Ello all. I have gimp 2.8 and i have a question. Ok like 3 of them actually. Haha. First, how do i create an original document in cmyk in gimp so i can be working in cmyk from begining? I dont want to convert at end because blues and greens are gonna change once i convert it. I want to beable to see the color on screen of what print will look like from begining to end.

Also, i have heard you can use scribus as well for pre print. Any tutorials on that? Thanks

Hoho. You can not. Gimp works in RGB, whatever you do.
Best bet at the moment is to use Krita. Save your work as a cmyk tiff.



There is a scribus wiki which covers most topics http://wiki.scribus.net/canvas/Scribus

When you say best bet is krita. You are saying not to use gimp at all for any cmyk stuff? If so, krita can not do nearly as much stuff as gimp can and how am i supposed to use gimp for my professional stuff like business cards, flyers, photo editing for wedding prints etc?

Thanks

I am saying that Gimp is a RGB editor and does not edit in CMYK. For that you will need PS or maybe something from Corel or for free Krita.



Some of these, biz cards, flyers might be done better in Inkscape but again this is a RGB application. You can convert to CMYK afterwards but same as Gimp, not edit in that colour space.

For say, a biz card or a flyer, which might have a limited range of colours you could try starting off in Krita with something that includes all the colours you want to use.

Export as a CMYK tiff.
Import into Gimp using Separate+ (File -> Create -> From CMYK tiff)
Merge the layers and create a new palette.
Now you should be able to edit in Gimp a new image but use only the colours from the palette
At the end make a new CMYK tiff using Separate+
Gimp menu Image -> Separate -> Separate
and Image -> Separate -> Export

A quick test here and I think that works should be WYSIWYG but be prepared for snags. Is it a PITA, that is why I say use Krita.

When it comes to commercial printers, remember the advice, always get a proof copy before ordering a thousand.

Oh yeah. I ALWAYS get a proof first because i know that printers dont print what you see or want sometimes haha.

Ok, i will try out the krita and plugin option to see what happens. I may reply back askin for some help again haha. Thanks for all info

Talk to your print shop. They should be able to provide the RGB profile for their printing equipment, which you can use in Gimp. In my experience, many print shops no longer require CMYK separations, as the print equipment now can deal with the conversion quite well. If you are dealing with spot colours, again, you can provide the separations as B&W masks and just identify the spot colours.

-Rob A>

Hmm, you speak of something i may not understand at moment. When you say rgb profile for equipment, is that a software thing or...? im trying to connect the dots.

Also, what is the decompose option in gimp for? go color>components>decompose

thanks

This might help.
Black and White Conversion (Part 3)
8.16. Decompose

Thanks for the reply and the links for the info. Decompose is not what i thought it was. I was hoping it would allow me to save the the image as a cmyk image with all the colors but it doesnt, it saves it as a b&w image.

Also, does anyone have a working link to download the separate+ plugin? it seems the yellowmagic site is not up anymore.

thanks

Ok so i just got krita. Now do i just open a blank canvas, save it as cmyk then import into gimp once i get the separate+ plugin? or do i have to actually make the biz card, flyer and whatnot in krita then save it as cmyk?

thanks

Your original post "...so i can be working in cmyk from begining?"
and I said not possible in Gimp



Yes, you have to do this. Not difficult, this is the opening dialog in krita http://i.imgur.com/JebmHDI.jpg

A very quick: background layer + imported graphic + a couple of text layers with the export dialog showing. http://i.imgur.com/L8zocvT.jpg

And imported into Gimp using Separate+ Remember this is now RGB and is a psuedo CMYK with coloured layers and masks. http://i.imgur.com/SWGOw79.jpg

Where to get separate+ for windows? AFAIK the easiest way is Parthas versions of Gimp.

Awesome thanks for the explanation. Ill give it a shot and see if i get the results im lookij for

In the first post OP said

" I dont want to convert at end because blues and greens are gonna change once i convert it."

I am not disagreeing, use perceptual.

Most users have their (RGB) monitors set way too bright which makes it even worse.

With brightness turned down to a sensible level you can still see a difference.

This the same image opened in Krita as RGB (left side) and same opened and the colour space converted to CMYK (right side).



The blues and greens are subdued, which is what you expect.

True, monitors are always rgb, so then what would the point be of converting in krita, rgb2cmyk.org or whatever method of conversion to cmyk or soft proofing be if monitors are still gonna show the "cmyk" converted image in RGB anyway? its like beating a dead horse aint it? lol

on another note working in cmyk nativly would be nice but i guess that isnt for a while right?

thanks