I create various objects in CD X4 and have a dickens of a time exporting them as clean graphics. My printer does not use CD, and I don't use Illustrator and am looking for a format that will fall in between both.
Let me create a scenario. I made a sign in CD, with a background color, text, and a photo. I want to save it in a middle ground format like PNG, but that option is not available to me in CD. So what I have tried is to copy the image and paste it in Paint Shop Pro, my preferred image editing program (one owned by Corel, I might add) and I can save in PNG in that program...but the images are pixelilated and look horrible.
I also created my logo in CD and did the same for my website, and it doesn't look so hot.
How do I perform these tasks, hopefully using the software I already own?
Thanks.
OK, when we examine results, it's possible to make a small 26 KB jpeg but look at results for same file size:
the dreaded jpeg blotchiness comes in. You were fairly conservative with 10 for comp and smoothing, too.
Imagine what most people use! Higher compression yet in 20's and 30's, creating garbage.
FosterCoburn said:In one of your examples, you had dithering selecting for a GIF. NEVER use dithering! It makes the image look worse and increases the size.
Hi Foster, paletted dithering is great thing, but only IF the correct palette is chosen. And that's the problem with Draw: the worst palette is set as default - (Uniform I think), and has been that way for as long as I've been using Draw.
I had thought the same as you in this regard, I only realized this dithering advantage a year back.
If optimized palette is chosen, dithering does not destroy solid colors as they are in the image. As shown below.
Then I showed Hunter this. I think he was surprised also.
As a test, I cranked dithering to the max.
It never hurts exports, and always helps GIF's look as good as they can.
Silvio Win said:Notice that ALL my tests RED color looks DARKER than your. Could you explain why?
Notice how my blacks are BLACK, and red is bright red in the test?
My calibrate colors for diplay option is OFF. I found the icon in the options, and put it on menu bar as shown.
This is good for web graphics, since you can use the full range of hex colors inside draw with commercial macros like this.
For print projects? I like to have the calibrate colors for display option ON.
PDF is a separate command in the File menu; "Publish to PDF...", and the settings (button in dialog) I use are:
General tab: Compatibility Acrobat 6.0. There are also settings for what page range to export.
Objects tab: Compression type LZW (which is a non-destructive compression), No bitmap downsampling (prefer to do that before exporting to have control over the result), Compress text and line art and Export all text as curves are both enabled. The text part is optional, large amount of text is best to send as text to keep the file size down.
Document, Prepress and Security can be set to your liking. I usually leave them as default. The Prepress tab may be something you should discuss with your printer.
Advanced tab: Like the attached screenshot. May also be a thing to discuss with your printer.