Tips & Tricks
A recent survey found that 57% of files submitted for printing need to be corrected. Following are the top 10 problems encountered:
- Missing or incorrect fonts (22%)
- Missing or incorrect trap (11.5%)
- Files defined with incorrect color such as RGB vs. CMYK (10.9%)
- Scans supplied in the wrong file format or poor quality (7.8%)
- Incorrect page settings or page setup (7.4%)
- Graphics not linked (5.3%)
- Incorrectly defined or undefined bleeds (5.2%)
- No proof submitted (4.6%)
- Missing graphic files (4.5%)
- Resolution too high or too low in customer supplied scans (3.2%)
Proofs
You can never do too many proofs! Proofread carefully. Do composite proofs. Check color breaks by doing separated proofs.
Fonts
Minimize font usage. Don't use lots of weird, off-the-wall fonts. Always include your fonts for each project. Use the actual font in your document rather than assigning attributes with the Style Menu (i.e., select Helvetica Bold from the font menu rather than using Helvetica with Bold option on). Using the Style Menu options for fonts can create undesirable results.
Colors
When creating a multi-color job, identify colors - either CMYK (process) or spot colors (such as Pantone). Trapping is very important! Make sure that you trap your files, or specify that your printer is to perform trapping when imaging film. This is usually an additional cost that is well worth it, in order to have your job print correctly. Black should almost always be designated to overprint other colors, including spot colors.
Bleeds
Build your bleeds to be one eighth inch (1/8") outside of your final trim. Use line weights of .25 point or larger. Don't use hairlines. Hairlines and smaller weights can become invisible or inconsistent, especially at higher DPI's.
Books
On books, check with us to see if you can save time and money by building your document in Printer Spreads instead of Reader Spreads. Bleeds and Crossovers need to be evaluated.
Screens
When creating screens and halftones, remember to allow for dot gain on the press. In sheetfed offset printing, the standard dot gain is anywhere from 12% - 24%. Consult with us to determine the amount of dot gain for the paper you have chosen for the job. (Dot gain is a printer's term referring to the amount that ink is absorbed into the paper. Some papers will not allow much absorption and the dots remain pretty much as printed, but other papers absorb quite a bit of the ink and the dots get bigger, or gain, which makes lines look thicker and colors darker.)
Tools
Learn to use as many tools as possible: Photoshop, Quark XPress, PageMaker, Freehand, Illustrator, etc. Learn their strengths and weaknesses to ensure you're always using the best tool for your project. For example, use Illustrator to create logos and use PageMaker for page layout. Read the manuals - they contain money-saving as well as time-saving tips and information.
Images
When saving images, use TIFF format for photos and scanned graphics. Use EPS format for vector artwork, halftone screens, and clipping paths. Remember that clipping paths can be very memory intensive, so keep the path simple. Make sure that your graphics files are linked to the document properly, and always include your native file for any editing, trapping, etc.
Cropping
Crop images tightly, scale images carefully, and rotate your images prior to placing in your page layout program. Avoid nesting (placing files inside of files) whenever possible.
Exporting
When exporting illustrations with type, convert the type/text into outlines or paths. This will allow the illustration to be treated as a graphic by our platemaker, and you won't have to worry about sending the font along!
Wisdom = Simple Construction
Simplifying projects can save time and money in processing, not to mention frustration. Delete everything not needed in the document. Avoid using white boxes to cover up areas, since the imagesetter would still have to contend with the white box. Remove unnecessary text boxes and delete unused colors from your color palette.
Planning
Talk to us in the early development stages of your project if possible. We can help you plan the project for the most cost-effective quality results.