PRINTED MATERIALS
Specifications follow for the printing of your paper or paperboard materials. This will address both novice and advanced users.
For users who are new to file creation for an electronic prepress workflow, the single most important guideline is to remember to use appropriate software. Very often, the office software you use for creating desktop documents is not compatible with higher end printing technology. For example, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint are good programs for fast and easy creation of multi-page documents, but their print software is intended only for desktop laser and inkjet printers. They are unable to produce the color-separated CMYK files required for multi-color presses. Layout programs like InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop, on the other hand, provide ultimate control for digital design and are programmed with built-in color separation capability. As with the on-disc artwork, we prefer that your artwork for your printed materials be created in Adobe InDesign, using our templates. We can also take files created with Quark Xpress (version 7.3 or earlier), Illustrator or Photoshop. We don’t take Corel Draw files, PageMaker files, or Freehand files. Please contact us if you intend to use software not listed here.
Count each panel of each side of the paper as a single panel or page. So an insert with a front cover, a back cover, and two inside panels - that is, a rectangular piece of paper with one fold - is a 4-panel folder. Two 4-panel folders stapled in the middle is an 8-page booklet. See the fancy illustrations just below.
We can provide a bar code for you at no charge. Just leave a white box on your artwork where you want the tray card to go. Dimensions of the box are somewhat flexible, but should be between about 1.25” and 1.50” wide, and between about 0.50” and 0.75” tall. Or if you (or your designer) prefer, we can send the graphic for you to place yourself. We can output the graphic for you whether you or we supply the bar code number.
There are a few different options for the color format of your printed materials. If you intend to use color on both sides of the paper, we refer to this format as 4/4 (say “four over four”), because technically, we are printing four colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black, or “CMYK”) on the front, and four colors on the back. If you intend to use color on one side of the paper (let’s say the front and back cover of a 4-panel folder, for example), and only black ink on the other side of the paper (the two inside pages of the same 4-panel folder), we refer to this as 4/1 (“four over one”). Naturally, 4/1 is less expensive than 4/4. You may choose to go with a completely black and white booklet or folder (1/1), or you may choose to go with no printing at all on one side of your paper parts (4/0 or 1/0), but the price for printing is the same as if it were 4/1. The reason for this (if it matters to you) is that most modern printing presses are already set up for 4/1 or 4/4 printing. Your job will be put on press simultaneously with other jobs that are either 4/1 or 4/4, which is also why we can’t “tweak” your colors once your job is on press.
Unlike the CD label, the use of Pantone (or PMS or “spot”) colors costs extra on your paper parts. If you already have a quote from us but you didn’t tell us that your paper parts would include the use of one or more Pantone inks, you should drop what you’re doing and contact us now before proceeding with your artwork. You will need a pricing update.
If you are using InDesign, we insist that you use our templates, which are available for download at our web site. We also have templates available in EPS and PDF formats, if you wish to create your artwork in Photoshop or Illustrator, or another image editing program. If you are submitting image files only, and for some reason you don’t want to use our templates, please check with us for the proper sizes.
Make bleeds wherever they should occur. Bleeds should be consistently at least 1/8” wide. Note: “bleeds” are the extra allowance for images to print outside the page boundary, so that they go right to the edge of the page after trimming. All images and text that do not bleed should be placed no closer than 1/4” from the trimmed edge of the page or folds.
EPS or TIFF images only. No JPG, GIF, PICT, BMP, PNG. PSD images can probably be dealt with, but be sure to turn off any unused layers.
Source pictures used in layout programs should include only the most current revision of the image as needed - nothing modified in links. Do not embed placed files.
Do not use any phrase in your artwork indicating where the packaging or discs are made, printed, manufactured, or packaged. Specifically, the phrase “Made in the USA” or anything similar should not be present anywhere in your artwork.
Text “styles” should be avoided in graphics programs. Use only fonts that are included in the font file you are using. That is, don’t artificially make a font bold or italic if the bold or italic versions aren’t part of the font package. Be sure to include all fonts with your artwork, including printer and screen versions. Even for commonly used fonts like Helvetica and Arial.
Do not use any phrase in your artwork indicating where the discs are made, printed, manufactured, or packaged. Specifically, the phrase “Made in the USA” or anything similar should not be present on your discs.
Avoid the colorizing of bitmap images in layout programs. Instead, complete your colorizing or other bitmap effects in image editors such as Photoshop, then import the finished image into the layout.
