PHOTOSHOP FILES

Today I would like to talk about photoshop files. I frequently get indesign files with PSD files (links) in them. The problem with leaving the file as a photoshop document (PSD) is when we run it through the rip sometimes it will error out. It could be because of the different layers in the PSD file.

The best thing to do would be to save your photos as an eps file or tif file, you will have to flatten it first. That way when you place it in the Indesign file it will not be as large in file size as the PSD file. Then you can ensure you have the correct look to the photo. You may have a mask or transparency in the photo and when you flatten the image it may look a little different than it did before you flatten it.

This will save on time and money that is spent in the prepress department of the print shop. Most printers have a rip that will not accept PSD file, so therefore the prepress department has to spend more time on the job by opening each PSD file, flattening it, and re-saving as an eps or tif to re-link in the links palette in Indesign.

Also make sure all photos are in CMYK format, if it is in RGB, it can appear a different color than the CMYK photos. If you have black and white pictures, be sure to save them in grayscale so it does not separate into 4 colors or 4 plates when it should only be 1 color or 1 plate.

Hope this helps with saving your photos and links before placing in your design program!

Illustrator CS3 Document Color Mode

Good Morning!

Today I would like to talk about document color mode in illustrator. I have. in the past, had problems with files sent in RGB mode. This caused problems with ripping in Rampage.

I had to go back to the file and change to CMYK mode. I don't even understand why illustrator even has an RGB mode, maybe for the smaller size file format. Anyway I would like to tell you how to check this if you don't already know.

When setting up your illustrator files, after you set the document up, go to:

• Click the File tab at the top
• Scroll down the menu and select Document Color Mode
• Out to the right choose CMYK mode

Now you have correctly set the document to CMYK. If you don't do this the Pantone colors you select will be RGB mode. This will convert to CMYK and not a spot Pantone color when ripped in our Ripping Software.

Also when you look at the swatches palette there should be a cmyk square small icon beside the color, then you know for sure it is in cmyk mode.

Hope this helps with the color mode in Illustrator.

Have a great day!

Tips for Compressing Files to Send to Printer

There are many ways to compress files but if you want to keep everything high resolution, here are a few tips on how to do that.

If you have a file that is too big to email to the printer, the best way would be to stuffit or zip the files all into one folder. If you use Mac OS X, after you finish working with your files and have packaged all the links, fonts, and the document: follow the steps below.

• Click on the folder 1 time to highlight it.
• Click the File tab at the top of your desktop
• Scroll down the drop down menu to select create archive
• Now this will create a Zipped file on your desktop of the folder

Now you will be able to email the file with no problems.

If you have Stuff It (program) you can drag your folder to the drop stuff and it will give you 3 choices for compressing the folder:

• Zip
• Stuffit
• Tar

Once you drag your folder into the drop stuff window, after you select what format you would like to use, it will automatically create that type of file on your desktop similar to the zipped file I just discussed. I regularly use the zip and stuffit choices which is the fastest way and the most compatible way. It seems to work well with fonts and links. Hope this helps the next time you need to reduce the folder size or reduce the size of a file you are sending to the printer.

Creating Dielines or Perfs in Illustrator or Indesign

Good Morning!

Today I would like to talk about creating Dielines and Perfs in Illustrator or Indesign. Most people send in dielines on the artwork in a magenta color. 1st you need to decide what type of dieline you would like to create.

Design your dieline or talk to the printer, they may already have a standard dieline ready for you to use. For example a 9x12 pocket folder with a standard 4 inch pocket, once the dieline is created make the color for it a spot color (100% percent magenta and name it Dieline) select the spot color icon when you create the color for the dieline or perf also in illustrator select the attributes palette and click overprint. Then you have a dieline that will only print on the proof not the actual press.

For Indesign you can create and draw your dieline and add the same spot color (dieline) to the color palette. You can also choose the attributes palette and select overprint. Now you have a dieline in Indesign. Make sure the page size is correct and the image bleeds 1/8th of and inch, place the dieline to the edge of the page.

The best way to make sure you are using the correct type or size of a dieline is to speak with the prepress department, then you can save money on the prepress department having to create a dieline over for you. Hope this helps with the creation of dielines and perfs.

Have a great day!

Create High Res PDF using general PC Applications

Using the Adobe PDFVirtual Printer (or, How to Avoid Using PDFWriter)

The following instructions have been created with one requirement: you must have Adobe Acrobat Standard, or Adobe Acrobat Professional installed on your computer. The “Adobe PDF” virtual printer that is installed with these applications will be configured and used to create PDFs. 

The Adobe PDF printer, once set up properly, simplifies the process of generating high quality PDFs from most any application. The PDFWriter macro that is accessible via a PDF icon (for instance, in Word) should be avoided. Character substitution or complete drop-outs can occur when using this tool for PDF creation. Setting aside a little time to configure the Adobe PDF Virtual Printer is a better long term solution.

