Converting color art to grayscale

Color images often need to be converted to grayscale. Here's how.

Bitmapped (Raster) Images

You may have downloaded an image similar to this:

1. Launch Photoshop and open the file. You can also click and drag the file from your desktop to the Photoshop icon in the Dock and release the mouse button once the Photoshop icon is highlighted.

2. Go to Image Menu>Mode>Grayscale. Click OK when asked to discard color information.

3. If the image looks flat (lacks contrast) and needs adjusting, try Image>Adjustments>Brightness and Contrast. This image needed the contrast adjusted (more contrast).

4. SAVE the new EPS or TIFF file. "Save As" to the Documents folder. Format should be either EPS or TIFF.

Note that the file extension will automatically change to ".eps" or ".tif" Don't change the file extension yourself -- let Photoshop do it.

Be sure to give the new file a new name so as to not replace the original (so you will have both a color and grayscale version of your file).

Illustrator (vector) images

If you have an "eps" vector image such as this:

1. Launch Illustrator and open the file.

2. Select the object (in this case Select All).

3. Go to Edit menu>Edit Colors>Convert to Grayscale.

4. "Save as" with ".eps" or ".ai" format and new name to not replace the original (so you will have both a color and grayscale version of your file):

After you're all done converting and saving, PLACE it in your InDesign layout.

The Monogram as a Logo

Making a Layout: The Elements and Principles of Design

The Basic Elements of Design

The basic elements of design are like the ingredients of a recipe. They must be used in the proper combination and proportion to work. A layout may use some but not necessarily all elements.

Line - Any mark connecting any two points. It could be a graphic line, or a string of text.

Shape - Anything that has height and width. Graphics, text blocks, photos.

Texture - The look and feel of a surface. Smooth or bumpy, complicated or simple.

Space - The distance or area between or around things. Does it have breathing room or is it crowded? How is positive (or negative) space used?

Size - How big or small something is. Do the objects in the layout have contrasting or similar sizes?

Value - The darkness or lightness of an area or object. Too much text and crowded graphics give and overall dark value.

Color - Just what is it. Conveys emotion or mood, highlight important items, and so much more!

The Principles of Design

Once you understand the basics, put them together using the recipe dictated by design principles. As with the elements, a layout takes all these principles into consideration, but does not necessarily have to utilize them all.

Balance - An equal distribution of weight. Unbalanced layouts (used with care) can be used for emphasis.

Repetition (Rhythm) - Created by repeating elements. Similar shapes, sizes, colors.

Emphasis - What stands out and gets noticed first.

Unity - All the elements look like they belong together. What holds it all together?

Organize your thoughts

Organization is also important to a successful layout. Arrange your information logically, most important first, then in decreasing order of importance. Catch and hold the reader's attention with headlines and graphics, keep them reading with well-written copy and pleasing design.

Placement on the page can indicate the importance of text or a graphic:

Upper Left - #1
Position of highest prominence, emphasis or importance

Upper Right - #2
Second most prominent

Lower Left - #2
Second most prominent, equal in importance to Upper Right

Lower Right - #3
Least important


How a reader looks at your layout is almost as important as what they read. English-speakers are taught to read from top to bottom, left to right and generally that's how the reader's eyes will travel across a page. You can also direct the way they view the page by the pictures you use and how they are arranged. Some pictures are natural "pointers" such as a person's profile. The reader will naturally look in the direction that the photo is "looking." The composition of photos and graphics also lend themselves to "pointing."

Consider the way your eye travels across the page. You read from left to right, and a harmonious layout will keep with that flow. If you wish to shock the reader, work contrary to their expectations.

The next time you look at a magazine cover or poster or... well...anything... make a note of how you look at it.

One more thing... or two...

Keep your reader in mind while designing and writing your layout. Are they twelve-year-olds? Do you think they'll have at least a high school education? Are they retired Republicans or young Democrats? Different groups of people have different expectations and assumptions of what they read.

Make it easy for your reader to get your message. Use the K.I.S.S. strategy: "Keep it Sweet and Simple." If something looks difficult to read, the reader will probably pass it over for something that appears easy to read.

Examples of Layout and Color

The bold sweeping lines lead the reader's eye from top left to bottom right, while the bright yellow color gets the reader's attention and draws it to the text. Blue and yellow are primary colors; yellow and orange are analogous; blue and orange are complementary.





Interesting triangular shapes combine with primary colors: red, yellow, blue.





Analogous and warm colors: yellow and red. The mug's cool color is a refreshing contrast to the rest of the layout. And, best of all, text on a path!





Analogous and cool colors: Blue, green and purple. How tranquil. The warm (yellow-gold) teddy bear stands out -- contrasts -- with the cool colors in the rest of the layout.





Analogous colors: green, blue and yellow.





Analogous colors: blue and yellow. Similar value create a sense of harmony and peace.





Red, pink (a tint of red), blue and green are the dominant colors in this layout. Red/pink is complementary to the green background.White is neutral and provides a contrasting value to the dark blue.





Purple eggs? Complements those yellow yolks.





Complementary colors in nature: red and green. Elegant, organic shapes.





Primary colors: red, yellow, blue. Great curvy shapes bracket the main images.





Similar rectangular shapes and primary colors (yellow and blue) create a bold and energetic layout.





The sweeping line across the page creates a dynamic division between negative and positive space.





Purple and green are secondary colors and are also analogous. Rhythm is created by the repeated shapes (circles or dots) as they appear to "march" up the page to the headline while the triangles interspersed in the word "TABS" point down to it. The "O" in "DOT" repeats the circle theme.





Wow! These colors are saturated! Products in repeated (rhythmic) compartments of similar shapes unify the layout.




Color which is in counter to the reader's expectations can be a great attention-getter. Yellow star and type is complementary to the purple catsup bottle. Take note of the text wrap on either side of the bottle and the shapes created by both bottle and blocks of text.





This layout illustrates the use of repeated shapes and colors to unify the design through similarity and rhythm.





Repeated hand shapes frame the title of this piece. There is a strong contrast between the values of the dark background and light text purple hand. Purple and green are secondary and analogous colors.




Strong red lines surround a human figure, echoed in the repeated human figures below. The warm colors (red lines) and cool colors (blue background and dancers) and light and dark values create contrast.






Blue and orange --- complementary colors --- create a vibratory effect. Roof tiles create a strong lines. Repeated bird images create rhythm with a twist: three at the bottom look right, but the one at the top looks left.

Monogram of the Alphabet and Numbers

http://www.gifbin.com/984987

I shot the serif

The Printed Picture: The History of Printing

http://www.benson.readandnote.com/

"The Printed Picture" explores an exhibition on the history of the printing of pictures held at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, in 2008-09. This exhibition and the book that it accompanied traced the dominant technologies used for printing pictures throughout the modern era.

Richard Benson, who wrote the book and co-curated the exhibition, was videotaped for approximately eight hours in the Museum galleries. This site gives access to that entire talk with additional images and details, allowing visitors to the site to draw their own path through its contents.

Visit the website, watch the videos and learn the history of printing from cave to computer: http://www.benson.readandnote.com/