Datasheet

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Choosing Color Management Print Options

Saving and Printing Vector Data in a Raster File

Photoshop allows you to create vector shapes and vector type with the Pen

tools, shape tools, and type tools. (I explain how in Book III.) Technically, the

vector shapes are clipping paths applied to a bitmap, or raster, layer. But the

clipping path is still a vector path, thereby retaining vector qualities. This

vector data is resolution-independent, which means that it prints at the reso-

lution of the PostScript output device. Photoshop sends the printer separate

images for each type and shape layer, which are printed on top of the raster

image and clipped by using their vector paths. The edges of the vector path

print at the full resolution of the PostScript printer, but the contents, such

as the colored pixels or the image pixels within the vector path, print at

the resolution of the Photoshop file. (All portions of the type are resolution-

independent.) Therefore, type and shapes always have crisp, hard edges,

with curves appearing smooth and never jagged.

Remember that the only file formats that allow you to retain vector data are

PSD, PDF, DCS, and EPS. When saving to DCS or EPS, be sure to select the

Include Vector Data option in their respective Options dialog boxes. All

other file formats rasterize the vector data.

Choosing Color Management Print Options

I highly recommend checking out the color management section in Book II,

Chapter 3. In that chapter, I go into great detail about the concept of color

spaces, ICC profiles, and so on. In this section, I cover the color management

options you can find in the Print dialog box.

Different output devices operate in different color spaces. Monitors, desktop

printers, large-format printers, film recorders, offset printers, and so on all have

their own unique color space. The color management options enable you to

Some ﬁ le format warnings

If you save your ﬁ le as an EPS or DCS and re-

open the ﬁ le in Photoshop, Photoshop raster-

izes the vector data to pixels. Save the original

in the native PSD format.

If you save your layered ﬁ le as an EPS, Photo-

shop converts your vector type to clipping paths.

Extensive and small type creates complex clip-

ping paths, which can be time-consuming and

sometimes difﬁ cult to print. You can either ﬂ atten

your ﬁ le or deselect the Include Vector Data op-

tion in the Save as EPS Options dialog box. Either

choice rasterizes the type into pixels at the reso-

lution of your image. You may want to consider

eliminating the type in your image ﬁ le and apply-

ing it either in a drawing or page layout program

that can retain vector type.

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