So you've designed the coolest stationery for your new client. Great job! Now you need to prepare your computer file to be
printed. Following the few simple steps we've outlined below can ensure that your hard work looks the way you intended on the first try. Colors:
How many colors does your job use: 1, 2, 4? Make sure that your job separates properly. If it's a one color job, black, for instance, make sure all your elements use the same black. If it's a
two-color job, be sure that all instances of those colors have the same name. For example "PMS 294CV" and "PMS 294 CV" will print on different plates even though they are both Blue – why?
They appear to have the same name but one has an extra space and the other does not! Going with a four-color piece? Make sure all your colors are set to properly separate as CMYK. Also, if any
RGB colors are used or if any RGB graphic elements are imported then those elements will not separate correctly. When designing a piece to be printed, always stick to CMYK and Pantone colors –
never use RGB. Consult your software manuals to learn more about spot and process colors. Trapping: Printing presses are fast…very fast. As accurate as they
are they can still be slightly off due to plate stretch, paper movement, etc. Trapping prevents white spaces from appearing between colors. We generally suggest a trap of ˝ of a point. Or, if
appropriate, overprint colors. There are many ways to use trapping and overprinting - see your software manual for specifics. Bleeds:
Does any artwork on your piece go all the way to the edge of the paper? Then you need to bleed the artwork off the edge by at least 1/8" of an inch. This ensures that when the piece is
cropped down that will not be a slight white border around the edge of your piece. If your piece does not go to the edge then you should at least keep all elements at least 3/8" away from the edge.
Consider that the printer needs to have room to grab the paper and run it through the press.
Miscellaneous Tips and Tricks: When importing TIFF images into Quark or PageMaker, always
give your picture box a white background. Otherwise, your image may develop jagged edges and pixel drop outs in the middle.
Spell check. Then spell check again! Nothing can be more frustrating than having to reprint an otherwise perfect piece because of spelling errors. |
