- Sending your files
- File Formats
- File Pre-Print Check
- Artwork central and backing up correctly
- Bleed and ‘Quiet Border’
- Fonts
- Colour Matching
- Photographs and Graphics
Sending your files
Before sending us your designs they must be saved in PDF format. We highly recommend compressing your files before sending them to us as this not only makes the transfer faster but also more reliable.
File Formats
Your PDF should be prepared at press quality with artwork centred on pages. Please ensure that you carefully check your PDF before sending it. Whilst software is usually reliable there is still a real possibility that something changes in the conversion from native file format to PDF. Since the PDF is now the only origination we have to work with all our processes are deigned to ensure that the finished print matches the PDF supplied. We strongly recommend downloading the latest edition of Adobe Acrobat Reader from www.adobe.com This is a completely free programme designed to let you view PDF files. Please ensure that you are using the latest update by clicking the ‘Check for Updates’ link under the Help Tab.
Fle Pre-Print Check
When you opt for your file to be Pre-print Checked it will be reviewed by an experienced designer and checked by our proof readers.
We check for:
- Artwork being central and backing up correctly
- That there is sufficient Bleed and Quiet Border
- That fonts are embedded.
- That all elements of the job are CMYK (RGB and Pantone colours may not print as expected in Full Colour).
- That the quality of photography and graphics is to print standard.
- That there is colour matching and wherever possible that the colours specified will print as perceived on screen.
We also carry out a rigorous proof reading exercise which, whilst not guaranteed to pick up every error, has proved a ‘lifesaver’ many times in the past where embarrassing and costly mistakes have been spotted.
Please note: If you opt out of Pre-print checking your job will not be checked and will go through our automated pre-press system. It will not be seen by ‘human eyes’ before it is on press by which time it will either be too late, or very expensive to correct.
Bleed and ‘Quiet Border’
Understanding the need for Bleed and a Quiet Border is vital if, as partners, we are going to achieve our joint aim of an excellent finished print job. We require Bleed to allow for the tolerance of our guillotines (the machine used for cutting your job after printing). Even with our state of the art equipment there is a margin of error with the operation. If your image finishes exactly at the edge of your required finished size then these small deviations may produce unsightly white flashes at the edge of your print. By extending your background colour or image beyond the edge of your finished job the effects of the same deviations are not noticeable. We recommend that elements intended to go to the very edge of your finished job should extend 3mm beyond the edge.
A Quiet Border is the distance you should allow from the edge of your finished page size for text, diagrams or images not going to bleed. The reason for the border is again the tolerance in cutting. If you have a design where the text runs to the very edge then any cutting deviation will result in some of your text being cut off. With a very small Quiet Border even the smallest cutting deviation could result in the finished job looking uneven. We recommend a Quiet Border where there is no text etc. of at least 5mm around the edges of your job.
Fonts
When creating your PDF it is important to specify that fonts used should be embedded. This is normally a tick box in the PDF export area of the programme or an option in an external PDF creator. If fonts are not embedded this can lead to unwanted fonts substitutions and rejected print.
Colour Matching
Throughout your design the colours used must be CMYK colours. There are a large number of variables which can affect the colour produced during Full Colour Printing. Simply looking at the appearance of colours on a monitor, especially if no Monitor Calibration has been carried out is unlikely to accurately represent printed colour results. In just the same way an un-calibrated desktop printer, such as a laser or inkjet may well produce very different colours to those produced on a professional printing press.
Photographs and Graphics
Photographs should be scanned at the size required in your artwork at 400dpi and saved as CMYK image. Please note: It is important that images are originated at this high quality. Re-sampling an image of a lower resolution (say 72dpi from the internet) to 400dpi does not improve its quality or make it suitable for high quality print. Monitor calibration is a big consideration when scanning and colour balancing. If your monitor is not calibrated the image you see on screen may differ from the image on the final print.
Where designs are built up using a number of layers and transparencies it is important that these are ‘flattened’ before creating the PDF. Un-flattened transparencies are notorious for causing print problems. Flattening your work will ensure that the finished print is as expected without compromising the creative intent.