Q. How do I prepare an image for Tactile Image Production using Adobe Photoshop version 6?

A. Our original images were 96 dpi, sized to fit on screen. With originals of different sizes, you may have to adjust steps 1 and 2 to produce a 72 dpi image with a height and width that fit within 7.5” x 10”.

Some images may look better using three tones (black, white, midtone) rather than four tones (black, white, dark tone, light tone).

To adjust process for three tones for Grayscale image: adjust step 4 to 3 colors instead of 4 colors and skip steps 23-32.

To adjust process for three tones for Color images: adjust step 5 to 3 colors instead of 4 colors and skip steps 29-38.

To create vertical stripe pattern:

1. Select File>New, 6 pixels by 6 pixels, grayscale, 72 dpi
2. Use pencil to fill first three pixels in all three rows
3. Select Select>All.
4. Select Edit>Define Pattern

To create horizontal stripe pattern:

1. Do steps A-C above
2. Select Edit>Transform>Rotate 90 deg.
3. Select Edit>Define Pattern

To Prepare Grayscale Image:

1. Select File>Open.
2. Select Image>Image Size and convert to 150 dpi resolution (with resampling)
3. Select Image>Image Size and convert to 72 dpi (without resampling). If necessary, decrease height or width to within 7.5" x 10" to fit on 8.5 x 11 page.
4. Select Image>Adjust>Posterize to 4 colors
5. Select Select>Color Range and select all darkest color
6. Select Select>Modify>Smooth and smooth selection by 3 pixels
7. Select Layer>New>Layer and create a new layer called “Black”
8. Select Edit>Fill and fill with black
9. Select Select>Deselect
10. In layer palette, click on background layer to make background layer active
11. Select Select>Color Range and select all lightest color
12. Select Edit>Fill and fill with white
13. Select Select>Deselect
14. Select Select>Color Range and select all light gray
15. Select Select>Modify>Smooth and smooth selection by 3 pixels
16. Select Layer>New>Layer and create new layer called “Light Gray”
17. Select Edit>Stroke and stroke selection with black, 5 pixels wide, center
18. Select Layer>New>Layer and create new layer called “Light Gray Fill”
19. Select Edit>Fill and fill with vertical strip pattern
20. In layer palette, move “Light Gray Fill” layer directly below “Light Gray” layer.
21. In layer palette select “Light Gray” layer and from the layer palette menu select Merge Down
22. Select Select>Deselect
23. In layer palette, click on background layer to make background layer active
24. Select Select>Color Range and select all dark gray
25. Select Select>Modify>Smooth and smooth selection by 3 pixels
26. Select Layer>New>Layer and create new layer called “Dark Gray”
27. Select Edit>Stroke and stroke selection with black, 5 pixels wide, center
28. Select Layer>New>Layer and create new layer called “Dark Gray Fill”
29. Select Edit>Fill and fill with horizontal stripe pattern
30. In layer palette, move “Dark Gray Fill” layer directly below “Dark Gray” layer
31. In layer palette select “Dark Gray Layer” and from the layer palette menu select Merge Down
32. Select Select>Deselect
33. In layer palette, click on background layer to make background layer active
34. Delete background layer
35. Select Layer>Flatten Image
36. Select black as the background color
37. Select Image>Canvas Size and increase the height and width by 6 pixels
38. Convert image to RGB mode
39. Convert image to Indexed Color Mode, exact, 2 colors, forced black and white
40. Select File>Save for Web and save as GIF, 2 colors, no dither.

To Prepare Color Image:

1. Select File>Open
2. Select Image>Image Size and convert to 150 dpi resolution (with resampling)
3. Select Image>Image Size and convert to 72 dpi (without resampling). If necessary, decrease height or width to within 7.5" x 10" to fit on 8.5 x 11 page
4. If needed, select Image>Adjust>Curves and adjust curves to increase contrast
5. Select Image>Mode>Indexed Color, 4 colors, adaptive, no forced black and white, no diffusion, no transparency
6. Select Image>Mode>RGB
7. Select Select>Color Range and select the darkest color
8. Select Edit>Fill and fill with black
9. Select Select>Deselect
10. Select Select>Color Range and select the lightest color
11. Select Edit>Fill and fill with white
12. Select Select>Deselect
13. Select Image>Mode>Grayscale
14. Select Select>Color Range and select black
15. Select Select>Modify>Smooth and smooth selection by 3 pixels
16. Select Layer>New>Layer and create a new layer called “Black”
17. Select Edit>Fill and fill with black
18. Select Select>Deselect
19. In layer palette, click on background layer to make background layer active
20. Select Select>Color Range and select light gray
21. Select Select>Modify>Smooth and smooth selection by 3 pixels
22. Select Layer>New>Layer and create new layer called “Light Gray”
23. Select Edit>Stroke and stroke selection with black, 5 pixels wide, center
24. Select Layer>New>Layer and create new layer called “Light Gray Fill”
25. Select Edit>Fill and fill with vertical strip pattern
26. In layer palette, move “Light Gray Fill” layer directly below “Light Gray” layer
27. In layer palette select “Light Gray” layer and from the layer palette menu select Merge Down
28. Select Select>Deselect
29. In layer palette, click on background layer to make background layer active
30. Select Select>Color Range and select all dark gray
31. Select Select>Modify>Smooth and smooth selection by 3 pixels
32. Select Layer>New>Layer and create new layer called “Dark Gray”
33. Select Edit>Stroke and stroke selection with black, 5 pixels wide, center
34. Select Layer>New>Layer and create new layer called “Dark Gray Fill”
35. Select Edit>Fill and fill with horizontal strip pattern
36. In layer palette, move “Dark Gray Fill” layer directly below “Dark Gray” layer
37. In layer palette select “Dark Gray” layer and from the layer palette menu select Merge Down
38. Select Select>Deselect
39. In layer palette, click on background layer to make background layer active
40. Delete background layer
41. Select Layer>Flatten Image
42. Select black as the background color
43. Select Image>Canvas Size and increase the height and width by 6 pixels
44. Convert image to RGB mode
45. Convert image to Indexed Color Mode, local (adaptive), 2 colors, forced black and white
46. Select File>Save for Web and save as GIF, 2 colors, no dither

back to top