A New Series on HD Prepress File Preperation

From The Art Director — Bobby Lee

Before reading please read part 1, part 2, part 3

–

Part IV – Tips & Techniques

This weekly series is offered as a prelude to the launch of our exciting new FastTrak File Processing program coming this March.  The items covered in the series provide solutions to the most common problems we encounter with client submitted files.  Our goal is to educate our clients on techniques to minimize and even eliminate delays on proofing and printing alike.

For those who are new to preparing files for printing, or for those more experienced designers wishing to brush up on technique, we hope this prelude will be a valuable learning experience whatever your level of expertise.  At the very least, the basic tips presented in this series will make the design process go more smoothly, and at most they will help eliminate the likelihood of someday hearing those dreaded words…“we ran into a problem with your files.”

8.  Avoid “Marginal” Margins

Text or graphics placed too close to outside margins run the risk of being trimmed off during bulk trimming.  Outside margins measuring less than the recommended 1/8” minimum—as shown on our templates—run the risk of appearing uneven when trimmed in bulk.  Templates are available for almost any item you can print at Copy Craft, and each one shows the recommended minimum margin and bleed in relation to trim or die lines.  With six different file types to choose from, it’s very easy to download a template to build your document correctly from the beginning or double-check a file that’s already finished.  Just remember to remove the template before sending in your final file.

Smaller Documents: Outside margins on small documents, such as business cards, tickets, etc., should be a minimum of 1/8“.  Increase margins to 1/4” for slightly larger items such as postcards and invitations.  Documents such as door hangers and similar die-cut items benefit from margins of 1/4″ to 3/8”.

Larger Documents: Outside margins on larger documents should be increased in proportion to their size.  Brochures and rack cards benefit visually from margins of 1/4” or more.  Increase the margins for posters and banners accordingly.

Envelopes & Small Spot Color Documents: Full Color or Process Color envelopes require a 3/8“ clear margin at the top of the envelope for the press to grip the envelope and pull it through the press.  Most spot color documents, such as forms, invitations, letterhead, etc., require a 3/8” clear border at the top for the press to grip the paper.  Spot color envelopes require a 3/8” border at the top or at the right, as an option.  Envelopes requiring full bleed on all sides must be printed on larger flat sheets that are then die-cut and converted into envelopes afterwards, so in this case please specify “full bleed” when placing your order as both prices and turnarounds are greater.

9.   Thin Borders on Trim Lines

A thin rule border along the trim of the document is impossible to print and trim consistently so we do not guarantee the outcome of such a design.  If your document requires a continuous color border, please supply a minimum 1/8” border inside the trim plus 1/8” bleed outside the trim.  (If you are in the habit of creating a 1 point ruled box to mimic the size of your document on a larger page, try setting your Page Size for the document to match the trim size instead, as suggested in the first tip on Part II of this blog.)

10.  Folds & Templates

Folding is affected by a variety of things including paper weight, the folding equipment being used, and the number of times it goes through the equipment.  Panel sizes on a brochure can vary from piece to piece depending on the fold.  For example: panel sizes are different on a standard trifold brochure than a comparably sized Z-fold brochure.  Copy Craft has built an extensive library of well-tested templates to assist you in laying out files for accurate folds.  Please visit copycraft.com/templates and select the template that matches your job to avoid any folding problems.  Our templates are available in six different file formats.  Some are best suited for initial layout design and others for double-checking a layout before submitting the file to be printed.  Most brochures have separate templates for each side.  Some brochure templates make a distinction between paper weights, so if you are not sure which paper weight applies to your order, check with your sales representative.  He or she will be happy to direct you to the proper template to successfully build or double-check your files.  Always remove any templates before submitting your files.

11.  Rich Blacks & Small RGB Black Type

Rich blacks are most commonly used to create rich, deep black backgrounds, large black accent areas and large headline type.  Our recommended mix for rich black is 40% Cyan, 30% Magenta, 20% Yellow and 100% Black (40,30,20,100).  Avoid using rich black for small type.  The same is true for RGB Black as it becomes multi-color type when converted to CMYK.  Small, multi-color type can be difficult to register across a large sheet on the press, and may even present a color halo effect.  We recommend setting small black type in 100% Black only.  Be aware that programs limited to RGB color palettes, such as Word and most versions of Publisher can cause problems in this regard and may even require reformatting at an extra charge.

