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I have several RGB images that I have to convert to CMYK for a paper submission. I have a Photoshop Elements 9 license but it doesn't support CMYK.

I remember having tried with ImageMagick on Linux but never managed to generate a result with the same colors. Last time I sent the files to a friend with a Photoshop license to convert.

Is there a free or cheap tool on Mac OS X, Linux or Windows that will allow me to do the job?

Matteo
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2 Answers2

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It seems you can use ImageMagick to convert from RGB to CMYK if you use the appropriate color profiles

For example if the source image contains a color profile

convert rgb_image.jpg -profile USCoat.icm cmyk_image.jpg

otherwise

convert rgb_image.jpg +profile icm \
                      -profile sRGB.icc  -profile USCoat.icm cmyk_image.jpg

But you must use appropriate color profiles, sRGB and USCoat are just examples.

RedGrittyBrick
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Google:

RGB to CMYK conversion

and you'll find several online converters.

The larger problem, however, is that the publisher is clueless. Converting from RGB to CMYK should be done by whoever controls the printing process, not by random users using random software and color profiles. You can't control that, I realize, but at least be aware that you're dealing with someone who doesn't know what they're doing.

studiohack
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Steve Rindsberg
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