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Published On: Oct 13, 2005 02:22 AM
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Oct 13, 2005 02:22 AM
Make your own iPhoto Books
How to get great results from iPhoto books,
which make great portfolios to send to Art Directors.
In class I showed you the book I made for the
San Diego Comicon using Apple Computer's iPhoto application. Here's how to alter
the preference file to get better output resolution, and to make a book with
your own designs (though you're stuck with Apple's template for the
cover).
I recommend getting iLife '05 for this as they've upgraded iPhoto and added a lot of new book formats, bells and whistles. Worth getting, believe me!
ALTERING THE PREFERENCES FILE
1. Download the PrefSetter application here
2. Before altering a copy of your iPhoto preferences make sure iPhoto is not running!
3. Copy your iPhoto Preferences to your desktop. You can find the preferences file in your "User" folder, in the "Library" folder, in the "Preferences" folder. Its title is "com.apple.iPhoto.plist
You can copy the file by option dragging it to your desktop. There will be a "+" sign letting you know you're going to be copying the file to the desktop. (NOTE: Always work on a copy of a preference file so you will have a backup if something goes wrong.)
4. Drag your desktop copy of the iPhoto preference file onto the PrefSetter application.
You will see this:
5. Scroll down the page and find "BookTargetImageDPI", there will be three of them. NOTE: These are the only things you need to change! "BookTargetImageDPI" "BookTargetMediumImageDPI" and "BookTargetSmallImageDPI".
Click on the "150.000000" and change to "300.000000"
6. Save your work by pressing the "⌘+S" keys, or choose "Save" under the "File" Menu.
7. Now pull your original iPhoto preference file and put it in a folder on your desktop, and place your new preference file where the original file was.
8. Done. You will now get a higher resolution output from your iPhoto book!
MAKING YOUR BOOK
1. Scan the work you want to put into iPhoto and then into your book. I scan my images print size or larger at 400 dpi and save them as tiff files.
2. Instead of being bound by Apple's format template, I measured the size of a full page and created a template in Photoshop.
3. I then designed my pages in Photoshop, arranging an image and/or text within the full page template, saving everything as tiff files, still 400 dpi.
NOTE: Save your files in numbered order, 01, 02, etc. 01 being the cover image.
4. Drag the completed files to a new album in iPhoto to import them into the program.
5. Select this folder of images and click the "Book" icon in the toolbar at the bottom of the main window.
6. A sheet will slide from the top of the window. Click on the pulldown tab beside "Book Type" and choose the size of the book you wish to make. Mine was Medium format 8" x 6".
7. Click on the theme you would like to use for your book. I used "Contemporary".
8. Click the "Choose Theme" button in the lower right of the sheet. A book will be created for you, waiting for you to drag images to it.
9. In the scroll window at the top of your main window click the icon that looks like a page with a corner folded over. This will show you the layout of your pages.
10. Go through your book and click on each page
and then make sure each of them is set to a "Page Type" of "One"
and a "Page Design"...
...of a full bleed, numbered "1" on the pull down menu.
11. Now, at the toolbar at the bottom of the window click "Autoflow".
This will automatically place your images into the book.
12. Don't forget to go to your cover and click on the title and type in your title and other info!
13. Click in the negative space around your book while holding the "Control" key (ctrl) and choose "Preview Book...." from the pop-up window that appears.
This will generate a PDF for you to preview to see if the book looks the way it should. If it doesn't then there may be a problem. If you encounter any problems at this stage discuss it with me over email, or in class.
14. If you are happy with the way the book looks, then hit the "Buy Book" button (Make sure you're connected to the internet - highspeed is best, otherwise you could be waiting awhile for that file to upload.). Once you're connected with Apple follow the online instructions.
NOTE:IF YOU WANT TO REARRANGE YOUR PAGE ORDER - - -
1. Click on the single-page icon above the "View" button at the bottom on the toolbar.
2. Now go up to your page scroll at the top of the main window and you can grab individual pages and drag them to the place you'd rather they reside.
