Overview: Once you’ve received the final illustrations for your book, it’s time to incorporate them into your project. This process involves replacing any placeholder or AI-generated images used during the storyboarding phase with your completed artwork. Final illustrations should be applied to all interior pages, front and back matter, and both the front and back covers. In this article, we’ll guide you through importing your final illustrations into Made Live and ensuring they are correctly positioned and aligned throughout your book.
Steps to Import Final Illustrations into Your Book
Follow these steps to import your final illustrations and replace placeholder images in your book project:
1. Prepare Your Final Illustrations for Import
Ensure that your final illustrations are in a compatible format (e.g., JPEG, PNG) and that they are high resolution. Before importing them into Made Live, check that the dimensions match the required size for your book’s layout to avoid any distortion or resizing issues.
- File Format: Use common image formats like JPEG or PNG for optimal compatibility.
- Resolution: Aim for a resolution of at least 300 DPI (dots per inch) to ensure the illustrations look sharp in print.
- Dimensions: Verify that the image dimensions match the specific size of the page or cover they are meant to fill.
2. Navigate to the Storyboard Workspace
Open your project in Made Live and navigate to the Storyboard workspace. This is where you can manage your book’s layout and insert or replace images.
3. Click on Media in the Right-Hand Panel
On the right-hand side of the Storyboard workspace, click on the Media tab. This will open up the media options for your project, including any images you have already uploaded or generated.
4. Click on Stock and Upload Your Final Illustrations
To import your final illustrations, click on the Stock tab within the Media panel. At the bottom of the Stock window, click the green Upload button beside the search bar. Select the final illustration files from your computer and upload them to your project.
5. Replace Placeholder or AI-Generated Images
Locate the placeholder or AI-generated images in your storyboard that you want to replace. Delete the temporary image, then drag and drop the new illustration into place, resizing or repositioning as necessary.
6. Apply Final Illustrations to All Pages and Covers
Repeat the process for each spread, ensuring that you replace all placeholder images with final illustrations. Don’t forget to update the illustrations in the front and back matter, as well as on the front and back covers.
7. Review and Make Adjustments as Needed
Once all illustrations have been replaced, review your book to ensure that everything is aligned and that the illustrations are properly positioned. Make any necessary adjustments to the layout to accommodate the final artwork.
Best Practices for Importing Final Illustrations
- Check the Resolution and Dimensions Before Importing – Make sure your final illustrations are high resolution (300 DPI) and match the dimensions of your book’s layout. This will prevent issues like pixelation or distortion when the images are imported.
- Maintain Consistency in Style and Colors – Ensure that all final illustrations are consistent in style, colors, and overall appearance. This helps create a cohesive look throughout your book and enhances the reader’s experience.
- Avoid Overlapping Text and Illustrations – When positioning illustrations, be mindful of text placement. Avoid overlapping text and busy illustrations unless it is an intentional design choice. Use white space around text blocks to improve readability.
- Test Print a Copy Before Finalizing – Consider printing a test copy of your book with the final illustrations in place to see how they appear in print. This can help you identify any issues with color, alignment, or image quality before moving on to the final print run.
Final Notes: Importing final illustrations and replacing placeholder images is a key step in bringing your illustrated book to life. Use this guide to ensure that your final artwork is correctly positioned and aligned throughout your book, and make any necessary adjustments to create a professional and polished final product.
