I was convinced that by now Volume One would have been released. In fact, I gave it to the printers like two months ago. But the delay is not their doing. I put a hold on printing, when one last look revealed an error. But the real clincher is that 1) my work-station computer began to fail, no longer saving the files properly and also failing to open the work files and 2) I discovered that the material used for the layout could not contain compressed files. I'll explain that later.
Well, I did buy another computer in anticipation of needing more power, but even that did not result in an improvement. The machine I bought was a Mac Pro with plenty of processing power and RAM. Unfortunately, being a used machine, it was sold to me with OSX 10.13 and the proper system, in fact the last system that machine will run properly on is OSX 10.11. So it runs, but not properly and that also interfered with getting the job done. It's very frustrating nudging this through to get the final files. I have done certain operations over again 20 times or more because of this.
I'd like to convey something to those of you doing GFX design for publishing. It took me a long time to discover this. If you have original artwork which you are placing in a document, don't convert it to PDF first. There are inconsistencies that impair the final press layout. One is the likelihood that the PDF will obtain graphic artifacts. When you are trying to merge multiple files with the expectation of consistency, it is impossible to achieve when using compressed files, such as a PDF.
In my instance, I've discovered that I need to use the PSD files in all components where the art was edited in Photoshop. (I use Photoshop instead of Illustrator to edit my artwork, let's just say I prefer it). I can absolutely say that resolution, color balance and other aspects of the files are vastly superior in an uncompressed PSD file. But the truth is - the files are huge. This is in large part the bulk of my problems with accessing the files. The end result is that I have to break the files into multiple smaller files in order to be able to use the uncompressed artwork and that results in alignment issues. But the fact of the matter is that it is impossible to maintain consistency (in many aspects of the layout) with compressed files. They do not all compress the same and the result is a great variation in resolution, color balance, and alignment, not to mention those inevitable artifacts.
It is without a doubt an extremely complex endeavor when you are dealing with, literally, hundreds of layers and multiple settings within an assortment of functions that span the compass of dozens of files. So this is the culprit in terms of the continuing delays with releasing this series of books. This is a situation that one does not run into when printing words, but when you add extensive art into the mix it becomes very complex in many ways.
The Core Creative Materials have been, for the most part, finished for years. Of course, as I have mentioned elsewhere, more artwork needs to be done, but the real focus, as of now, is to assure that the technical structure of the layout (as far as publishing is concerned) is not only fully correct for Volume One, but directly and easily applicable and transferable to all other Volumes in the series.
"Zach and Zebby's Grand Adventure" takes up Volumes Two & Three, but there are other stories as well which may avail themselves (so to speak) of the technical and graphic layout. So perfecting this is the most important goal, but serious delays have been thrust upon the process by computer issues.
I post this explanation so those Partners and others observing, who are waiting for the product to hit the marketplace, might understand the trials and tribulations of making this happen. And this is only the Storybook, can you imagine the complexities of the stage show, the animated film and all the ancillary markets? This project is no small task, anyway you look at it.
The first expenditure from the proceeds of selling Volume One will most certainly be new computers with sufficient capabilities to avoid these maddening issues. It really is driving me insane.
AG