12.  Overprinting

The use of selective overprinting is an art, but accidental overprinting can lead to disappointment on the press.  Here are a few things to watch for, and a few tips you can use to preview final output before sending in your files.

The most common problem we encounter with overprinting is white type set to overprint on a color background.  It basically just disappears.  The effect is similar to applying the Multiply effect to white type.  Check your Attributes window in most programs to see if either the Fill or Stroke is set to overprint.  Programs like InDesign and Illustrator will let you preview overprinting.  When in doubt, check it out.

Other overprinting errors tend to occur in complex vector logos and complicated illustrations done in Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw or other vector programs. If you are developing this type of artwork in Illustrator, select “Overprint Preview” from the View menu to check your progress.  If you have an earlier version of Illustrator, you can always either rasterize the art in Illustrator or drop the file in Photoshop to preview the artwork as it will appear after being rasterized by high-end commercial RIPs (Raster Image Processors).

13.  Gradients

The most common problem with gradients is banding.  Banding typically occurs when a gradient is spread across a large area and the difference between the starting color and the ending color of the gradient is minimal.  For example: if you have a color shift in a single color gradient of 4% across an 8” area, the computer is basically asked to make four 2” steps.  Sometimes those steps are visible as bands.  It’s possible to minimize this problem by using a broader CMYK color mix on each end of the gradient.  For example, try a 3-color green rather than cyan and yellow only green.  But for all practical purposes, to eliminate banding you will most likely have to increase the number of steps in your gradient by going from a lighter color to a much darker color, or vice versa.

Color-to-Black gradients sometimes develop a grayish blend in the middle.  This type of gradient works better if you add the same color values you start with on one end of the gradient to the process black on the other end.  Example:  on a Green to Black gradient, rather than going from a C 100, Y 100 green to K 100 only black, start with C-100, Y-100 at one end and go to K 100 + the C 100, Y 100 on the other.  Try it.

Spot-to-Spot gradients sometimes look richer if you create two separate Spot-to-White gradients going in opposite directions and then position one to overprint on top of the other.  Try it the next time you work with spot gradients.

14.  Spelling and Grammar Errors

Please spell check your documents before submitting them for printing.  Our proofing system gives you one last chance to check for errors, so please don’t pass up the chance to catch them.  We are not responsible for any spelling or grammar errors.

Next Week and beyond…

Next week the series will cover even more tips and techniques for proper prepress file preparation.  By the time our new FastTrak File Processing program is launched around 20 topics will be covered, so please bookmark this page or make a copy of these tips for future reference.  Also, feel free to send a link to whomever you think would benefit from the referral.  We look forward to serving you and hope this information will be beneficial to you, your organization or anyone else who prepares prepress files for you.

Our goal is to continually inform our clients of improvements in our system so you can experience quicker turnarounds and more accurate printing.  You can find additional setup tips on our Support Center at copycraft.com.  Please feel free to call if you have any questions beyond the items listed here:  1.800.794.5594.

Watch for the launch of our exclusive FastTrak File Processing program coming to Copy Craft Printers in March.

A New Series on HD Prepress File Preperation

From The Art Director — Bobby Lee

Before reading please read part 1 & part 2

–

Part III – Tips & Techniques

This weekly series is offered as a prelude to the launch of our exciting new FastTrak File Processing program coming this March.  The items covered in the series provide solutions to the most common problems we encounter with client submitted files.  Our goal is to educate our clients on techniques to minimize and even eliminate delays on proofing and printing alike.

For those who are new to preparing files for printing, or for those more experienced designers wishing to brush up on technique, we hope this prelude will be a valuable learning experience whatever your level of expertise.  At the very least, the basic tips presented in this series will make the design process go more smoothly, and at most they will help eliminate the likelihood of someday hearing those dreaded words…“we ran into a problem with your files.”

