changing eps file colors to use online

what to do about the colors?

[learninglife]

I received several eps files from a friend's graphic designer in order that I may use them to build a website for her. I also have printed copies of the brochure and business card that were made using these files. When I opened the eps files in PSP9, the colors are much brighter than they appear in print. Am I to assume that this represents the different between CMYK and RGB colors? I am thinking that the eps files used for printing were made in CMYK colors. I need to know how to convert the images so I can use them to make graphics for the web and also have the colors match the way they look in print, which is what my friend expects. Is there a way to do this (without buying another graphics program)? Do I need some sort of converter? Thanks.

[Don_Hoagie]

Your EPS file doesn't say what the color format is?

Usually if on-screen graphics are MUCH brighter on-screen than in print, and carry somewhat different saturation levels, it means the designer mistakenly drew the print file up in RGB... but keep in mind that basically every graphic under the sun (no pun intended) looks brighter and more vivid on-screen than in print. My guess is the EPS was done in CMYK, and your eyes might just not yet be attuned to the difference between print and web color.

This is why most pros use the Pantone matching system. You never want to be eyeing up a color on a print or screen medium and trying to make it match what you're doing... if you had something like "PMS110", you'd know what color that was, no matter what media you're using.

Of course, you'd need to have the conversion charts for that...

Any chance you can get PMS codes off this designer? And why would your friend want dull, desaturated colors on her website?

[learninglife]

No, I don't see any color format information in PSP image information.

Don wrote:
"Any chance you can get PMS codes off this designer? And why would your friend want dull, desaturated colors on her website?"

I haven't asked yet, but I may have to do so. It's not that the colors are dull and desaturated but that the print version is what my friend sees and likes; I doubt she ever saw the file itself. She probably only saw a printed proof. The eps colors are almost comically bright - what looks like navy in print is #0000ff in the file, and what looks like deep raspberry in print is practically hot pink in PSP. I am just learning about going from print to web and back, so I don't have a lot of expertise in this area. Plus PSP9 has some limitations in terms of CMYK ability.

[travelin cat]

One of the things that you will have to educate your client about is that print versions rarely look like their web counter parts. Wait till your client sees the product on different os's and different monitors and monitor settings.

Something that looks great on a Mac set at 16 bit could look horendous at 8 bit or 24 bit and they will look even worse on a pc due to the inherent differences of the os.

He/She needs to understand that in the end, the viewer has too much control of what they will see based on many variables.

[learninglife]

Yes, I did just say that to her and I think, since she is not computer savvy, she will not care too much about how it looks on any other monitor except her own.

The good news is that I am now able to easily resolve this issue. I downloaded a trial version of PSP X and lo and behold, the .eps file opens and looks perfect! The colors are much better and very close to the appearance of print - at least on my monitor! ;-) It seems PSP 9 was sorely lacking in the ability to read CMYK colors correctly and translate to RGB. So I am going to obtain PSP X instead. It's not PS but then again it will only cost me $35 after rebates and it will do what I need it to do for now. Thanks for your feedback.