Quark and Adobe have always gone hand in hand when it comes to desktop publishing. Most professional publishing designers use Photoshop to prepare their images and QuarkXPress to do the layouts. The new QuarkXpress 8 has even more features that work seamlessly with Photoshop CS4, to save you time.
QuarkXPress 8 has better integration with Photoshop CS4′s PSD format than any other layout software. You can bring a PSD into QuarkXPress 8 the same as you would bring in any other image. However, with the PSD format, you are able to maintain an image’s layers. This lets you toggle easily between different images and layers in Quark, using a single imported image file. Importing an image in the PSD format also lets you use features like spot color and alpha channels, right inside your layout.
To import a PSD into QuarkXpress, create a picture box and use the File > Import Picture command like usual. To unlock the features of your PSD file, go to Window > PSD Import to open the PSD palette. This will give you full control over your layers.
Once the PSD palette is open, you will see that you are able to control layer opacity and blending modes, along with turning specific layers on and off. You can play with all of these settings right in your page layout, saving you from having to toggle back and forth between Photoshop and Quark. Also, QuarkXPress doesn’t alter the original PSD file, so all of these new layer changes are non-destructive. This allows you to use the same PSD file multiple times in a layout, without fear of altering the original image.
PSD files will output to PDF or print without any additional changes. Just use the QuarkXPress color management tools like usual. To optimize your PSD files for import into QuarkXpress, convert all layer effects to standalone layers. This will allow you to edit effects layers inside your layout. Also, convert all Photoshop vector shapes to smart objects. Text layers are supported as they come.
Just because QuarkXPress 8 supports PSD files doesn’t mean you should always import your images in this format. Sometimes you know for sure that your image is going to stay flattened, or you don’t have a PSD version of the file. In these cases, QuarkXPress 8 has some great features that will save you tons of time.
The Picture Effects tool uses a Photoshop-like image editor right inside QuarkXPress. This tool lets you make quick changes to your images like crop, rotate, add effects, or alter color. It is non-destructive as well, so you can always change your mind down the road.
Picture Effects also allows you to process all of your image changes in batch, so you don’t have to recreate them later in Photoshop. Picture Effects will output all of your new, edited images to a folder that is ready to send to the printer. No more switching back and forth between Photoshop to create all of your image changes! Just go to File > Collect for Output, then switch to the Vista tab and check Render Picture Alterations. That’s all there is to it.
New Quark Promotions
SoftwareMedia is running a couple Quark promotions this month that offer incredible savings. Starting June 15th, the price for QuarkXPress 8 will drop $200 to only $529! This software has an MSRP of $799. This promotion only lasts until July 15th, so take advantage of it while you can.
Also, all Quark licensing products have already been reduced in price. See our Quark Licensing page for more information and pricing. These prices are only available until the end of June.
For information on QuarkXpress 8, check out the official website.
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