5.  Color Palettes

For Full Color or Process Color printing, use CMYK palettes only.  This applies to all photos, vector images, imported images, fills, strokes and text.  We print in process colors on all of our HD Waterless and Digital Presses.  When setting up Illustrator files, choose CMYK as the color mode and work in CMYK/Preview.  For InDesign and QuarkXPress use CMYK color palettes and CMYK colors.  Should your document have any spot colors, please convert them to CMYK to avoid problems with drop shadows and other special effects.  The only exception would be a Spot Color job which is specifically designed to use Pantone PMS colors.

Never submit files with RGB or Index colors as those colors are blind converted to CMYK by our RIP software, sometimes with unpredictable results and color shifts.

6. Images: Types, Resolution and Color Modes

Creating Photoshop Documents:

When creating files in Photoshop, set the width and height to the trim size plus .25” to each dimension for bleed, if required (that allows .125” for each side). Set the Resolution to 300 ppi and the Color Mode to CMYK color.  For B&W or Spot Color files choose Grayscale. Please note that PDF files created in Photoshop do not generate trim marks, so it is critical that the file is sized properly to include bleed as needed, or to the trim size if not.

For Photoshop documents with bleed, we suggest placing guidelines at 1/8 inch from all sides so you can visualize where the file will trim.  (See the illustration with the fireworks photo in Part II of this series.)  The same technique can be used for Photoshop documents of any size whenever bleed is required.

Acquired or Existing Images:

When working with acquired or existing images in Photoshop, make sure they are in CMYK mode and at least 300 ppi resolution at 100% (the final printed size).  When purchasing photos from internet photo banks, select a size and resolution equal to or greater than the size needed in your document. 72 ppi images at 100%, such as those appearing on or copied from websites, are not acceptable as they will appear severely pixelated on your final printed document.

Digital Camera Images:

Photos taken with digital cameras may be 72 ppi, but since they may also be up to 54” wide they can still be perfectly acceptable when reduced.  For example: consider the “Image Size” readings as shown in this screen capture from a typical digital camera photo and discover how it can be changed to fit a 4 x 6 Postcard in two easy steps.

Spot Color Images:

Monotones, Duotones and Tritones created for Spot Color jobs should include Pantone PMS colors.  When placing these images in other programs, review your color palette in that program to make sure you don’t have more than one version of each Pantone color, such as PMS 300 CVC plus PMS 300 C, as plates are made for each color in your file…an addition, unnecessary expense.

Color Shifts:

Never submit RGB or Index images as they will be automatically blind converted to CMYK by our RIP software.  Unpredictable color shifts may result.  We require that you convert RGB images to CMYK so you can make color adjustments if you are unhappy with any color shifts resulting from the conversion.

7.  Fonts

If you send InDesign files, select “Package” from the File Menu to gather all of the files and fonts used to create your job.  This will create a folder with all the files needed to print your job.  Compress and send this new folder.

If you send QuarkXPress files, select “Collect for Output” from the File Menu to gather all of the files and fonts used to create your job and place them in a new folder.  Compress and send this new folder.

If you intend to generate PDF files for us, we prefer that you use our “CCP.joboptions” (click to download) Preset file, which you can downloaded and used at any time with compatible software.  Complete instructions and how-to videos for downloading and installing our custom preset file are available at copycraft.com.  When exporting PDF files with our preset file you will simply choose “CCP” as the new preset option rather than the usual standard “Press Quality” option.

There are times when the PDF distiller will not allow you to include fonts for various reasons.  If you encounter this issue, convert the offending type to outlines and try again.  Depending on the size of your document, it may be easier to Select All and convert all of the type to outlines.  As a general reminder, please spell check your documents, especially if you intend to convert type to outlines.  Also, please open and review each PDF file you create to make sure all of the type is correct and that no font substitutions or type shifting occurred during the translation.

Tips for converting type to outlines in Copy Craft PDF approved programs:*

Photoshop: To convert fonts in Photoshop simply flatten the image in the layers menu.  This will also reduce the file size.  The same applies for any Photoshop file, including those placed as images other programs.

Illustrator: Select all type then choose Create Outlines from the Type menu.

InDesign: Select All, or select the type blocks in question, and then choose Create Outlines from the Type menu for each page.

