Scattered new features were nice add-ons but Universal Binary support in CS3 alone is what made this upgrade important to Intel Mac users. Nevertheless, using CS3 for complex jobs reveals a by no means exhaustive list of omissions.
Recently, there was a need to use Photoshop to prepare artwork intended for four spot colors plus foil and embossing. Ultimately, the customer wanted art that could be dropped into Illustrator to layout with other elements. (Initial attempt to create artwork entirely within Illustrator was impractical.)
Because Illustrator offers only two color space options, CMYK or RGB, the document had to set up as CMYK. Illustrator recognizes additional spot colors added within the native application or imported from channels embedded within a Photoshop file. However, registration marks and color bars anticipate and include CMYK even if a document is entirely spot colors. To keep from generating excessive blank plates, color substitution was used.
For client approval art was first prepared on layers in colors to simulate spot colors. For actual print production, art had to be prepared a totally different way. Spot colors were moved to solid CMYK+2 alpha channels (green=c, red=m, gold=y, black=k).
In order to place other objects behind the Photoshop artwork within Illustrator, a clipping path was saved. Alternatively, art was left on a layer with Photoshop transparency intact. When the file was saved as a TIFF, it was possible to select and use the clipping path within InDesign; clipping paths are ignored in Illustrator. Eventually, it was discovered that art needed to be saved as PSD for Illustrator to recognize inherent layer transparency. If this is a "suite," why does InDesign support art formats that Illustrator does not?
Rather than resorting to these non-intuitive color channel shuffles, Illustrator should support a spot-color document setup (similar to CMYK) that provides spot-specific color bars and registration without generating extra plates. Alternatively and perhaps more appropriately, Illustrator should intelligently support spot color when CMYK is selected.
"Fixing" the inadequacies listed, would require a full suite upgrade. My concern is that Adobe charges a hefty fee for eye candy without polishing its production tools for the real world of graphics.
- More unified menu between Photoshop and Illustrator required.
Filters and palettes use different names and have inconsistent locations. - Illustrator needs Photoshop-like folder and masking (compound path) options from layers palette.
- Support for Photoshop clipping paths in Illustrator (not just InDesign).
- Illustrator should inherit FreeHand object style options (fill and stroke) by including editable gradient angles.
- Illustrator needs to enhance charting dialog for real-time previews and multiple marker shapes.
- Support transparency within TIFF, not just PSD files in Illustrator.
- Within Photoshop and Illustrator, support a "spot color" color space in addition to CMYK or RGB.
Recently, there was a need to use Photoshop to prepare artwork intended for four spot colors plus foil and embossing. Ultimately, the customer wanted art that could be dropped into Illustrator to layout with other elements. (Initial attempt to create artwork entirely within Illustrator was impractical.)
Because Illustrator offers only two color space options, CMYK or RGB, the document had to set up as CMYK. Illustrator recognizes additional spot colors added within the native application or imported from channels embedded within a Photoshop file. However, registration marks and color bars anticipate and include CMYK even if a document is entirely spot colors. To keep from generating excessive blank plates, color substitution was used.
For client approval art was first prepared on layers in colors to simulate spot colors. For actual print production, art had to be prepared a totally different way. Spot colors were moved to solid CMYK+2 alpha channels (green=c, red=m, gold=y, black=k).
In order to place other objects behind the Photoshop artwork within Illustrator, a clipping path was saved. Alternatively, art was left on a layer with Photoshop transparency intact. When the file was saved as a TIFF, it was possible to select and use the clipping path within InDesign; clipping paths are ignored in Illustrator. Eventually, it was discovered that art needed to be saved as PSD for Illustrator to recognize inherent layer transparency. If this is a "suite," why does InDesign support art formats that Illustrator does not?
Rather than resorting to these non-intuitive color channel shuffles, Illustrator should support a spot-color document setup (similar to CMYK) that provides spot-specific color bars and registration without generating extra plates. Alternatively and perhaps more appropriately, Illustrator should intelligently support spot color when CMYK is selected.
"Fixing" the inadequacies listed, would require a full suite upgrade. My concern is that Adobe charges a hefty fee for eye candy without polishing its production tools for the real world of graphics.
