PDF from Photoshop

[acothran]

I am designing an 8.5"x11", trifold brochure in Photoshop CS4 and would like to email a PDF proof to my client. I have tried many different settings on the Photoshop PDF output and have even tried to reduce the size of that file in Acrobat but seems like everything I try leaves me with a file around 2.4MB.

Do any of you have a good process for sending a brochure proof to a client? I thought PDF would work well but I'm stumped. I would like a file that is not over 1MB but would like for the client to be able to zoom in to proof the text (some font down to 7pt). I have a watermark on the proof so I'm not worried about them stealing design, just worried about file size. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Allen

 

[Bigdawg]

Allen - I save it as an eps and distill it seperately from Photoshop. Much smaller files...

 

[HaroldDesign]

I typically create email pdf files out of Illy - use "smallest file size" setting. Or, in PS when saving use "save for web".

 

[Vicg]

Hi In CS4 you can save as pdf then top right pull down menu pick smallest file size i just did a 11 meg down to 122kb's i wanted to check since im not that up on photo shop.
Vic

 

[longbeachmichael]

do you have acrobat? try printing to a PDF, this usually outputs a very small PDF.

 

[Rodi]

If you already have a pdf go to reduce file size, it does wonders.

 

[beermonster]

careful doing it all in photoshop

you'll be supplying the job at 300dpi and for fonts/type that's not the best. if those fonts were kept as live fonts they will, when ultimately rasterized (unless appe is used), be done so at the optimum resolution of the output device - most probably at about 2400dpi - giving perfect vector renderings. Doing it through photoshop CAN be hazardous.

indesign, illy, freehand or quark would be better options - you'll probably find most places would prefer indesign

i say this since i'm prepress manager (read tea-boy) for a packaging litho company and know a "little" in this area....only a little mind you

as for the pdf - well above are all fine solutions - BUT if you send a low res pdf and expect your customer to zoom into and see 7pt type any good from a photoshop file - well - best of luck

If you did your type in indy, illy etc etc when the pdf is made the font will be subset (assuming you choose subset and not embed entire font) and the type will remain pretty much perfect in the low res pdf while images etc will be compressed to "whatever settings" you choose/chose etc

photoshop - illustration/image programme
illy - similar but vector based
quark <blech> and indy - PROPER layout programmes

good luck - hope this helps

 

[beermonster]

of course that can all go to ratsh!t if there's spot colours, transparency, overprints, blending affects etc etc - but i'm sure you are aware of that

 

[jfiscus]

X2 on beermonsters post of not doing a brochure in photoshop. photoshop is for images, not layouts. indesign, etc can do everything you need after you design the artwork in photoshop.

 

[acothran]

Thanks for the replies. Good points beermonster. I know Photoshop is not the best program, or intended, for brochure layout but sometimes you stick with what you are used to or get to editing images for the brochure and never leave. I come from a video editing background where I used Photoshop a lot, Illustrator a little, and didn't even have InDesign (not part of the video production suite). I now have all three and am trying to break myself of always going to PS. It's just hard to find time to acquaint myself with InDesign. Thanks again for the replies.

Allen

 

[beermonster]

its easy - keep it all high res and you're fine

i understand the principal of sticking to what ya like etc - but ya gotta move with the times - the more ya know the more valuable you are

i hope so anyway

 

[jfiscus]

Illustrator would be a better choice for brochure layout if you don't have indesign, but it is also hard to manage text in... Good luck, thankfully the adobe products are all very similar - but PS STILL does not have a glyphs pallette!!!

 

[785graphics]

To get rid of the file size,

Flatten the image, save it off as PDF, undo the flatten. (save a master before you flatten just in case). Should get you under 200k

It's the layers creating the large file. Photoshop is likley saving as an editable PDF - Similar to PSD.

 

[J Hill Designs]

If you already have a pdf go to reduce file size, it does wonders.

I agree

 

[Rooster]

PDFs created from photoshop can maintain vector based fonts and shapes, unless you flatten or rasterize them.

It's a crappy text editor, but you can use it for designing and have the same quality text and vectors as you'd get from any other application.

The real limiter is spot colors. They can only be created through the use of an extra channel and are limited to rasters only. You can use them in photoshop, just with some limitations.

 

[tcorn1965]

Another idea, quick as well. Download and install cute pdf (It is free). Now when you are in your design software, file/print, choose cute pdf as your printer. It will then save a small pdf that you can attach and email, and that is not editable.

 

[Wags]

I agree with beermonster as well. Photoshop is a raster based app. and as such does not handle text as well as Illustrator. Unless you are an experienced Photoshop user spot colors can be tricky. We do packaging here too and have had some real problems when having to combine spot channels from Photoshop into Illustrator where the base package was put together. Then I could get into another whole issue of creating shadows in Illustrator versus doing them properly in Photoshop. But that is for another forum. It all boils down to using the right application for the job. Good luck.