Need advice re: grayscale / dot gain / ziptones / screens for kidlit book anthology

[Inkygirl]

I tried posting this question in one other Photoshop forum several days ago but have had no replies so far. :sad: I'm hoping someone here will be able to help me.

I'm drawing some b&w comics for a teen anthology (to help teens affected by the Japan quake). I asked the editor for format specs, and here's what she forwarded me from the publisher:

----------

"I'm assuming that we'll go with a 5.5 x
8.5 trim size (or close to that), and we would want it to be in those
proportions, but with at least 1/2" to the margins, so final size
would be 4.5 x 7.5, or an aspect ratio of 3:5. Portrait orientation
yes. The art looks better if it's done 25% larger, but depending on
how they do the ziptones and screens, this may produce muddy results.
If the artist is experienced, he/she will
know how best to prepare the files. (Be sure artist knows all black
and white.)

"Artists work in different ways, but these days most everything comes
in in Illustrator or Photoshop, with the text on separate layers so it
can be edited or copyfit.

---------

I have been using Corel Painter for most of my work but am gradually learning Photoshop CS5. I notice that Photoshop has Grayscale settings that mention dot gain, etc.

Any tips on what I could do to avoid "muddy results"? File prep advice?

Suggestions MUCH appreciated!

Fingers crossed,
Debbie

 

[Hoogle]

Re: Need advice re: grayscale / dot gain / ziptones / screens for kidlit book antholo

I personally find it easier especially if you are going to print with your end results to actually work in cmyk colour mode and use either the photoshops built in black and white converter or use an external 1 like silver effects pro 2 that way you can convert it to black and white with millions of possible outcomes everything is adjustable

 

[Inkygirl]

Re: Need advice re: grayscale / dot gain / ziptones / screens for kidlit book antholo

Ah, I see. I posted a follow-up message to Hoogleman's kind suggestion but also clicked on "Thanks", and the rest of my message seems to have gotten swallowed up. I'll summarize here:

Hoogleman's suggestion of Silver Efex Pro does look like a very cool tool! Don't think I'll be able to use it for this project, though, since Silver Efex looks as if it's geared toward photography.

My comics are in b&w but will be printed on standard grade novel-type paper, not glossy. Most of the anthology will be text short stories, but will some b&w comics, but the paper will be the regular type of paper you find in a text novel. I think that's why the publisher is so concerned about file prep / ziptones / screentones.

Also, I still work mainly in Corel Painter because I don't know Photoshop well enough to simulate the custom brushes I use in my ink drawings, and Painter doesn't use CMYK.

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that someone out there has used Photoshop to prep comics for b&w print before and has some advice.

Thanks in advance,
Debbie

 

[SeniorS]

Re: Need advice re: grayscale / dot gain / ziptones / screens for kidlit book antholo

Make your images 350ppi and accurate edged lines (with comic it would be so i think but ussually even that isn't necessary).
Setting Dot Gain in PS can only show approximately how it COULD be look after printing. There isn't much you can do about it.
Paper absorbs ink and spread a little more than dot is itself depending on paper quality.
For bad paper and novel books ussualy use that (we call it toilet paper ) i use 25% Dot Gain. It show approximately how darker image could get after all that ink "spreading".

So don't need to cross fingers just draw accurate carefull comic and relax about printing there is nothing you as artist can do about it.