QuarkXPress: *Not recommended.  Converting text to outlines (or curves) is problematic in QuarkXPress as type can easily shift position.  If you use a font that is unregistered or that fails to embed in your PDF file, it may be better to choose another similar font.  Another option is to save your document as an EPS file then rasterize individual pages in Photoshop.  We can provide this service for an additional charge.

Next Week and beyond…

Next week the series will cover even more tips and techniques for proper prepress file preparation.  By the time our new FastTrak File Processing program is launched around 20 topics will be covered, so please bookmark this page or make a copy of these tips for future reference.  Also, feel free to send a link to whomever you think would benefit from the referral.  We look forward to serving you and hope this information will be beneficial to you, your organization or anyone else who prepares prepress files for you.

Our goal is to continually inform our clients of improvements in our system so you can experience quicker turnarounds and more accurate printing.  You can find additional setup tips on our Support Center at copycraft.com.  Please feel free to call if you have any questions beyond the items listed here:  1.800.794.5594.

Watch for the launch of our exclusive FastTrak File Processing program coming to Copy Craft Printers in March.

A New Series on HD Prepress File Preperation

From The Art Director — Bobby Lee

Before reading please read Part I

—

Part II – Tips & Techniques

This weekly series is offered as a prelude to the launch of our exciting new FastTrak File Processing program coming this March.  The items covered in the series provide solutions to the most common problems we encounter with client submitted files.  Our goal is to educate our clients on techniques to minimize and even eliminate delays on proofing and printing alike.

For those who are new to preparing files for printing, or for those more experienced designers wishing to brush up on technique, we hope this prelude will be a valuable learning experience whatever your level of expertise.  At the very least, the basic tips presented in this series will make the design process go more smoothly, and at most they will help eliminate the likelihood of someday hearing those dreaded words…“we ran into a problem with your files.”

1.  Document Size Settings

The first thing you do when setting up a computer file for printing is actually the most critical, and that is setting up the proper document size.  Our system is based on the use of PDF files, all of which contain trim marks to designate the final trim or fold size plus bleed if the design calls for it.

Single Sheet Documents: The basic formula is Page Size = Trim Size.

The Page Size entered in all programs for single sheet items, such as business cards, postcards, brochures, posters, etc., should be set to match the final trim size.

For example: the typical business card is 3.5 x 2 inches.  When creating a new document in InDesign, Illustrator or QuarkXPress, the Page Size should also be 3.5 x 2.  Do not place two or more business cards on an 8.5 x 11 document and expect the business cards to process separately.  Set up a separate file or separate page for each card.  PDF bleed and trim marks cannot be generated to size unless the page size and the trim size are the same.

Exception: The one exception would be Photoshop files where bleed is required, in which case the page size must be 1/4” larger in both dimensions to accommodate 1/8” bleed on all four sides.)

Multi-Page Documents: The basic formula is Document Size = Folded Size.

The Page Size on multi-page documents, such as magazines, booklets, calendars, stitched newsletters, etc., should be set to the folded size.  The total number of pages on any folded booklet must be divisible by 4 as each folded signature contains 4 pages.  Do not use the unfolded signature size for your document setup size as this will throw off the pagination and force us to request a total rebuild of the file itself.

Exceptions: The first exception is for loose-leaf booklets, such as coil bound or stapled pamphlets, the Page Size should equal the final sheet size as with single sheet documents.  The second exception is for Photoshop files where bleed is required, in which case the page size, as described for either of the above, must be 1/4” larger in both dimensions to accommodate 1/8” bleed on all four sides.

2.  Bleed

The concept of bleed seems to be somewhat tricky for many beginning designers, but it’s actually quite simple.  Pick up any magazine and notice how the cover photo fills the page to the edge on all four sides.  That’s bleed.  Pick up the most recent sheet printed from your B&W desktop printer.  It doesn’t have bleed, because the toner doesn’t print all the way to the edge of the paper.  The same is true with most business forms and RSVP cards, for example.

