Photoshop Files

File Types and Limitations

So what file types should you ask for and what file types are the best to work with? Well, in Photo shop, the best type of file to work with is a Photo shop PSD file. If your clients have Photo shop and submit their artwork in that format, that’s your best bet. However, in most cases, that’s usually not what happens.

There are many file types, some of which are proprietary for specific programs but others that are universal like EPS, BMP, TIFF, JPEG, and GIF.

PSD

Photoshop files you create that are raster-based and contain layers and channels are automatically saved as this type of file. The image’s resolution and spot color channels are also saved, as is image bit depth. If you want to save the file in any other format, you’ll have to flatten it first. PSD save information about the file, including its layers and channels, so that those items can be continually edited.

EPS

EPS are Encapsulated PostScript files and contain both raster- and vector-based images. EPS can be edited in Adobe Illustrator as well as Photoshop, and some EPS files from third-party clip art companies can be edited in other programs, such as CorelDRAW and Arts & Letters, among others. EPS can be created in any color space and any image bit depth. EPS is a good file format to receive from a client and for saving. Printing an EPS file requires a Post Script printer. EPS does not support alpha channels.

BMP

BMP are bitmap files, which are pixel-based files. Bitmap only support RGB color spaces and 1, 4, 8, or 24 bits per channel. This is quite low channel support, making bitmap images unsuitable and rarely chosen for Photo shop file work. Bitmap images are best used for PC buttons and icons or for creating images in low-end art programs.

TIFF

TIFF are Tagged Image File Format files that are widely used in graphic design. TIFF are raster based and support almost all color spaces. TIFF can be compressed using a loss less compress scheme, making them better for saving than JPEG files. TIFF are generally used to transfer files from one application like Photoshop to another graphic application. Practically all desktop publishing programs support this format. If a file created in Photoshop is saved as a TIFF and opened again in Photo shop, layers are preserved; if the file is transferred to another application, the layers are lost.

JPEG

This is the type of file I get most often from clients because it’s small in size and e-mails easily. JPEGs are best suited for saving photographs or images with lots of colors. Most people are familiar with JPEG, and they understand that it is a universal file format. JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group and is sometimes also written as JPG. JPEG files are lossy, meaning that because they are compressed, they lose detail. When a file is converted from a JPEG to another format, those compressed or lost pixels must be reconstructed. This usually results in jagged edges in the design. Designs printed on T-shirts and other materials lose detail in every step of the process, so it’s best to stay away from JPEG files when possible. The JPEG file format supports RGB, CMYK, and gray scale color models.

GIF

GIF stands for Graphics Interchange Format and is generally used for files that are considered line art or have only a few colors. GIF images are good for images containing less than 256 colors, so they’re not good for photographs. GIF file format supports gray scale and RGB color spaces. This format can be used for indexed color spaces as well, although it isn’t a common Photo shop working file format.

PDF

PDF stands for Portable Document Format and is used mainly for documents. PDF file format preserves fonts, page layout, and other document information and can be imported into Photo shop for editing. PDF files are platform independent, meaning almost any computer OS can be used when opening them. PDF files are not used in Photoshop for creating artwork.

EPS DCS2

EPS DCS2 files are variations of EPS files. DCS stands for desktop color separated file. This file type allows you to save color separations as CMYK files. The DCS2 format also allows you to export images containing spot channels, which regular EPS doesn’t support. To print DCS2 files, you must have a PostScript printer.