some of the following steps are high-end tricks, they provide
a recipe that anyone can typically master. If you practice these steps, in order, for every full-colour image you work on, the process will become a
habit and you'll be producing optimised images in no time at all.
Every step is always carried out in the same order; however, the amount
that you need to move the sliders and/or the numeric values you enter at
each step may vary, depending on the original image file.
The recipe for optimising photos.
Here is the basic recipe that you can use to make every photo look its
best:
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Step 1. Choose the original image you want to work with (see above,
left). With the image open go to the Image menu > Adjustments >
Selective Color (Figure 1A). You are aiming to remove all of the neutrals
(greys) in the image in order to clean up the image's colours.
Step 1a. In the Selective Color dialogue window, select 'Neutrals' in
the Colors drop-down menu. Start by putting a number '3' in each of the
C,M,Y and K boxes. If this is not enough, try '5'. You will generally use settings
of between '3' and '8', depending on your image. In this case, I used
'8' (Figure 1B). Notice the image adjustments with the Neutrals set to '8' (Figure 1C below)
Step 2. The next step in the recipe is to adjust the Hue/Saturation.
Go to the Image menu > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation (Figure 2A).
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
In the Hue/Saturation dialogue box, move the Saturation slider to the
right. Each image is different, so be sure you don't go too far. If you go
too far, your colour will 'flatten out' and start to degrade the image. In
this case, I used a setting of '+26' (Figure 2B). Notice the changes to the
image following the adjustment so far (Figure 2C below).
Step 3. Next, you are going to adjust the Contrast in the image. This
is the only part of the process that I would suggest simply entering a
standard setting of '5' in the Contrast area of the Brightness/Contrast
dialogue box – Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast – and
clicking 'OK' (Figure 3A). The aim, here, is to give the image a slight
'bump' in Contrast only.
Figure 3A
Figure 3B
If you are using any version of Photoshop prior to CS3, the tools at
your disposal will work just fine. If you are using CS3 or CS4, you should
check the 'Use Legacy' box, and then type the number '5'. Adobe made
significant improvements to this feature in CS3, but, believe it or not,
you want to use the old 'bad' version (Figure 3B).
Figure 4A
Step 4a. Now you need to set your Black point and White point in the
image. If you work in the RGB mode, as I do, you will be able to do this
'visually' on screen, as you'll see here. Go to the Image menu > Adjustments
> Levels (Figure 4A). In the Levels dialogue window, select the
small black triangle to the left, just below the histogram (Figure 4B below).
While holding down the Alt-key on a PC (or the Option-key on a Mac) slide the triangle to the right until you see the first solid black 'chunks'
of colour. The small chunky black areas are a visual representation of the
true blacks in the image: if you are using a CMYK image, you will not be
able to see this.
Figure 4B
Figure 4C
Step 4b. Do the same thing to set the white point in the image. Only
this time, choose the small white triangle and slide it to the left. Hold
down the Alt/Option key until you see small white 'chunks' of colour in
the image (Figure 4C). Check how the image is progressing to
this point (Figure 4D).
Step 5a. The final thing we need to do is to sharpen the image. The
technique I use here is a high-end trick that allows you to sharpen the
image considerably without 'harming' any of the colour data. Go to the
Image menu > Mode > Lab Color (Figure 5A). If your Channels
palette/tab is not up on your screen, go to the Windows menu >
Channels to bring it up. Select the Lightness channel only (Figure 5B). This channel contains the luminosity, or detail, of the image.
(The 'a' and 'b' channels contain all of the colour data in the image.) You
want to sharpen just the detail of the image, so that you don't affect the
colour. Sharpening on an RGB image could contaminate the image and
cause colour halos or pixels to appear around other colours.
Step 5b. Go to the Filter menu > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask (Figure
5C). The name may sound odd, but we actually will be sharpening the
image, not 'unsharpening' it. When the lightness channel is selected by itself, the image should look like a greyscale image. I leave the Radius
and Threshold settings at their defaults and only move the Amount
slider. In this case, I moved the Amount slider all the way to '173'. If you
look at the small preview window in the Unsharp Mask dialogue box,
you will see the way the original image looked. The full-size image is the
sharpened image (Figure 5D below).
Step 6. Once you get the image sharpened as you want it, click 'OK'.
Now change the Mode back to RGB. This completes the optimising process.
If you compare the before and after images, you'll find that the
photograph is much improved, and it will produce a much higher quality
garment print.
If you follow these easy steps, you'll soon be achieving great results in
less than a minute per image. What's more, you'll find that your customers
will keep coming back to you because of how great you make them
look!
IMAGES is published by: CN Publishing, 9a, Kings Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire, MK45 1ED, England.
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Dane Clement is renowned for his expertise in
computer graphics and colour separations. He
works as an application specialist and is the
founder of Great Dane Graphics – a supplier
of high quality vector artwork for garment
decoration.