Remember, the book comes with 20 pages, but you can have more pages if you are willing to pay extra per page. The rates are on the Apple web site.
Happy bookmaking!
GEORGE
I recommend getting iLife '05 for this as they've upgraded iPhoto and added a lot of new book formats, bells and whistles. Worth getting, believe me!
ALTERING THE PREFERENCES FILE
1. Download the PrefSetter application here
2. Before altering a copy of your iPhoto preferences make sure iPhoto is not running!
3. Copy your iPhoto Preferences to your desktop. You can find the preferences file in your "User" folder, in the "Library" folder, in the "Preferences" folder. Its title is "com.apple.iPhoto.plist
You can copy the file by option dragging it to your desktop. There will be a "+" sign letting you know you're going to be copying the file to the desktop. (NOTE: Always work on a copy of a preference file so you will have a backup if something goes wrong.)
4. Drag your desktop copy of the iPhoto preference file onto the PrefSetter application.
You will see this:
5. Scroll down the page and find "BookTargetImageDPI", there will be three of them. NOTE: These are the only things you need to change! "BookTargetImageDPI" "BookTargetMediumImageDPI" and "BookTargetSmallImageDPI".
Click on the "150.000000" and change to "300.000000"
6. Save your work by pressing the "⌘+S" keys, or choose "Save" under the "File" Menu.
7. Now pull your original iPhoto preference file and put it in a folder on your desktop, and place your new preference file where the original file was.
8. Done. You will now get a higher resolution output from your iPhoto book!
MAKING YOUR BOOK
1. Scan the work you want to put into iPhoto and then into your book. I scan my images print size or larger at 400 dpi and save them as tiff files.
2. Instead of being bound by Apple's format template, I measured the size of a full page and created a template in Photoshop.
3. I then designed my pages in Photoshop, arranging an image and/or text within the full page template, saving everything as tiff files, still 400 dpi.
NOTE: Save your files in numbered order, 01, 02, etc. 01 being the cover image.
4. Drag the completed files to a new album in iPhoto to import them into the program.
5. Select this folder of images and click the "Book" icon in the toolbar at the bottom of the main window.
6. A sheet will slide from the top of the window. Click on the pulldown tab beside "Book Type" and choose the size of the book you wish to make. Mine was Medium format 8" x 6".
7. Click on the theme you would like to use for your book. I used "Contemporary".
8. Click the "Choose Theme" button in the lower right of the sheet. A book will be created for you, waiting for you to drag images to it.
9. In the scroll window at the top of your main window click the icon that looks like a page with a corner folded over. This will show you the layout of your pages.
10. Go through your book and click on each page
and then make sure each of them is set to a "Page Type" of "One"
and a "Page Design"...
...of a full bleed, numbered "1" on the pull down menu.
11. Now, at the toolbar at the bottom of the window click "Autoflow".
This will automatically place your images into the book.
12. Don't forget to go to your cover and click on the title and type in your title and other info!
13. Click in the negative space around your book while holding the "Control" key (ctrl) and choose "Preview Book...." from the pop-up window that appears.
This will generate a PDF for you to preview to see if the book looks the way it should. If it doesn't then there may be a problem. If you encounter any problems at this stage discuss it with me over email, or in class.
14. If you are happy with the way the book looks, then hit the "Buy Book" button (Make sure you're connected to the internet - highspeed is best, otherwise you could be waiting awhile for that file to upload.). Once you're connected with Apple follow the online instructions.
NOTE:IF YOU WANT TO REARRANGE YOUR PAGE ORDER - - -
1. Click on the single-page icon above the "View" button at the bottom on the toolbar.
2. Now go up to your page scroll at the top of the main window and you can grab individual pages and drag them to the place you'd rather they reside.
Remember, the book comes with 20 pages, but you can have more pages if you are willing to pay extra per page. The rates are on the Apple web site.
Happy bookmaking!
GEORGE
Posted: Thu - October 13, 2005 at 01:26 AM