File Preparation Tips

Using these tips will help your print jobs move through our workflow much smoother - saving time and money.

We use the latest in prepress and graphic design/desktop publishing software: Adobe Creative Suite, Freehand, Quark Xpress. We love to use your PDF files to print from: please make sure they are created using the
“Press Quality” settings, with bleeds and crop marks.

If you are sending us files other than PDFs, the following information should be used.

Images

All images should be at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) also called ppi (pixels/points per inch). Photos used on the web are generally not suitable for printing.

Images should not be scaled up in your layout more than 150%. They should also not be scaled down more than 75%. Sizing images should be done in a photo manipulation program (Photoshop, ImageReady).

Images should be converted from RGB to CMYK mode if printing a full color (process) job. Black and White images should be grayscale.

Avoid embedding images in your layout and send all images used in your layout with the job. This will allow us to edit them if necessary. Many layout programs are capable of “packaging” everything from your job, including images and fonts.

Fonts

All fonts used in your layout should be sent with the job. Again, using the package feature is helpful.

Spot Colors

When printing two and three color jobs, spot colors should be specified. Using “built colors” - colors made using CMYK or RGB will create problems when preflighting your job.

Use the Pantone Solid Coated colors when picking spot colors. These will appear in the color palette as “Pantone XXX C”.

Bleeds

Bleeds are images and graphics that “bleed” off the edge of the paper. Elements that bleed should have a minimum of ⅛ of an inch extra image that extends over the edge of the page.

Folds

Printed pieces can be folded in a number of different ways. Panel sizes can be different for the same size brochure if folded differently. A good rule of thumb is to make panels slightly smaller if folding into another panel.