Step #1: Configure the Adobe PostScript printer Acrobat automatically configures the Adobe PDF printer for the most part, but you must make a few changes to make sure, for instance, that TrueType

fonts do not change appearance or become substituted. Note that this only needs to be done once!

• Choose Start-Settings-Printers and Faxes.

• Right-click Adobe PDF, and then choose Properties from the pop-up menu.

• Click the General Tab, and then click Printing Preferences

• Click the Layout Tab, and then click Advanced

• Click the plus sign next to Graphic

• Select Print Quality: 2400dpi

• Select TrueType Font: Download as Softfont.

• Click the plus sign next to PostScript Options.

• Select PostScript Output Option: Optimize for Portability.

• Select TrueType Download Option: Native TrueType.

• Select PostScript Language Level: 3.

• Choose OK

• Click the Adobe PDF Settings tab. Select Press Quality from the Default Settings pull-down menu, 

   make sure other settings match here_Adobe PDF Security: None, Adobe PDF Output Folder: Prompt for      file name.

• Select Edit button next to Press Quality (this brings up job options) make sure settings match this: 

     Compatibility: Acrobat 5.0 

Object Level Compression: OFF 

Auto Rotate Pages: OFF 

Binding: LEFT 

Resolution: 2400 dots per inch 

All Pages button must be selected

• Select the Images Tab to the left make sure setting match this: Downsample: OFF on color, grayscale,    

   monochrome 

• Select the Fonts Tab at the left make sure to checkmark the EMBED ALL FONTS

• Select the Color Tab at the left: Under the Adobe Color Settings File: Color Management OFF

• Click Save As and name the preset as “PREPRESS_QUALITY SELECT SAVE AND CLICK OK 

   MAKE SURE THE DO NOT SEND FONTS TO ADOBE PDF REMAINS UNCHECKED WHILE      THE OTHER 4 ARE CHECKED.

• Choose: File-Print

• Select Adobe PDF from the Pull-down Menu.

• Click OK, specify a filename and location for the PDF file, and then click SAVE.

   

NOW CREATING A PREPRESS QUALITY PDF IS AS SIMPLE AS PRINTING.

   

   Use the Adobe PDF Printer with many applications. Because it appears as a regular printer, the Adobe 

   PDF Printer can be used with many software applications. More custom page sizes can also be added to 

   the Adobe PDF printer properties, if needed, by following this sequence:

1. Choose File->Print.

2. Choose Adobe PDF as the printer, and then click Properties.

3. Click the Adobe PDF Settings tab, and then click the Add button to add a Custom Paper Size.

4. Specify the page height and width, name the custom page size, and the click Add/Modify.

5. Click OK. The custom page size appears in the Adobe PDF Page Size list.

Solution to the PDF problem

Hello Everyone!

Last week I wrote about a pdf problem I was having when it was sent to the Xerox Digital Press. The images were dropping out when it was printed. Well when I re-saved the pdf and looked at the preview of it on the Xerox, it looked great. I thought ok, problem solved.

Well that was not the case, when our pressman ran a proof again the images dropped out. When he came to me, I was shocked and went to look at the preview again and it was fine. We then realized the minute he imposed it the images disappeared.

We have seen this before but didn't realize it was a problem. So in order to fix it, I opened up the pdf in photoshop. Flattened the image and transparencies. I then re-saved it as a pdf, sent that back to the Xerox Digital Press. Now the problem is fixed! Woo Hoo! 

I guess sometimes there is too much going on in a pdf and the xerox doesn't like it. So the best way to fix would be to flatten the document in photoshop. Welcome to prepress! Challenges everyday, everyday I learn something new!

Why do PDFs sometimes lose images when printed?

Good Morning!

Yesterday I came across a problem with a pdf sent in. PDFs are supposed to be print ready most of the time, notice I say most of the time.  Anything can happen with any type of files on a computer! LOL. When I opened the PDF it looked great. I use Macintosh and opened the file in Acrobat 8.0 Professional. I printed a laser and all still looks great.

Then I sent the file to our digital press, when the file was printed the images and background dropped out. The digital press has Acrobat 6.0 on it and since it is PC based I assumed that was what the problem was.

When my boss opened the file on his PC, he has Acrobat 7.0 and viewed, it showed the same thing with the images and background dropped out. I went back to Acrobat on my computer and opened the pdf, re-saved the file out and sent to the digital press. Everything looks great! Hopefully that will fix the problem.

I am not sure if the difference in the programs have caused the problem with the file, so I will try to investigate this further. If anyone has ever seen this happen and know exactly why please let me know. I do know that when I re-saved the PDF file from Acrobat 8.0 Professional, everything showed up on the file at the digital press.

I think sometimes when you save a high resolution pdf, and you do not check the OPI button it causes the images to disappear with sent to another computer. But since we have no idea how the file was created and what program it was sent from, there are a number of possible reasons why the file did this. But at least re-saving it solved the problem! Yeah!

Have a great day!