A Designer’s Guide for Ideal Printing
)DEAL 0RINTING In today’s fast-paced printing#OMPANY )NC industry, designers are constantly facing new challenges: layout, fonts, color, images, personalization, not to mention the technical knowledge needed to creatively combine graphic materials within any number of software applications. As technology advances, designers are becoming more involved in the printing process. This guide attempts to bridge the gap between you and your printer. By adhering to this technical guide, you will enable us to deliver a finished product that we can take pride in. )DEAL 0RINTING #OMPANY )NC
Ideal Printing )DEAL 0RINTING #OMPANY )NCCompany, Inc. Creative. Committed. Complete. That’s Ideal! How do I set up my document for my printer? File Formats Documents need to be set up at actual single page size in consecutive page order (page 1, 2, 3, etc). If your document has elements that bleed off the page you must include an extra 1/8” & image past the edge of the page. Place blank pages wherever you want blank pages to appear. Please include marks to indicate folds, die cuts and/or perforations. If you do not wish these Layout marks to print mark them FPO (for position only), or keep them out of the print area. Set document margins to allow for binding. Allow a minimum 1/2” for spiral binding or saddle stitching (especially on larger books.) Allow 3/4” margins for drilling - such as 3-ring notebooks. Allow 3/8” for envelopes, letterheads and forms. Margins should not be less than .25”, with the exception of bleeds.
Ideal Printing accepts both MAC and 8If using Illustrator to set up a multi-page file PC files from the following software: (over 4 pages), please place pages as eps in Adobe InDesign® CS2 Quark or InDesign to create a single document Adobe Illustrator® CS2 file. Be sure to include all linked files and fonts Adobe Photoshop® CS2 on your disk. Adobe Acrobat® 7.0 8PDF files are preferred if using Word, Excel, Adobe Pagemaker 7.0 PowerPoint or Publisher, and also if using Quark Xpress® 6.5 software that we do not normally use. Freehand MX® (MAC) ® Microsoft Office 2004 8If you are using an older version of Publisher, • Word • Excel • PowerPoint it is recommended that you upgrade to the Publisher 2003 (PC) current version to avoid conversion problems. www.microsoft.com/Office/Publisher 1 File Formats & Layout How do I make an acceptable PDF file for printing? Developed by Adobe®, Portable Document Format or PDF, is a Most programs will allow you to Export, Print or Save As PDF. Careful attention must completely open file format that can be paid to the set-up parameters for creating the PDF as this directly affects the print be used on a multitude of output quality. If overlooked, the result may be a PDF that only contains low resolution images devices and media without losing or unembedded fonts that cause the file to be unacceptable for printing. Use the ‘Press’ image quality, style, format etc. (web conversion setting if available for a high quality PDF file. pages, printed documents, cd-rom, or email). PDF files can be seamlessly Postscript files (.ps) can be brought into Acrobat Distiller (Free download atadobe.co m) and transferred between Windows® and then converted to a PDF. Use the preset ‘Press’ conversion setting. Macintosh® systems. All PDF files can be viewed using Adobe® Acrobat 8Please make sure all fonts are embedded and colors are set to ‘leave as is’ or ‘composite Reader®, which is a free download CMYK’. Color and Grayscale image resolution should be no lower than 300dpi, and at http://www.adobe.com/products/ Monochrome images at 1200dpi. If your document bleeds, you must create a PDF that acrobat/readermain.html includes crop marks and bleeds. 8PDF files are created from page layout programs like Quark or 8You may find assistance at www.idealprinting.net or http://studio.adobe.com/us/print/main. InDesign. If you convert your file to jsp or check your software’s website. PDF with an embedded fault, it is difficult for your printer to correct it. Here are some quick links Be sure to check your PDF thoroughly 8Creating PDF from Word: http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/330729.html before sending to your printer. 8Creating PDF from Quark 4 (Windows): http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/322140.html 8If using Acrobat 6 Professional, 8Quark 5/6 (Windows): http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/327099.html use the ‘Separation Preview’ 8Excel 2000: http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/320121.html under the ‘Advanced’ tab to check for correct color breaks 8Excel XP: http://www.adobe.com/support/techdocs/328398.html and spot color. 2 File Formats & Layout 8 One of the most common errors found in documents is incorrect spacing of panels for folding. Here are some sample layouts for folding on regular weight paper. Note that il Des you cannot have equal panels on pieces with panels that fold inside. The a ign panel that folds inside must be a little shorter. M • )NSIDE &RONT "ACK g )NSIDE &OLD &RONT &OLD "ACK 0ANEL 0ANEL v v 0ANEL n v 0ANEL v v v i v
