Colour photo pages in a mostly-text book

Feverstone · December 2018

I'm producing a print book that will be mostly text, but we'd like to insert some pictures. Two ways to do this, I think: (1) insert PDFs or .jpgs of the images into the text, and these will presumably produced in B&W, or (2) insert some pages of coated stock into the centre of the book, in colour. I understand that Lulu prints cookbooks and calendars which I assume are in full colour on coated stock -- can they do inserts into a book otherwise printed on bond stock?

MCWriting · December 2018

I think you have to choose the color book option, you can't mix and match. But smarter people can verify that. I'm just writing to encourage you not to use PDFs with images. PDF isn't an image format and adds a layer of trouble for printers if you use it that way. Stick with your original JPEG or TIFF images for best results.

Just Kevin · December 2018

These are Lulu's Options >>> http://www.lulu.com/create/books

I don't recall a Cookbook option, but all the same you will see from the above link that Lulu offer black and white or full colour, no mix and match (POD machines' limited capabilities) and very little choice of papers.

I am not sure why MC suggests not uploading a PDF, because whatever you upload is turned in to Print Ready PDF by the Conversion Wizard, anyway, and a PDF can handle images, nevertheless.

https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/edit-images-or-objects-pdf.html

MCWriting · December 2018

I'm sorry if I was unclear. Feverstone asked about including images that are themselves PDFs. If it's a vector image, that's fine, but if it's a photo, always use JPEG or TIFF. Of course the final layout should be compiled as a PDF.

Just Kevin · December 2018

Indeed, I always use jpgs at no less than 300dpi. But I am sure a PDF image has no actual resolution.

It's not clear how the OP is creating the file though, or what the OP is uploading. One PDF file? One docx file? Many files? Mixed PDFs, docx and jpgs? I don't think the Wizard can handle multiple formats, but I have never tried!

I would suggest creating the images as jpg for use in a single PDF or even docx file, and uploading that. This started as a docx, Saved as PDF, then uploaded >>

http://www.lulu.com/shop/kevin-lomas/steam-vehicles-of-the-road/paperback/product-21260214.html

Don't be put off by the quality of those images (they never look good in a Preview anyway!) they are very old photos, scanned. The photos look like that!

Colour photo pages in a mostly-text book

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