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Helpful Tips - A Guide To Correct File Setup

Photoshop:

COLOR MODE - CMYK
LAYERS - FLATTENED
RESOLUTION - 300 dpi

SAVE AS - EPS, TIFF, or PSD
*If entire job is composed in Photoshop please save as an EPS. Our EPS settings are PREVIEW: Macintosh JPEG ENCODING: JPEG Maximum Resolution, all boxes should be unchecked.

Illustrator:

COLOR MODE - CMYK
FONTS - Convert to outlines or EMBED the fonts
IMAGES- Should be linked, supplied, and the images should follow our PHOTOSHOP standards (no RGB files or JPEGS).

SAVE AS - EPS
*If entire job is composed in Illustrator please set the crop area (using the crop area tool) to include the bleed.

InDesign & Quark:

COLOR MODE - All colors should be converted to CMYK color space
PAGES- Each side of your job should have it own page and the page size should match the final trim size. Remember to leave bleeds (min. 1/8")
FONTS - MUST BE collected and packaged
IMAGES- MUST BE INCLUDED, linked, and the images should follow our PHOTOSHOP standards (no RGB files or JPEGS).

*JPEG WARNING : JPEGS give inaccurate previews at times when using a layout applications. If you have been using JPEG images, don’t JUST resave them in an acceptable format. You also MUST go into the layout program and update the images before saving the Indesign or Quark file. The reason being, there could be a shift and size position due to the JPEG’s preview you were using.

Specify scores on files by making a black line outside of the guides where the piece needs to be scored. Label the line “Score Here” . You can also use guides when using Photoshop or Illustrator to indicate scoring lines.

Resolution Settings:

• 1. On almost all jobs your resolution should be 300dpi at final size.
• 2. Images on websites are low resolution (72dpi) and they are unusable for printing.
• 3. When you enlarge a 300dpi image you decrease it's actual dpi and the image's clarity will degrade.

Basic Rules:

Offset printers only run and print CMYK colors. Try to submit your final artwork in CMYK at all times.

What you see on your monitor is not and will never be what is printed. No matter how calibrated it is, it is still projecting light at you and unless we come up with new technology to imbed a light source in paper, the results will never be the same.

Bleeds & Safeties

When you create a new document, set your page size to the final trim size of your piece. A business card should be 3.5" x 2", a catalog sheet 8.5" x 11", and so on.

Many people become confused with the terms trim, safety and bleed. Quite simply, trim is the final size your piece will be cut to. The safety is the distance your text must be placed inside of the trim (appx.: 1/8") to ensure that it is not accidentally cut off in the bindery. And finally, bleed is the distance an area must protrude beyond the trim so that a color or picture comes right to the edge, or trim, of your piece.

Do not draw in cropmarks. Quark, Pagemaker, and the other desktop publishing programs all create cropmarks to the proper document size with an option enabled in the print dialog box.
Not only do you waste your time by drawing cropmarks, but we have to take the time to resize your document and delete your cropmarks. Avoid drawing boxes around your mechanical to show the trim. The lines are too small to see on the screen and we will need to print your document or page an extra time after deleting them.

 

Sending Your Artwork. A few simple reminders and guidelines. All files must be uploaded in a compressed format. Only .zip or .sit files can be uploaded. Please call us if you have any questions or problems uploading your file. Start uploading your files

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