d Xv (!,& (!,& l Xv 42) &/,$
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F &RONT )NSIDE 2IGHT ,EFT 0ANEL "ACK &RONT &OLD 0ANEL 0ANEL "ACK 0ANEL 0ANEL v 0ANEL v v v v v v Xv '!4% &/,$ Xv 2/,, &/,$ Please include marks on your document to indicate folds, die cuts and/or perforations. If you do not wish these marks to print mark them FPO (for position only), or keep them out of the print area. Business Reply Mailers, Barcoded Envelopes Mail pieces have specific requirements for layouts. For mailing layout requirements or to submit a layout for review, visit http://www.usps.com/directmail/templatesguides.htm 3 Folding • Mail Design Varnishes If your document requires a spot varnish, use a separate document, page, layer or color for the vanish plate. Please indicate where the spot varnish needs to be on your proof. Fonts Die Lines To avoid problems, do not use the style If your document requires a non-standard die cut, a die line must be provided. tools in your page layout program (Bold, Use a 1pt line width. Please save your die line as a pdf file and clearly name it Italic, Underline, etc). Instead, pick the font as die line. Cuts such as business card slits, and perforations must be included name that will apply the style you want (Times on the die line. Please provide a print out. Indicate percentage reduced if at a Roman Bold). reduced size. Die lines must be precise!
9x12” folder 4.5” pocket To avoid reflow problems you must provide us Folders all fonts used in your document, including those See the sample dieline at right for embedded in linked graphics. typical folder layout. A folder needs to be laid out flat. If the folder 8 InDesign and Illustrator allow fonts to bleeds, the bleed cannot extend onto be converted to outlines. Outlines cannot the flaps. be re-converted back to text. Although outlines are a good way to avoid font problems, they are not preferred 8If you would like a speciality as it causes difficulty if cut or binding or have any we need to make type questions, our Customer Service changes to the file. Representatives would be happy to advise you. 616-453-2433 Varnishes • Die Lines • Folders 4 Varnish • Die Lines • Folders • Fonts 8 Any image, eps or vector, must be imported or placed into a document. Vector or Copying and pasting will not give acceptable results. Raster? Know the characteristics of Raster Images your images before you begin. the question of resolution. Vector Bitmap/Line art (black & white, no screens) needs a resolution of 1200 ppi at 100% image • Created with drawn size. (the raster image at left is a low-resolution example of a lineart image.)
enlarged 47% paths, precise points, clean, smooth edges • Resolution independent Color and grayscale photos need a resolution of 300 ppi (pixels per inch) at 100% image • Spot colors supported size. Be aware that when you increase the size of an image in the layout program, the image’s Vector .eps Vector • Fonts resolution is affected. For example, if an image is 300 ppi and scaled to 200% in the layout Uses: Logos, Dielines, Drawings, Clipart, Formats: eps, pdf program, the resulting ppi becomes 150 ppi. Software: Illustrator, Freehand, Corel Draw 8 Image programs like Photoshop will allow you to resample an image (change Raster the ppi). When you resample down, you discard pixels. When you resample up, • Created from pixels Photoshop creates pixels using predefined settings that produce a loss of sharpness enlarged 47% • Resolution dependent • CMYK, RGB, grayscale or and dulling of color. If you need a larger image you should rescan it, taking into bitmap (black & white) account the final output size or find a new image. • Cannot support spot color 72 dpi lineart .tif Please save your images as tifs, and duotones as photoshop eps. Uses: Photos, Website graphics Formats: pdf, tif, jpeg, gif, bmp, photoshop eps If using Photoshop spot channels, DCS2 files are acceptable. Software: Photoshop or other ‘photo’ software If you save to a jpg, use a ‘Baseline Standard’, ‘high quality’ and ‘low compression’ setting. 8 Professional programs like Quark or InDesign allow grayscale and line 8 Keep in mind that resolution is only one indicator of photo quality. If a photo art tif images (raster) to be colorized. at 300 ppi looks poorly on screen, such as grainy or fuzzy, resolution is not A color from the program swatch going to fix it. You may need to find a new photo. palette can be applied to the image. 5 Digital Images Scanning Check your scanner software to determine what settings you should use to achieve what is needed for printing. (Refer to Raster Images, page 8)
When scanning preprinted materials such as magazines or books, use the descreen function (if available with your scanning software) to eliminate moiré patterns produced by the interference of the image’s halftone screen with the resolution pixels of the scanner.