Simply stated, any document without a clear white border on all four sides requires bleed.  That includes any document with photos, fills, tints, rules or graphic elements that extend to the trim line, or edge of the sheet.  Bleed must be supplied so the job can be successfully trimmed and/or folded in bulk by our bindery.  The standard required bleed is 1/8” or .125” on all four sides.

3.  Bleed Settings

The second most critical thing to do when setting up a computer file is to properly designate bleed values.  A bleed value of .125” must be set on the document setup page in all programs where that option is available, such as InDesign and Illustrator.  If your document doesn’t require bleed then the values should be set to 0 inches.  As mentioned above, our system requires PDF files for final output and depending on the program used, your file may not generate bleed without those values being entered, especially in the case of Illustrator.

Exceptions: The first exception is QuarkXPress.  As there are no settings for bleed on the setup screen, simply extend bleeding items at least 1/8” beyond the trim line on your layout.  The other exception is Photoshop where both the horizontal and vertical dimensions must be increased by 1/4” to allow 1/8” on all sides for bulk trimming.  Saving a PDF file out of Photoshop does not generate trim marks, so an accurate file size with or without bleed is critical to sizing the final printed piece.  The same is true for single page and multi-page documents.  We suggest setting up guidelines in Photoshop 1/8” from each side to help visually anticipate where the document will be trimmed.

4.  Multiple Documents on the Same Page

Please do not place multiple documents on a single page.  For example, you can’t float 3 or 4 business cards on an 8.5 x 11 and expect them to generate 3.5 x 2 PDF files.  We require individual page PDF files with trim marks to properly run through our system.   If files are submitted in this manner, we either have to place and crop multiple copies of your file in another program to generate accurate PDF files, or request revised files from you in order to process the order.  Either way, you will experience a delay in your job.  The solution is covered in the first item of this blog, and that is to make the page size equal the trim size, with a few exceptions as noted above.

Next Week and beyond…

Next week the series will cover even more tips and techniques for proper prepress file preparation.  By the time our new FastTrak File Processing program is launched around 20 topics will be covered, so please bookmark this page or make a copy of these tips for future reference.  Also, feel free to send a link to whomever you think would benefit from the referral.  We look forward to serving you and hope this information will be beneficial to you, your organization or anyone else who prepares prepress files for you.

Our goal is to continually inform our clients of improvements in our system so you can experience quicker turnarounds and more accurate printing.  You can find additional setup tips on our Support Center at copycraft.com.  Please feel free to call if you have any questions beyond the items listed here:  1.800.794.5594.

Watch for the launch of our exclusive FastTrak File Processing program coming to Copy Craft Printers in March.

From The Art Director — Bobby Lee

Part I – Setup

It’s a fast paced world out there, and the printing industry is no exception.  Today, questions like,  “How soon can you print it?” seem more habitual than exceptional.  The most likely answer is, “It depends on how fast you can get us a good set of files.”

Over the last decade, Copy Craft Printers has invested heavily in HD Waterless and Digital Color Printing technologies as well as the computer graphic technologies required to make those kinds of turnarounds possible.  Even so, we realize that one of the last remaining challenges for the graphics community is how to convert a brilliant concept into a computer file that will effortlessly cause an elaborate set of machines somewhere across the country to produce a glamorous brochure that will ship…you guessed it…“as soon as possible.”

Fortunately, Copy Craft has decided to take on that challenge.  In fact, we are working hard to develop new ways to educate our clients on techniques to minimize and even eliminate delays on proofing and printing alike.  To that end we are launching a new FastTrak File Processing program this coming March.  Soon it will be easier and quicker than ever before to submit press-ready files, review hi-res proofs online and submit final approvals for printing…all within our client’s deadline.

This new weekly series on Prepress File Preparation is offered as a prelude to the launch of this exciting new program.  The tips and techniques covered in the series are offered as solutions to the most common problems we encounter with submitted files on a daily basis.  For those who are new to preparing files for printing, or for those more experienced designers wishing to brush up on technique, we hope this prelude will be a valuable learning experience whatever your level of experience.  At the very least, the basic tips presented in this series will make the design process go more smoothly, and at most they will help eliminate the likelihood of someday hearing those dreaded words…“we ran into a problem with your files.”