“Right size” your images before you import them into the layout program. Do your cropping and resizing in an image editor to avoid “file bloat” in the layout. When you link to original images or scans that are significantly larger than the size you really need, you can create bloated documents that are slow to work with or even too large for some systems to process.
The resolution of color or grayscale images should be at least 300 dpi. (Remember, if you enlarge or reduce an imported graphic, the effective resolution changes - a 400 dpi image at 200% of its original size actually has a resolution of 200 dpi.) The resolution of line art images should be at least 600 dpi, though 900-1200dpi is recommended.
Avoid excessive nesting of images. The multiple levels embedded in the layout can create problems in the final prepress stages. Also, let each EPS file contain only a single image. Similar to nesting, you should avoid creating EPS files that contain multiple image versions, then placing the compounded image in an InDesign picture box.
Gradients and blends are commonly used in printing and in most instances work fine. However, to avoid banding or striping when a gradient is used it is crucial that it should be created in Photoshop with some added noise to diminish possible banding. This procedure has proven to give good results.
Do not use [Save Page As EPS] as quick generator of images from QuarkXPress. In general, this practice becomes a common source of production delays at the plate imaging stage in the same way as nested or compounded images.
Use TrueType fonts with caution. Supply your fonts in postscript format whenever possible. Due to the limits of the print process, extremely small type can plug up, or lose fine detail. Type should be no smaller than 6pt, including footnotes, fractions, and copyright page information and symbols. Color or reverse type should be no smaller than 9pt. If your fonts are TrueType fonts, be sure to study your proofs very carefully to make sure there are no text flow or font weight problems.
Color used within the project must be CMYK (not RGB) or grayscale (Pantone colors may be added to your project as well - additional fees will apply). Working Space CMYK: U.S. Web Coated (SWOP) v2. Delete all unused colors before submitting your file. Do not custom trap and do not set rich black in small text or objects. Rich black must be created from 100% Black and 40% Cyan or Magenta, and should never be used for text below 18 pts or keylines below 2pts. Maximum total ink density is 300%. For example: C75%, M68%, Y67%, K90%.
The preferred document format is Adobe InDesign. Ideally, all images, art, and text should be imported and arranged in this application. When your project is complete, you must collect all art, images, and fonts used in the layout. InDesign has a “Package” function under the File menu that works very well for this purpose.
If you cannot provide your project in InDesign, you may create it in a compatible version of Adobe Illustrator (all transparency must be flattened before submitting). Linked art and images must be included as well as any fonts used in the document unless all text has been converted to outlines. Please note that converting text to outlines handicaps our ability to make last-minute copy alterations, but minimizes font-compatibility issues. We prefer that Illustrator files be submitted as single-layer EPS files, but AI files are acceptable as well.
Adobe Photoshop documents may be submitted, though we strongly discourage creating text elements in Photoshop except to apply special effects. All layers should be flattened before submitting to us. Photoshop documents must be either TIFF or Photoshop EPS (or DCS 2.0 if you are using Pantone colors) files.
If your project is created in an application other than those listed, you may submit your project in EPS or TIFF format as long as it meets the other requirements explained in this document.
Organize your projects to get to press a lot faster. Before collecting files for sending to the printer, please take a moment to do some file management. Send us all the files we need, and only the files we need. Organize separate parts or versions of complex projects in separate clearly named folders. Name files clearly and logically. Keep folder and file names short. Also avoid the use of symbols and special characters in the file and folder names. The safest are letters of the alphabet and the numbers 0 to 9, with underscore characters ( _ ) as word separators. Slashes, dashes, periods and spaces often have special meanings in prepress and printing systems that can delay production.
Once we have completed the pre-press work, all artwork and graphics must follow a strict approval process. You may receive a variety of proofs, depending on the nature of your project or revisions. Printing plates WILL NOT be produced until we have your approval. Before the expense of plate making is incurred, this step must be carried out with attention to detail. All copy, sizing, positioning and colors must be reviewed at this time. While we make every effort to ensure that your document conforms to printing specifications, ultimate responsibility rests with the person submitting the files.
IMPORTANT: If supplied files are not created according to these specifications your project will be rejected or delayed. Additional charges may apply. You are solely responsible for errors missed during the proofing process of artwork supplied by you or artwork created by us. We will not be responsible for any color shift that occurs in conversions from RGB to CMYK color modes. Pantone colors printed in CMYK (as in any hard copy or PDF proof) will look different than the original Pantone swatch book.You are fully responsible for any files supplied to us for print. We will not be held responsible for any libel, slander, or copyright infringement.
You made it all the way to the bottom. Good work! Reward yourself. We suggest a root beer float.