8 If no such function is available, check out Adobe Photoshop’s ‘Median’ filter (under 300 dpi filters/dust & scratches). A radius of 1 or 2 pixels will help to reduce the dot pattern.
8 If you do not have the ability to scan, please remember that we can scan for you. Please provide FPO scans or photocopies to show the placement and cropping you would like for each image, or we will crop at our discretion. We can scan photographs, transparencies, and negatives. If you have an image larger than 11x17 to scan, please contact our Customer Service Reps at 616-453-2433.
Digital Cameras 300 dpi @ 200% = Digital Cameras often describe resolution as measured in megapixels. At its highest setting, our 3.2 150 dpi megapixel camera takes a 72dpi .jpg photo at 2048 pixels wide by 1536 pixels high at a file size of 972 KB. At 300 dpi, this same picture measures approximatley 6.5x5”. To avoid poor quality images, be sure the images provided are at the needed resolution for printing. 8 If you open a digital photo in Photoshop the ppi will most likely be at 72. The image resolution and physical size are interchangeable values. For example an image that is 4x5” at 72 ppi has the same amount of information as an image that is 2x2.25” at 144ppi.
8 Any image designed for a website is RGB, raster, low resolution and not considered suitable for printing. 72 dpi 6 Digital Images from Scanners or Digital Cameras When choosing colors use a Pantone® color swatch book for accurate results. Your screen will not be accurate. Set your file up in the colors you wish it to print in. If a document is to be process color, define During printing, slight movements Color your color swatches as process color. If spot, be sure all color of the paper when going into the swatches used are defined as Pantone® spot colors. Delete all press can lead to misregistration unused colors. between the color plates. Therefore trap is applied. Depending on Printing color separations of your document is a good way to check the color relationship, touching for correct color usage. For example if your file is to be black and reflex elements are set to spread or choke. blue, if a picture prints on the cyan separation than you know color is being used that you do not wish to print. Our RIP software will handle all trapping. Our standard trap is set at 2 mil, black text and objects to Please set an image’s color mode or document’s color mode (if applicable) to ‘CMYK’ for overprint. 4-color process printing, ‘Grayscale’ for black and white photos, ‘Bitmap’ for lineart.
Any trap settings that have been set in the document program will Some quick tips regarding color... be ignored. If there is a particular trap setting that you are concerned 8CMYK or screened text may appear to 8For process color about, please note it. 100% black have “broken” edges on the type, due to the printing with large solid need to create line-screens for printing. areas of black use a rich CMYK 8If trapping between spot colors, black of 40c 40m 40y 100k. 50% black 8If using reversed out text or images small images or fine detail can within solid areas, be aware that the fine become “swallowed” into the trap, details tend to fill in on press. causing an undesired look. In this b fine text can be 8 Mixed ink colors difficult to print within in solids situation, small elements are 8Light screen percentages are difficult to (Quark and InDesign) are best as white knockouts, or reproduce accurately. Even the best presses acceptable. Spot color black overprints. have difficulty holding screens in which Photoshop DCS2 files are acceptable. 7 there is less than 5% of a color. Color • Trapping Professional Ink Large Format Posters Technologies Epson UltraChrome™ Ink
We use an Epson 10600 roll/sheet-fed, wide-format printer with UltraChrome inks for poster 6-color pigmented inking printing. Epson offers a wide-variety of professional media including backlight film, canvas, system and high end photo papers. For a sample book of media that Epson offers contact our Customer • Represents a great compromise Service Representatives. We may accept non-Epson papers, but cannot guarantee good results. between color gamut and print longevity Document must be set up at actual size of poster. Please save file as a pdf. • No noticeable short-term color shift Poster images can be a minimum 75ppi @ 100% size for good printing, however try to use for stable prints immediately after higher resolution images. Maximum paper width is 44” and height is determined by the printing. capabilities of your output program. • Data from Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc. Indicates the light- Quark 6.5: 48” maximum document height fastness of color prints when displayed InDesign CS: 216” behind glass to be rated up to 82 Illustrator CS: 227” years. Posters should be converted to PDF file for final output. (Refer to page 2 for PDF guidelines.)