Web: www.greatdanegraphics.com
Most recent articles by Dane Clement:
Enhancing type using Layer Styles
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Adding multiple outlines to text and numbers is a great way to add interest and value to your T-shirt
prints. Graphics expert, Dane Clement shows you how it's done
Brush up on your Paint Skills
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on both the full program and its 'little brother' – Painter Essentials.
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New bags and jackets from Regatta
Regatta’s schoolwear offering for 2010/11 goes from strength to
strength with the launch of a new range of school bags.
The new bags include the TRB035 Kids Gymsac, TRB036 Book Bag,
TRB039 School Backpack 20l, TRB008 Highschool Rucksack 10l,
TRB029 Scholar Backpack 20l, and TRB058 Sports Bag 30l. All feature
ample areas for branding and will be available in a range of colours
that co-ordinate with the Regatta schoolwear range.
The brand’s school jackets include the TRW432 Fresher – a lightweight
water-repellent and windproof fleece-lined jacket, in six school
inspired colours.
The TRA652 Kids Uproar softshell is Regatta’s first kid’s softshell for
the school uniform market, and provides a sporty, stylish alternative
to conventional school outerwear. Made from resilient Regatta Softshell
fabric with water-repellent finish, it features reflective trim and a
printed name label. "This jacket is ready for the rough and tumble of
the playground,” Regatta advises.
The TRW418 Kids Dover Jacket, with its snug fleece lining and Thermoguard
insulation, is the children’s version of the popular adults’
waterproof Dover style. Made from Hydrafort fabric, the jacket’s waterproof
protection is guaranteed, states Regatta.
A staple of the Regatta schoolwear range, the TRA900 Kids Term
Time waterproof reversible jacket is made from peached polyester
with a reversible fleece inner, making it a versatile choice for the winter
term. It can be worn as either a warm lined waterproof jacket, or
reversed and worn as a fleece with waterproof lining.
The Regatta TRF542 Kids Thor III Fleece is made from 250 series
anti-pill Symmetry fleece. It has two lower pockets, an adjustable
shockcord hem on sizes 7 years and upwards, and is available in five
traditional school colours. The Kids Thor III is, "A hardwearing and
smart addition to any school uniform,” according to Regatta.
The brand also offers the KW943 Kids Breathable Packaway II Jacket
and KW944 Overtrousers, and the W908 Kids Stormbreak Jacket and
W808 Overtrousers. "These continue to be great sellers in the schoolwear
market," says Regatta.
www.regattacorporatewear.com.
New bags and jackets from Regatta
Regatta’s schoolwear offering for 2010/11 goes from strength to
strength with the launch of a new range of school bags.
The new bags include the TRB035 Kids Gymsac, TRB036 Book Bag,
TRB039 School Backpack 20l, TRB008 Highschool Rucksack 10l,
TRB029 Scholar Backpack 20l, and TRB058 Sports Bag 30l. All feature
ample areas for branding and will be available in a range of colours
that co-ordinate with the Regatta schoolwear range.
The brand’s school jackets include the TRW432 Fresher – a lightweight
water-repellent and windproof fleece-lined jacket, in six school
inspired colours.
The TRA652 Kids Uproar softshell is Regatta’s first kid’s softshell for
the school uniform market, and provides a sporty, stylish alternative
to conventional school outerwear. Made from resilient Regatta Softshell
fabric with water-repellent finish, it features reflective trim and a
printed name label. "This jacket is ready for the rough and tumble of
the playground,” Regatta advises.
The TRW418 Kids Dover Jacket, with its snug fleece lining and Thermoguard
insulation, is the children’s version of the popular adults’
waterproof Dover style. Made from Hydrafort fabric, the jacket’s waterproof
protection is guaranteed, states Regatta.
A staple of the Regatta schoolwear range, the TRA900 Kids Term
Time waterproof reversible jacket is made from peached polyester
with a reversible fleece inner, making it a versatile choice for the winter
term. It can be worn as either a warm lined waterproof jacket, or
reversed and worn as a fleece with waterproof lining.
The Regatta TRF542 Kids Thor III Fleece is made from 250 series
anti-pill Symmetry fleece. It has two lower pockets, an adjustable
shockcord hem on sizes 7 years and upwards, and is available in five
traditional school colours. The Kids Thor III is, "A hardwearing and
smart addition to any school uniform,” according to Regatta.
The brand also offers the KW943 Kids Breathable Packaway II Jacket
and KW944 Overtrousers, and the W908 Kids Stormbreak Jacket and
W808 Overtrousers. "These continue to be great sellers in the schoolwear
market," says Regatta.
www.regattacorporatewear.com.
Dane Clement is renowned for his expertise in
computer graphics and colour separations. He
works as an application specialist and is the
founder of Great Dane Graphics – a supplier
of high quality vector artwork for garment
decoration.
Web: 
