A healthy balance of schedule, quality and cost is essential to print, printing successfully.

Planning Paper Document size Trim & text line Border Fonts Convert fonts Resolution CMYK mode Bleeds Name files Transferring files Compress files AOL users Sending files Proofreading Solid black Color fonts Scanning Mailing tips Gutter (book orders)

Planning Quantity of finished pieces. Artwork that you will be supplying. Size and number of finished pages. Number of colors, cmyk process or spot. Paper stock, color and feel. Coating options, varnish, lamination, ect. Is your project for long term or short term use? Will the final piece be mailed or is it a handout? When does the project need to be delivered? Number of folds, binding method or other finishing steps. -back to top- Paper Plan the paper stock and coating options. Is your project for heavy duty use? Is it to be mailed? If you are planning an upscale project, consider gloss coated paper if your project consists mostly of images or matte coated paper if it is text intensive to make pages easier to read.   -back to top- Document size Document page size should be set to trim size. If your order is to be trimmed to 11"x17", your document size should be set to 11"x17". If it bleeds, extend 1/8" on all sides beyond final dimension.   -back to top- Trim & text line The trim line is an imaginary line where the paper will be cut; it should be 1/8" away from the edge of the layout. The text line marks the border where text should discontinue. An imaginary line from where text discontinues and the trim line begins.   -back to top- Border If your project requires a border, keep at least .25" of white space from your border to the trim line on all sides. If you require a line border, make the line at least .25pt. thick to print correctly.   -back to top- Fonts Use open type fonts and fonts of the same brand. Use PostScript (usually stored in the psfonts directory in your hard drive) and Adobe PostScript fonts. Do not use True Type fonts. They may work for home and office printers, but causes problems for commercial printing. Do not stylize your fonts (to add bold, italic or Bold-Italic) using drop down menu. Use actual font. Avoid combining more than three typefaces, more than two serif or sans serif fonts a page.   -back to top- Convert fonts Embed fonts if you use Acrobat. Convert to curves if you use Corel Draw. Create outlines if you use Illustrator, save as EPS. PageMaker, create PDF file for print.  -back to top- Resolution Images should have 300dpi at 100% of the final size in the layout, saved as EPS or TIFF files. Text should be 400 dpi at the final size in the layout. Bitmap files (logos) should be 600 dpi at final size. Images with higher than recommended dpi are unnecessarily large and will not improve print quality. Do not use images with a resolution less than 300 dpi. Images displayed on websites, GIF and PNG files will reproduce poorly. -back to top-   CMYK mode If your files are submitted in RGB, we have to convert these to CMYK for print. Because the color translation between RGB and CMYK is not exact, select the CMYK color mode from the beginning of your project, to give you a better idea of how colors will look. Do not convert the mode from RGB to CMYK and back, it may cause colors to shift. RGB files print fine on home and office printers, but causes problems for commercial printing (doesn’t translate correctly on the RIP).   -back to top- Bleeds To print a page with full bleed, you must extend the bleed area 1/8" all around beyond the final dimension to allow trimming variation. Do not change the size of the document, drag the picture box over the edge of the document. 8.5 x 11" Flyer + 1/8" bleed = 8.75 x 11.25".   -back to top-   Name files To process your project efficiently, please name your files, be as descriptive as possible. Names should be logic and related to your project. Consider the points listed below. Your name, e-mail and phone number Name of project and order number Quantity and selection of colors Finished page size and number of pages Use individual file names (example: peter_cover_front) Name images and graphics before you import them to the layout -back to top- Transferring files Be aware when transferring art between PC and Mac or from one software to another. Fonts may shift. -back to top- Compress files Compress your files if they are greater than 10MB. You may use, WINZIP or PKZIP for Windows or Stuffit for Mac compression programs. These may be obtained from winzip.com, pkware.com or stuffit.com. If you use any other program as listed above, please make your files self-extracting. All files (page layout, fonts, images and graphics) should be in a single folder. If files are extremely large, compress them into several archives. If you have more than one file, arrange them in a folder and subfolders. Mac users using Stuffit may compress their files with Outlook Express 4.5 and up. Aol users should check the compress box in the attach file window.   -back to top- AOL users Be aware if you use AOL as your internet provider. AOL may limit your web inactivity and disconnect you if you are not an active user. Uploading may appear to be an inactivity to AOL. We recommend keeping your e-mail account open when you are uploading files to minimise the possibility of getting disconnected. When compressing files, check the compress box in the attach file window. -back to top- Sending files Pre-flight your document before sending it to us. Always keep backup files. Name the files, be sure of your order specifications. Supply only the files that we need.  Send your files in a single folder via e-mail (as attachment) up to 10 MB. See upload files link for further information.   -back to top- Proofreading Proofreading is very important. A tiny flaw can ruin everything. Do not assume that what you see on your monitor or print out is what you will receive. Take a good look at proofs provided by us.   • Eliminate all distractions. • Proofread everything several times. • View in neutral light. Be aware of the impact of ambient light when viewing colors. • Have two or more persons who are unfamiliar with the project go through the points listed below. Are colors, bleeds, folds or perforations O.K.? Are content, character flow and images as desired? Are alignment, spaces, spelling, punctuation and grammar fine? Is address, tel./ fax number, e-mail, URL, ISBN number correct? Are final size, borders, pagination, and front to back orientation O.K.? If the project is to be folded, fold the proof to check if all the elements are positioned correctly and if there are any errors with folding itself. -back to top- Solid black If your layout contains a large solid black area or black text over 48pt, optimize your file to the following color settings: C:50% / M:0% / Y:0% / K:100% to prevent it from looking gray. Never use C:100% / M:100% / Y:100% / K:100%.   -back to top- Color fonts Avoid color fonts or white fonts on a black background smaller than 12pt. If you wish, make fonts in one of the CMYK colors (avoid yellow).  Always convert black fonts to black (key). If you set fonts over an image use an image editing program to lighten your image for legibility.   -back to top- Scanning It is very important to keep in mind the resolution needed at final size. It is impossible to maintain resolution when enlarging an image. Once the resolution is reduced, it can not be enlarged without losing quality. Convert images to CMYK before importing them to the layout. Any image scanned above the recommended resolution will be unnecessarily large and will not improve print quality. Do not use poor-quality images (website images, low-quality digital photos, clip art, ect.). Activate the de-screening feature of your scanner. Scan images 300 dpi at 100% of final size in the layout, saved as EPS or TIFF (LZW off). Line Art should be scanned at 1200 dpi at final size and saved as TIFF or BMP format. Do not interpolate (manually changing the resolution) files to a larger size. Images from digital cameras appear in JPEG, for best results, convert them to EPS or TIFF. Do not reduce an image less than 30% of its original size. Use an image editing program to scale to recommended resolution. Resolution and size are inversely proportional to each other. If you enlarge an image, you lower its resolution. If you reduce an image, you increase its resolution. If you set a 6" x 6" image to your layout that has been enlarged to 12" x 12" (200% enlargement), scan it at 600 dpi. If not, your image will end up with 150dpi.   -back to top- Mailing tips If your order is to be mailed, check postal regulations: www.usps.gov . when creating your project. Using non-standard materials, weights or sizes can cost ¢10 more a piece. In the worse case, it may be rejected.   -back to top- Gutter (book orders) If you are planning a multi-page project, please leave a gutter (a space between the text and spine of page) between folded pages. To allow a ¼" margin on each page, the gutter should be ½". The margin should be at least 3/8" on all sides of the page.   -back to top-

Please note: Tips & Hints is by no means a definitive guide. It is only to turn customers

in a direction to prepare files for production. Because of the wide differences in equipment,

hardware and software versions, all details cannot be provided. We can not be held liable

for any mistakes that are a result of preparing files improperly.

               
                                                                         
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