We keep a 24” and 44” Semi-Gloss Photo Paper in stock. Data from Wilhelm Research Imaging, inc. Lightfastness rating based upon accelerated testing of prints on speciality media, displayed indoors, under glass. Actual print stability will If you would like your poster mounted to foamcore or other specialty finishing, please contact vary according to the image, printer engine, display conditions, light intensity, humidity, and atmospheric conditions. Epson a Customer Service Rep. for more information. does not guarantee longevity of prints. For maximum print life, display all prints under glass or lamination or properly store For more information on Epson papers and what Epson offers check out www.epson.com them. Epson Stylus Pro 10600 Professional Graphics Reference Guide 3.0, August 27, 2002 8 File Formats & Layout For a long time now direct mail Designing for Personalization has used personalization in a basic form: using the recipients There are three parts to a variable data job: a template, variable data, and a database. name and text based data. With 1. The template is the building block of your job. It defines the static (non-variable) advances in digital technology elements and the position and format of the variable data. it is now possible to address customers using variable text and 2. Decide what elements you would like to make variable prior to the design and how images. You can communicate to you will incorporate them into your design. your customers on a one-to-one 3. An accurate database is key part of a successful, personalized job. level. By connecting a database to the page design, jobs can be produced where each copy is Using QuarkXpress, set up a single document as you want the final product to look. (All tailored to a specific recipient. standards for printing text and images apply.) Decide which elements will be variable and which elements will remain unchanged or static. For example, if the job consists of 500 Typical applications include: postcards with variable addressing, set up just one postcard. That one card will be the standard • direct mail to which all variable data elements are applied using the text and picture boxes you set up. • personalized brochures • invitations Set your Quark document up using a record from your • conference and seminar material database (perhaps the record with the longest text line @&IRST .AME • follow-up mailers to make sure your layout can handle long names or @TAGLINE • security or financial documents addresses), and then mark which variable elements go with each field. @PICTURE • labels • point of sale materials We will then import the database into your document and provide a PDF proof of all records.
@INTEREST
9 Personalization Database Set-Up John, we can To input the variable information into your document, you will need to create one database using show you how to Microsoft Excel that includes all variable information. Make sure information is typed into the database make a strong exactly as you wish it to appear (spaces, capitals, punctuation etc). Font, Typesize and Color are impression. controlled by what is specified in your Quark document.
First row must contain the headers (First Name, Last Name, etc.) Each row is a separate record. Note: Business Administration & Marketing the order of the records determines print sequence. Unwanted records must be deleted. Maximum of 32,000 records per database. Sandi, find your Each column is a separate data field. Each field can be assigned to a different data element such as First prescription Name in the first column. Other fields could include such things as: City, State, Zip, Headline, Company for success at Name, Company Photo, Website, Website Photo (note: each one would be in a different column.)
