HELPFUL PRINTING TIPS
How to prepare your Documents for Output:
Set Page Size
Make sure before you begin your artwork that the page setup size is set to the final size you want as most programs are set to a default page size. Add your crop marks, (fine lines or marks on the edges of the artwork that show us where the finished piece of art should be cut) remembers to add bleed if the image runs of the page (2mm). Business Cards
Our standard Business care size is 90 x 50mm. you can choose and size of card for your personal requirements. You must allow any image or solid colour to bleed over the trim marks to minimise the risk of having a white line around the edges of the card after cutting. Therefore allow a minium of 2mm bleed on all edges, this is where the guillotine will cut the finished cards.
Image Area: You should leave 3mm - 5mm between the trim lines and the edge of any text, logos etc.
All photographs / artwork etc must be at least 300dpi and all colours must be CMYK. Do not use RGB.
Software & Storage Media
PDF Files
This is the best choice for data files. Before saving your file as a PDF format make sure that you - EMBED graphics, photos
- CONVERT all you fonts to paths and curves
- When using Illustrator convert type to create outlines
Alternatively, make sure that all Fonts, Logos, Photos and Graphics used are loaded with the files. If you use Adobe Acrobat to produce PDF files for printing, ensure that you use the Acrobat Distiller printer to produce your PDF files rather than PDF Writer. PDF Writer was designed for creating PDF files for very simple documents, so can sometimes have problems with the more complex files typically used for printed materials. By always using the Acrobat Distiller to produce your PDF files, you'll avoid these potential problems. You can change this setting from within your print options window. For great quality, also ensure that you choose ‘Press" or "Print" optimised job options for your file. If unsure, consult us at Posh Printing, or visit: www.abode.com for further tips. MEDIA - Your files can be sent by: Most PC and MAC programs are available, but please check which programme version you are using as it may not be supported, and Microsoft programs are common for error (changing the page layout and fonts) between the different versions, it is always best to see a proof before we print the entire order. In most instances PDF formats are the best choice for printouts as it affords the least amount of margin for error.
These are the programs we accept:
Program for PC
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Publisher
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Powerpoint
- Adobe Acrobat
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- Quark Express Program for MAC
- Adobe Acrobat
- Photoshop
- Illustrator
- Quark Xpress
- In-design Other Image File formats accepted are:
JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group
The format was developed for displaying images over the internet and other on-line services. It retains all the data from an RGB image. Saving in the format presents the opportunity to apply higher compression at the cost of image quality (i.e. the higher the compression the smaller the file and the lower the image quality). JPEG files can be saved as either RGB or CMYK. TIFF - Tagged Image File Format
This is the most popular format on the MAC and PC for high end software application such as Quark, Pagemaker, Illustrator, Freehand and Corel Draw etc.
It is cross platform (this means the scan can be used by either a Pac or PC format) and is the format of choice for most graphics. Tiff files can be saved in either CMYK or RGB. EPS - Encapsulated PostScript
Is supported by all the high end layout software on MAC and PC. An advantage of an EPS file saved from vector based programs such as Illustrator, Freehand and Corel Draw is that these EPS images can be scaled larger with no loss in quality. Photoshop EPS files are different because they are bitmap images and cannot be scaled without quality loss. Save as either CMYK or RGB.
EPS files saved from Photoshop can also be saved as duotones, tritones or quadtones so that the image can be separated into specific pantone colours when placed into software such as Quark or PageMaker. BMP - Bitmap
Is the image format found on Windows machines. Frequently used in many popular word processing packages it is a reliable format for that purpose only. BMP files cannot be saved in CMYK format. GIF - Graphics Interchange Format
Developed to display graphics over the internet these files are small in size to minimize time spent downloading the image. GIF files cannot be saved in CMYK format and are unsuitable for most printing processes. COLOUR SCANNING - FOR INTERNET / EMAIL
Because these images are to be used as "on screen images" only, you do not have to scan at a high resolution. The average monitor displays 72dpi RGB images, and these images are small to store and email.
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