Printing Industry Resources:In today's fast-paced world, the Web makes it easy to stay informed. We offer these links in an effort to make your daily work life just a little easier: How to prepare files for sending: File Preparation File Preparation:Check your file layout: Set all document pages to the final trim size. Do not include the bleed in the document size. Please extend all images and elements a minimum of 1/8" onto the pasteboard in order to provide enough image area for bleed. Please supply your file in printer spreads. Prior to submitting your files to us, please take time to insure that unnecessary items are removed from your files. This includes: Items left on the pasteboard, pages not required for output, unused colors and styles. Please keep an original set of your files. Only send copies to us. Keep backup copies of your job - magnetic media can be unstable! NOTE: Adobe Illustrator is not recommended as a page layout program. However we do take files in this program set up this way. Drawing programs define object size, rather than page size, so we need to drop Illustrator EPS files into a page layout program to accurately impose them for our presses. Using Fonts: Provide both your screen and printer fonts. We prefer Type 1 (Postscript) fonts. Please avoid using truetype fonts - they are unpredictable in output. Avoid mixing Postscript Type 1 and TrueType fonts within the same document as this can cause output problems. Please choose fonts with native bold and/or italic versions rather than manually stylizing a font. Otherwise we may be required to reset your manual bold, italic, and bold italic styles to correct font design at an additional charge. Never stylize a Multiple Master font. The results are unpredictable! If you are going cross-platform (ie. from PC to Mac) remember that fonts do not travel well. MAC and PC fonts are different, even if both are Postscript Type 1 fonts. Special characters use different key combinations. Create outline and drop shadow fonts in a drawing program. You will have more control over them and you will encounter fewer printing problems as well. Image Preparation: Do not embed images. Save all graphics as either tiff or eps files. Formats such as pict, jpeg, gif or compressed formats, or lzw are not compatible with most output devices. Be careful to include fonts and graphics in EPS files as well. Raster-based images placed in a page layout program should not be sized more than 100%. Scale the artwork in an image program prior to placing it into the page layout program. Resizing images affects image quality. Please rotate graphics and images in the original graphic application before placing them into a page layout program. Rotation within a page layout program increases processing time and could result in postscript errors. Crop photos and graphics in the original application before placing them into your document. The RIP processes the entire image, not just the portion that is visible, resulting in longer output times. Please do not use hairline rules - they do not always print. Use a minimum of .25 pt rule. More information on image resolution and color spaces is available. Spot Colors: When using Pantone or custom spot colors in a graphic program such as Photoshop, Illustrator or Freehand, make sure that all color names are exactly the same in your page layout file and all linked images as well. NOTE: Colors with different names, no matter how slight the difference, will produce separate plates, resulting in extra costs. For instance: Pantone 109 CV is not the same as Pantone 109 CVU. Documents should include only the colors that you want printed. If you are using spot colors, print out your document in separations as well as a composite before sending your job to us. (This will show you which elements of your document will print on which color plate, and can alert you to potential printing concerns.) If your photo is a duotone, please be sure any PMS color used is named exactly the same in your Photoshop file as it is in your page layout program. Process Colors: If your job is to be 4 color process, be sure to convert all colors to process before submitting your files. Convert RGB, CIE-Lab and indexed color files to CMYK for process separation before bringing your document to us. Very important: When your files are complete, please collect for output carefully being sure to include all fonts and "Flight Check" all files before compressing. File delivery: When handing off the art files via CD please provide a marked up visual printout. A laser output is best, but you may send any color or b&w output. Please submit both a composite output and separations of the colors which we are to print. Whenever possible, output proofs at 100%. For jobs with special folding instructions, please include a folded sample. When sending files electronically always provide a PDF proof of the final native files you are sending, so that a comparison visual proof or laser can be generated. Electronically compress your files To protect them from corruption - prefer using Stuffit over Zip format. Also, it is recommend that if you are sending stuffed files that you go one step further and code the archive Bin-Hex because there is less chance of file corruption. Email: Please keep email files to under 3-5 MB whenever possible. Large files (over 5 mg) should be sent via an FTP site. FTP site delivery: Since we use many different suppliers and therefore different FTP sites, we will advise you of the appropriate address to send your files. |