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Book Printing

dust cover color mis-match

My book is fabulous—once you get past the dust cover, that is.  I created a meduim blue cover to go with the medium blue pages of my book, but I received a light lavendar-blue cover instead.  Now I wasn’t expecting the colors to match perfectly, but I did expect it to be farily close.  This is not even in the ballpark.  After contacting customer service and sending them a digital image of the cover vs pages, they issued a reorder.  However, the second printing produced exactly the same result and customer service won’t help me any further.  Very disappointing.  Did I mention this is a photo book for a baby boy?  I have a lavendar cover for a baby BOY’s book—yuck!!! 

Has anybody else experienced this problem?  Does anyone know of decent printing service where I can order dust covers?  I am so desperate that I am looking into poster prints—I figure I can fit 2 covers onto a poster and cut down the middle.  (I need 4).  

Otherwise I will just have to toss the covers aside and live without them.   The lavendar is just too tacky.

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Posted by
risikc
Apr 27, 2008 12:23pm PDT
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risikc
 

I am not sure what went wrong with your book’s dust cover looks a bit funny.

Next thing I wonder about few things might have gone wrong. It is just that you probably didn’t realize this or that. Perhaps that book making experience is new to you.

Uhm, the first question is did you have calibrated device for your computer monitor? This tool is very important. It is often not known for general public individuals like you or hobbyists doing some nice little project for family members or something like that.

Calibrated color management set up in monitor is very important tool. It is widely used by professional designers or photographers.

Next to calibrated device set up for your monitor, the second important tool is to have the correct color profile set up for BookSmart. In the case of BookSmart, it is a sRGB color-based. Perhaps you already know by that now, maybe not. I don’t know.

The third important tool is called “soft proof”. However I do not know if you have Photoshop installed on your computer. If you have Adobe Photoshop app installed on your machine, then you should “soft proof” all of images, including for dust cover for hardcover books.

Hope that helps.
Posted by
brianbonitz
Apr 27, 2008 3:25pm PDT
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brianbonitz
 

 Thanks for your tips.  It will help for future projects. You’re right that I am a hobbyist and am new to this.  I do have the correct color profile for BookSmart, but no I don’t have a calibrated device nor do I have Photoshop.  This might explain a slight color variance—my book pages are just a tad darker than the display on the screen—but I was anticipating this.  I was not expecting the cover to be so different.  The cover and pages were selected in BookSmart to be the same background color.  The images on the cover actually look great—accurate color.  The background color is the only problem.

Sounds like tech support might be looking into this color issue.  But I am stuck with lavendar-blue covers. 

 
Posted by
risikc
Apr 28, 2008 5:37am PDT
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risikc
 

Well it turns out my monitor has been calibrated.  Oops, I had been mistaken.  But again, my problem is solely with the background color of the cover (selected by BookSmart).  No problem with the images. 

I’ve been working on my "new" dust cover, which when completed will be an 8.5" x 30" image.  (No i don’t have Photoshop but I’m very handy  in PowerPoint.)  Can anyone recommend a service that does panoramic prints?  I think that is my best shot in printing out a replacement dust cover, since unfortunately Blurb can’t help me.

Posted by
risikc
Apr 28, 2008 11:15am PDT
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risikc
 

Well, I am afraid that Microsoft PowerPoint is not ideally application to work with your book project or trying to fix problem replacing dust cover jacket with new one. As you already know PowerPoint is ideally designed for presentation for web-based or on computer or hands out or slideshow projector, etc.

You might want to contact Blurb Tech Support about your situation. Who knows if they could help you with that. I’ll just leave at that with you and Blurb support team for that matter.

On a final note, I am glad that I help you with some tips for your future reference. Also, it is always a good idea to publish a “test” or “proof” book with only 20 pages. That way, you learn something based on what you see on proof book, and make appropriate adjustment accordingly to what you have learned and make a better result for final book. That is only a thought or suggestion. But it is very useful method for professional designers and photographers for that matter.

Again, I hope that helps, too. You have a great day!
Cheers, Brian
Posted by
brianbonitz
Apr 28, 2008 12:18pm PDT
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brianbonitz
 

You’re right, PowerPoint is far from ideal, but I have to work with what I’ve got!  Luckily my images required no editing other than resizing so all I had to do was type in the coordinates for the positioning and then export the whole thing.  Hoping to use GIMP for my next project—just downloaded it and need to play around with it.

Tech support is indeed looking into the color issue, since something weird is going on between BookSmart and the printer.  I’m hopeful that after they figure it out I might get matching covers afterall.   I’m still looking into panoramic prints though.  Not only for book covers (doesn’t hurt to have extras), but for panorama photographs as well. 

Thanks for your tips. 
Posted by
risikc
Apr 29, 2008 11:23am PDT
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risikc

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