field Healthcare Professionals 6 4 header &IRST .AME ,AST .AME INTEREST 4AGLINE 0ICTURE !DDRESS #ITY Lisa, record4 *OHN 3MITH "USINESS !DMINISTRATION -ARKETIN WE CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO BUSINESSTIF -APLEVIEW 'RAND 2APIDS we are attuned 3ANDI .ORTON (EALTHCARE 0ROFESSIONALS FIND YOUR PRESCRIPTION HEALTH FEMALETIF -ILE 2OAD 4RAVERSE #ITY to your ,ISA 6ANDERWALL 0ERFORMING !RTS -USIC WE ARE ATTUNED TO MUSICTIF 6ALLEY !VE )NDIANAPOLIS aspirations. "RIAN 3TUBECK (EALTHCARE 0ROFESSIONALS FIND YOUR PRESCRIPTION HEALTH MALETIF ,ANDEN $R 3PARTA
Variable Images Performing Arts & Music Place all variable images in a separate folder. Acceptable formats include JPEG, TIFF, and EPS in CMYK format with appropriate consideration given to Brian, resolution and final size. In Quark, the image box will be given instructions for images to find your prescription “fit in box”. Your image must be cropped appropriately to “fit in box” as desired. for success at
8All photos must be in the same format for a given field (column). The extension must be the same for every image in the field. For example, .jpeg cannot be combined with .jpg and .tiff cannot be combined Healthcare Professionals with .tif within the same field. 10 Personalization If you would like us to quote your job, Sending a job to Ideal Printing our Customer Service Reps would be Make sure your document has been thoroughly proofread for typographical errors. happy to help you. Please have this Your job must include the document file and all linked files and fonts (including those used in important information ready: linked graphics). Unnecessary files should be removed from your disk to avoid confusion. n Document finished size Include a current dummy proof of your document. If not at 100% size, please indicate the n Does the document bleed, or print percentage reduced. off the edge of the sheet n Quantity Some programs include features for easy file packaging. n Color Quark: Collect for Output (careful, does not collect fonts and images from linked eps files) n Type of paper desired InDesign: Package n Is there alot of ink coverage or Publisher: Pack and Go large solid areas of ink Pagemaker: Save for Service Provider n Number of pages 8Always test print and proof your document before sending your file. Output your document to n Prints on one or two sides a laser printer with color separations turned on to check for correct color breaks of spot and/or n Binding process colors, and use of correct colors. If you cannot output your document correctly, chances n Any specialty finshing like are we will also have trouble. diecutting or foil stamping You may send your files via: n Do you need to be present for a • Upload files to our website atwww.idealprinting.ne t press proof • CD, DVD, zip or floppy disk. (after copying the files to the disk, please open n Files are from which program the files from the disk and verify that they copied correctly and completely) n Desired delivery date • E-mail (file size under 3 megs). Our Customer Service Rep will provide you an email address. A PDF file for viewing is helpful when quoting a job. 8Please use StuffIt or WinZip to stuff or zip your files prior to sending through the internet. 11 Sending Your Job Before sending your file, do a final check. Document has been created using supported software. (See page 1 of Designer’s Guide.) Document is at finished page size in consecutive page order. Blank pages are placed where blank pages need to appear. Document bleeds. Image areas are extended 1/8” past the trim of the page. This is a spot color file. All images and text are printing as Pantone coated or uncoated inks. (page 7) This is a process color file. All images and text are set to print as CMYK. Rich blacks are set to 40c 40m 40y 100k. My raster images are at 300 ppi, line-art at 1200 ppi. (pages 5-6) Document has been checked for typographical errors. PDF files are created with the PRESS setting for printing. If the document bleeds, the PDF has been created with bleeds and crop marks. (page 2) All links and fonts, including those used in linked eps files, are included with my document. Dieline, varnish, foil stamp files included on disk and indicated on file/proof.(page 4) This is a personalized file. I have created a Quark document. The database is included and file/proof marked where the personalized information is to go. (pages 9-10) Printed proof or pdf proof provided with document file. File to be sent via disk, or use StuffIt or WinZip to email or upload the file to www.idealprinting.net (page 11)
2059 Lake Michigan Drive NW • Grand Rapids, MI 49504 phone 616-453-2433 • fax 616-453-4466 • www.idealprinting.net )DEAL 0RINTING #OMPANY )NC
)DEAL 0RINTING #OMPANY )NC
Ideal Printing )DEAL 0RINTING #OMPANY )NCCompany, Inc.
Creative. Committed. Complete. That’s Ideal!
2059 Lake Michigan Drive NW • Grand Rapids, MI 49504 phone 616-453-2433 • fax 616-453-4466 • www.idealprinting.net
Revised June 2005