PREPRESS

Prepress Specifications

The following art work specifications have been provided to ensure that your product moves through each stage of production with ease and accuracy.

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• We only accept files from the following software: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress and Corel Draw.

• Photoshop files should be built to scale (i.e. 1" = 1' scale). Set the p.p.i. (pixels per inch) to a number that allows the file size to be between 200-250 megabytes.

• For example: a 14'h x 48'w billboard would be built at 14"h x 48"w, 300 p.p.i. This would create a file size of 230 megabytes. Another example: a 4'h x 10'w banner would be built at 4"h x 10"w, 1100 p.p.i. This would create a file size of 230 megabytes.

• Purely vector files are not necessarily as large as raster files. Vector images are drawn using mathematical calculations and take less data to draw the image than raster images which are drawn pixel by pixel.

• Customer send files in both CMYK and RGB modes. If a file is in RGB mode it is converted to 4-color process CMYK in the RIP software.

• Please make sure your working space color profile is embedded in each file.

• Please make sure Overprint is off if exporting files from Illustrator, InDesign or Corel Draw. Elements of your art may disappear or change to an unexpected color if this setting is left on.

• If you have used Pantone colors (solid-to-process) in your art, please reference this information on your purchase order and also on your color mechanical and/or in the art itself.

• Solid blacks should be set to 70% Cyan, 65% Magenta, 65% Yellow and 100% Black.

• For Photoshop files, please include both the layered and flattened file. Flattening your file will eliminate any unpredictable effects that can result from merged filters. Providing the layered file will help us to easily make changes, if needed.

• Build the files to scale. Please include with your files all links or support art. Don't assume that all elements are embedded, it's better to send it all initially than having to send it later and delaying production. We ask that all fonts in your art be converted to outlines (Illustrator, InDesign), or curves (Corel Draw). In Illustrator and InDesign, this function is found under the "Type" menu. In Corel Draw this function is found under the "Arrange" menu.

• Build the files to scale. These files should be sent with all links or support art and fonts (fonts should include the Postscript font along with the screen or TrueType font suitcases). We also suggest that you send, along with your Quark documents, a high resolution PDF file. If a problem arises with the fonts this alternate file would suffice.

• When using fonts in Quark, make sure that you use the font drop down menu instead of the style buttons for the Italic, Bold or Bold Italic versions of the fonts. Stylizing a particular font is used only for display and if the fonts do not actually have these capabilities they will be substituted with the closest version, which is usually the Book or Roman version of that font.

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• When Scanning images, the image should be about 100 megabytes in size.
• Use high-quality photography.
• Art purchased online should be at the highest available resolution.
• Jpegs should be saved at the highest quality (no compression).
• Supply a color mechanical to compare your file. This eliminates the possibility of missing elements, wrong type-faces or color.
• Print your mechanical in CMYK mode.
• You can send you art through our website, FTP or email (up to 50 megabytes).
• You can also send your art on a CD, DVD, or ZIP disc.
• Please include a directory listing that includes extensions for each file.
• Mac users, please include the 2 or 3 letter file extension for all files.
• File extensions we accept: .psd, .ai, .ind, .qxd, .crd, .eps, .tif, .jpg, .pdf, .sitx, .zip, .sit, .rar, .psb, .ps, .raw
• List the size of your art on the purchase order with the height being listed first, followed by the width (HxW).

• Don't use 35mm slides - 100% magnification brings out flaws and lack of focus.
• Don't use printed pieces - magazines, newspapers, or anything else printed using dots. These dots will show a pattern when the picture is scanned and enlarged.
• Don't use bitmap file formats - these are low quality images.
• Don't use 2nd or 3rd generation artwork.
• Don't use copyrighted artwork unless you have written permission to do so.
• Program files we do not accept: All Microsoft Office programs, PageMaker, Freehand and CAD programs.
• Do not compress fonts on the opposite platform that they were created on. Mac users should always try to use StuffIt and Windows users should use WinZip.
• .bmp, .gif, .dat are among the file type formats we do not accept.