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cover image
BookSmart
You can’t. BookSmart no longer allows the placement of an image on the spine.
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Just downloaded booksmart - program closes when trying to add pictures f...
BookSmart
pecquet:
iPhoto and Aperture both can recognize many file types that BookSmart can’t. Are your scans jpg files? BookSmart will only take jpg or png files.
Amelia
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wrapped image cover including spine - i want one
Tips and Tricks
You can’t.
Can you point out a book that has an image that goes all the way around the spine? It’s not something that you can do right now with Blurb. There was a time when they allowed images on the spine, but there were too many problems so they removed this feature.
Amelia
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Print tumbnails?
BookSmart
Hi Pierre & Tony-
For any Mac users:
you can use shift+command(apple key)+4 and your curser will change to a bullseye kind of thing. With that curser you can click and drag around the exact area that you want to “print screen” and then when you let go, it will automatically save a file of only the area that you drew the box around. So you can skip the step of needing to crop the extraneous part. I hope I described it well enough as it’s one of the features I use all the time.
Amelia
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Updating Book Once It Has Been Printed
Tips and Tricks
Ray-there is no “update” feature so you are correct in thinking you should delete the book and then upload the corrected version.
Amelia
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Holiday deadlines are here
Ordering and Shipping
JKY-
no, the 5 to 6 days are business days so today (thanksgiving) and saturday and sunday won’t count. And in my experience, they won’t give you any estimate other than the one that shows up on your account page since it’s really due to how busy the printer to which your book was sent is. I’ve had books ship as quickly as 2 days after I ordered, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. (but my quickly sent books were not ordered at a busy time of year like now)
Amelia
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Small Order of books
Ordering and Shipping
Not in my experience, it wouldn’t be. Depending on how busy the printer is, it may not even be printed by then, much less delivered to you. Here’s all the info.
And the Holiday Shipping Guide may give you a better idea of the deadlines at this time of year.
Also, since we’re talking business days, if your book will be printed in the U.S. don’t forget that you’ve got Thanksgiving as well as the weekend for days that don’t count towards the 5 or 6 days for the printing.
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Resolution Issues
Book Design and Imaging
As far as the black images go: check that your files are in sRGB. CMYK images will go black in BookSmart. I’ve also had problems when I’ve been working with layers in photoshop and don’t properly flatten the image.
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loaded 1.9 result....problems
BookSmart
I’m no expert- but you might want to check your firewall. I know that every time I load software updates of things that require two way communication I have to re-authorize the new version. I’ve had to do it with iChat, the Flickr uplaoder etc… It depends on how you set up your firewall and router, but it might be worth a look.
Amelia
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Cover
BookSmart
there’s no way to “tell” the type of cover, because it doesn’t matter to the software. it’s a choice you make when you go to order your book. just know that only the hard back with dust cover will print anything that you put on the flaps. there are no “flaps” on the imagewrap or soft cover books.
and if you look at the title bar at the very top of the BookSmart window it will say something like this:
Booksmart | The Title of your Book| 8×10inches | 20 Pages
hope that’s clear
Amelia
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Releases? Do I need them?
Book Design and Imaging
Hi Joe-
(first off, I’m not a lawyer…)
My reading on the subject says “it depends”. Now, before you go and say “Well, I could have come up with that answer…”
1) the biggest thing is, who will know? If your plan is to make the book for yourself and maybe sell a few copies then I doubt anyone who is in a position to “care” will even know about your book.
2) location. Both the location where the photo was taken as well as the location where you intend to sell the book come into play. Every county has it’s own rules about privacy and the expectation of it. And just because a location seems “public” doesn’t mean it is in terms of your ability to use a photo. For example, I would consider myself to be “in public” at Disneyland, but it is in fact private property and the ticket to enter limits your ability to use photos taken inside the park.
3)The nature of the photos: at least here in the states, photos taken of “newsworthy” events are largely exempt from needing releases. Although the rules are slightly different for public figures. It also can depend on the “light” in which your photos present someone. If the photo seems to imply something negative about the subject you are, in general, more likely to have problems. Be aware that “negative light” can be based on not just what is in the photo, but the words on the page as well as the juxtaposition of the photo with other photos.
There are lots of issues at play here. If you are really worried, you should of course consult a lawyer. The hardline answer would be “don’t use anything you don’t have the rights to” (that would include not having a release or work done for hire etc…) but it also really depends on how far and wide you’re going to market your book. I doubt your book will attract enough attention to get you into trouble unless you’re looking for that kind of attention.
If you have any more specific questions, let us know where you are, where the photos were taken etc… and maybe a better “guess” can be provided.
Amelia
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Removing Text Boxes
Book Design and Imaging
You don’t need to remove anything. Any unused containers- be they for photo or text will simply “disappear” and the background (or photo, in the case of the collage layouts) will “show through”.
Any time you wonder how something will print, all you have to do is click on the “preview” button and it will take you to a screen that shows your layout as it will print. Click the “edit” button to get back to work.