Overall Preparation

Print design isn’t rocket science, but with the involvement of computers and high-end press equipment it does require a bit of planning and background knowledge to make sure the overall mission goes well.  Selecting the right program for the project is just as important as picking the right photos or typestyles to effectively communicate your concept.

Photographers may prefer to work in Photoshop, whereas logo designers might prefer to work with vector art in Illustrator.  Should the final printed piece be a single-sheet document incorporating the use of both elements, then perhaps Illustrator would be an excellent choice.  If the final piece is a booklet or magazine, programs that support more elaborate multi-page documents, like InDesign or QuarkXPress would be a better choice.  Whichever program you use, be sure your choice makes sense from the beginning so you can avoid having to start over with a different program should things go awry or become more elaborate as the project evolves.

Acceptable Applications for HD Printing

We are often asked to recommend software by budding new designers as well as universities, school districts, advertising agencies and corporations setting up in-house design departments.  As you know, software in our industry has evolved over the last few decades and it has become highly specialized.  Some programs are designed for output on commercial presses while others are best left for desktop printers.

Suffice it to say that we have designated the following software programs to be the most appropriate for the task of HD printing, and experience shows these few will work the best with our new FastTrak File Preparation program without additional processing:  Adobe Creative Suite including InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop, as well as QuarkXPress.

Unlike some printers today, we still accept files built in Corel Draw, Publisher, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, but you should know that they do require standard processing by our graphics department and may be subject to additional charges if reformatting is required.  No matter which software you use, you can still benefit from the following tips to minimize the time required to process your files and prevent delays.

Evaluating the Elements

The quality of any printed document is only as good as the quality of the elements it contains.  Before you put together your piece, it’s a good idea to review any files you’re likely to place into it.  If you are creating a spot color job, make sure the names of PMS colors in your final document match those of any Pantone PMS colors used in any monotones or duotones.  Avoid multiple names for the same PMS color since separate plates will be generated for each color used in your final palette.

For full-color or process color printing, all photos should be CMYK, and their resolution should be a minimum of 300 ppi at 100% of the final size in your document.  When purchasing photos from internet photo banks, select a size and resolution equal to or greater than the size needed in your document at 300 ppi.  Lo-res 72 ppi images at 100%, such as those appearing on or copied from websites, are not acceptable as they will appear severely pixelated on your final printed piece.  Digital camera images, on the other hand, are perfectly acceptable at 72 ppi if their original size is at least 4 times larger than the finished size.

As you crop and size photos, be sure to retain enough background to allow for bleed.  Convert any RGB images to CMYK so you can color correct them if any unwanted color shifts occur during the conversion.  There are many more things to evaluate when gathering items for a printed document. By the time this series is completed we will do our best to help you discover most of them.

Coming Monday, February 1st…

On Monday we will post Part II of this article and begin listing solutions to the most common problems we encounter with client files, starting with the most critical of them all…Document Size Settings.

By the time our new FastTrak File Processing program is launched, around 20 topics will be covered, so please bookmark this page or make a copy of these tips for future reference.  Also, feel free to send a link to whomever you think would benefit from the referral.  We look forward to serving you and hope this information will be beneficial to you, your organization or anyone else who prepares prepress files for you.

Our goal is to continually inform our clients of improvements in our system so you can experience quicker turnarounds and more accurate printing.  You can find additional setup tips on our Support Center at copycraft.com.  Please feel free to call if you have any questions beyond the items listed here:  1.800.794.5594.

Watch for the launch of our exclusive FastTrak File Processing program coming to Copy Craft Printers in March.

A really great way to send your finalized files to use for print production is as a PDF. As you probably know there are about 1,000 different options when saving a PDF. To make life easier and to ensure you are sending the PDF in the proper format we have built a profile with all the correct PDF settings. Click here to download the Copy Craft PDF presets.

Once you have installed the PDF presets you can begin saving your files as a print ready PDF with the Copy Craft setting from any of the Adobe products which support PDF saving/exporting.

Below is a video tutorial on how to install the PDF presets.

We have more videos coming soon dealing with proper file setup in Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign, so please check back.

Any comments are greatly appreciated. Please feel free to share this video!

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