Learn the process of opening, flattening, checking color settings, converting to CMYK, sharpening, and saving a file appropriately with our easy step-by-step guide.
This exercise is excerpted from Noble Desktop’s past Photoshop color managment training materials and is compatible with Photoshop updates through 2018. To learn current skills in Photoshop, check out our Photoshop Bootcamp and graphic design classes in NYC and live online.
Getting Started
- Go to File > Open.
From the Color Management Seminar Files folder, open East River.psd.
Choose Convert document’s colors to the working space and click OK.
Flattening the Image
- If you had done any work to the image, at this point you would flatten the image (Layer > Flatten Image).
Checking the Color Settings
Before converting to CMYK, you should always double-check the color settings. Go to Edit > Color Settings (Cmd–Shift–K (Mac) or CTRL–Shift–K (Windows)).
The profile listed under the Working Spaces, CMYK menu will be used for the conversion. It should be set appropriate to the press/paper you are printing on. In this case, we’ll be printing on a sheetfed press, not a web press, so from the Working Spaces, CMYK menu choose U.S. Sheetfed Coated v2.
Click OK to close the Color Settings window.
Converting to CMYK
Convert to CMYK by going to: Image > Mode > CMYK Color.
If a confirmation message appears, click OK.
Sharpening
- Sharpen the image using whatever sharpening techniques you usually use (such as Unsharp Mask or Smart Sharpen).
Saving the File Appropriately
- If you are taking this image into another program (like InDesign), you may need to save it as the right type of file such as PSD, TIFF, etc. before you close the file.