Amelia
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Hard Cover Colour and Text Box Size Adjustment Question
Book Design and Imaging
Hi Ray-
The grey just shows you where you can place a photo. Unless you have changed the cover color, it is black “underneath” the photo container that is represented by the grey. If you want to pick a different layout for the cover, click on the cover and then look at the layouts on the left and select the one you want. The areas that aren’t filled by photos will be whatever color you pick for the cover. The default for “darkroom” is black. Your grey pages are probably full bleed photo containers over the black page. Again, select a different template for the page if you don’t want a full bleed photo. Any time you want to check how something will print click on the preview button. That makes the containers “disappear” so you can see how it will look. Then click edit to get back to work.
As to the text containers: sorry, the templates are fixed. But there are quite a few so look through and you may find one that works. Otherwise, you can create your own layout in another program like photoshop.
As for the font style: this has always been wonky. But you should be able to set a global style. Click on a text box to activate the text menu. In the left hand drop down menu there is a “customize style” option.
Amelia
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where is blurb saving the book I'm working on?
BookSmart
Okay- there’s lots of different issues here.
Huge Picture Files: It is recommended that you resize your files to the correct size before importing them into BookSmart. If you don’t, the program will resize them for you and many people object to the results when it’s done that way.
While you are working: Your book is saved on your computer as you work. Nothing is sent to Blurb’s server until you are done and ready to order your book. The program has “autosave” so you really can’t lose your work. If you are really worried about your computer crashing, your best bet is to use the “export” feature to back up a file that can then be imported. My understanding is that just pulling the file out of the folder won’t give you a useable file.
Once you’re done: The file that you send to Blurb is a completed, compressed file that is only good for printing, it can’t be changed or updated. Again, your best bet is to export your completed copy and then back that up. The “year” that Blurb keeps your book is actually one year since the last copy ordered. You (or someone) need to buy a copy within 15 days of upload for it to stay on the server.
Hope that helps,
Amelia
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ImageWrap cover
Book Design and Imaging
Leah-
The ImageWrap covers are very different than the glossy dust covers. Here’s a thread that has various takes on the issue. (mine included)
The biggest thing is that the ImageWrap covers are matte. Very matte. And matte never has the bright/ sharp colors that glossy does.
Amelia
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editing my book after it has been uploaded
BookSmart
You have to make the changes on your computer. You can read about it in the FAQ here.
I’ve found that the search feature works better on the FAQ than the forums.
Amelia
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Image Numbers Printed Under Images
Book Design and Imaging
Last time this issue came up the suggestion was to build contact sheets in Photoshop and then import those into BookSmart as full bleed pages.
Amelia
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Background
Tips and Tricks
peteshep- FWIW, the quotation layouts allow for text but not photos over a full bleed photo. And there isn’t a way to control the opacity of a photo within BookSmart or for a user to create their own layouts.
Amelia
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Full cover photo
BookSmart
Stu-
It’s a matter of selecting a cover layout that has full bleed for the cover. The grey color denotes the area that can have an image so you need to pick a layout that has the cover fully grey.
Amelia
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Background
Tips and Tricks
Not within BookSmart. You’d have to create your pages in another program and then import them as full bleed layouts. It’s something that has been asked for before. I have no idea if it’s something they plan to add in the future.
Amelia
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Indesign & booksmart
Book Design and Imaging
A search of these forums will show that your question has been answered many times before. The quick version is that BookSmart makes 3 copies of your photos. A thumb, the low res version used for working/ preview and the full size copy. The full size copy is what is used when your book is compiled by the software and sent to Blurb.
FWIW: By working at 600 DPI you’re asking BookSmart to compress the file for you. Many have argued here that you’ll get better results (and your upload will be faster) if you work at the exact correct size. I did one of my books in InDesign at 300 dpi but I went the PDF to PNG route and my book looks perfect. Even photos that I rotated off axis don’t have jaggy lines when printed. Personally, I’m quite pleased with the results of my workflow.
Amelia
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Image wrap design
BookSmart
Rene-
You design an ImageWrap cover using either any of the templates. It doesn’t matter to the software. The way I like to work is to design using the Hard Cover. Then (if I choose) I have the option to order any of the 3. Even if you have info and photos on the flaps, if you order either a softcover or ImageWrap, it just won’t print the flap stuff.
Amelia
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Problem with switching from hardcover dust jacket to imagewrap
BookSmart
Jarno-
ImageWrap isn’t a choice you make in the BookSmart software, you choose it when you go to purchase the book. If the selection isn’t doing anything, you’re probably making a large format book. Since those don’t come in soft cover, I don’t think there’s anything to “choose” at that point.
Just remember that ImageWrap doesn’t use the flaps, so anything you put there will not be in your book.
Amelia
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Any know why my imported images would come in all black?
BookSmart
Using “save for web” is not a good solution for bookmaking as it is intended to compress the file size and therefore it will reduce the resolution of the photo. I save jpg files in photoshop and use them in BookSmart all the time. I respectfully suggest that you actually have a different problem that is being “solved” by the “save for web” command.
Amelia
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Any know why my imported images would come in all black?
BookSmart
Usually it’s because the images are in CMYK instead of sRGB. I’ve also had it happen when I’ve been working with layers in photoshop and don’t properly flatten before making the JPG.
If those aren’t the causes, post back with more info and we’ll try to sort it out.
Amelia
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