The Prepress Toolkit - Constructing Your Files Like A Pro

The Prepress Toolkit Constructing Your Files Like a Pro Aaron Trigg

Overview Before diving in to any project it is wise to consider what it will take to get your project produced smoothly. There are many unforeseen factors that can ultimately crush your chances of having a flawless project. The Prepress Toolkit handbooks are designed to get you, the designer, through the prepress process with your sanity intact. Use these handbooks as quick reference guides to keep with you when starting in on a project and let them guide you through till the end. Follow us down the rabbit hole.

Aaron Trigg

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File Construction Houses are not built on sand, neither should your file.

A well constructed project file can setup a great foundation and give you less headaches in the end. Lets just put it into simple terms; if your file is not built right you will have to pay more in the long run. It is a good idea to practice good construction techniques when creating a file for a printer. From the beginning of your project to end these techniques should be utilized.

the border of your document. Let’s say your working on a brochure with images against the sides of your pages. You’ll supply the printer with a document somewhat larger then the final document will be. After the brochure is printed it will be cropped to it’s trim size. The bleed in your document gives the cropping some room for error.

Prepare your file with the correct document size.

The finished size should also be the trim size. If your project requires a bleed be sure to include a minimum 1/8” bleed where it is required.

Wait, you don’t know what a bleed is? Well, the term bleed is used for all objects overlapping

The next step in constructing a perfect file is to keep everything within the project organized.

Label everything correctly and try not to overlap or bleed content boxes unnecessarily. You should use all of the text formatting features (alignment, tabs, styles etc.) to ensure quick edits are possible.

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Also, do some house keeping in your swatch pallet and remove any unused or duplicate swatches. Doing so can inform you if you are using an unintended color.

Now-a-days you can place just about any format and the kitchen sink into your documents. This may seem like a good thing but can ultimately ruin the chances of your project printing out properly. It is best to stick to common file formats to ensure a smooth transition from screen to final product.

Use the following formats...

Image File Format Overview They are commonly used because they work well.

TIFF (Raster)

TIFF stands for Tagged Image File Format and is most commonly used for raster based images as well as raster based “line art� images. It is a high quality loesses format that can store layer information (though not recommended for production files because of size issues) and meta data. TIFF can will save in bitmap, greyscale, multichannel and CMYK modes. When saving your raster images out as TIFF check resolution to ensure it is at the print standard 300PPI (600-1200PPI for line art because line art does not use anti-aliasing, the smoothing of edges).

EPS (Vector and Raster)

Encapsulated Postscript files, or EPS files, work wonderfully with vector based images but are not limited to. They can store any color space bitmap, greyscale, duotone, CMYK, etc. (Though it is recommended to use only print friendly color modes).

An EPS file can contain any combination of text, graphics (vector) and images. Since it is a Post Script file it is the most versatile format available. An EPS file usually contains a preview image to help visualize the content of the file for faster viewing. EPS can also contain spot color information. When using a spot color raster image as an EPS save it as a Photoshop EPS at the print standard 300PPI.

JPEG (Raster)

JPEG files are cute. Covert them to TIFFs for print.

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Font File Format Overview The good, the ugly and the down right ugly.

PostScript (Not So Ugly)

The PostScript also known as Type 1 font format was developed by Adobe in the 1980s, several years before the release of True Type. The format is based on Adobe’s PostScript printing technology a programming language that allows for high-resolution output of resizable graphics. PostScript has long been viewed as a reliable choice, particularly for professional designers, publishers and printers.

PostScript fonts consist of two parts, which are both necessary for the font to be properly printed and displayed on screen. With most operating systems, PostScript fonts can be installed simply by being

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placed in the system’s font folder. However, PC users working on operating systems that predate Windows 2000, need to install the free ATM (Adobe Type Manager) utility in order to use PostScript fonts.

True Type (Ugly)

The True Type format was jointly developed by Apple and Microsoft in the late 80s, several years after the release of the PostScript font format. Many of the fonts included with both the Macintosh and Windows operating systems are True Type. True Type fonts contain both the screen and printer font data in a single component, making the fonts easier to install. For this reason, True Type is a good choice for those who have limited experience working with and installing fonts.

Open Type (Good)

Open Type, a joint effort from Adobe and Microsoft, is the latest font format to be introduced. Like True Type, Open Type fonts contain both the screen and printer font data in a single component. However, the Open Type format has several exclusive capabilities including support for multiple platforms and expanded character sets. Open Type fonts can be used on either Macintosh or Windows operating systems. Additionally, the Open Type format permits the storage of up to 65,000 characters. This additional space provides type designers with the freedom to include add-ons such as small caps, old style figures, alternate characters and other extras that previously needed to be distributed as separate fonts.

However, not all Open Type fonts contain additional characters. Many fonts have been converted from

either PostScript or True Type formats without expanded character sets to take advantage of the cross-platform functionality benefits of Open Type.

Unless clearly stated otherwise, assume that the Open Type font you are purchasing features the traditional character set found in PostScript and True Type fonts.

Open Type fonts that do contain expanded character sets are referred to informally as Open Type Proďż˝ fonts. Support for Open Type Pro fonts is increasing, yet the format is yet to be fully supported by all applications. To be safe, check the documentation of your applications.

File Organization Be organized or your printer may drown in confusion.

It is extremely important to keep all of your files organized when preparing them for a printer. “Why do we need to keep our files organized,� you might ask. The answer is simple, to help the person receiving the files locate and understand your project. Imagine if you received a project and all the files were labeled in some strange coding and they were all mashed in one folder, it could get frustrating quick. Be kind to your printer and arrange your project logically.

From the beginning of your project you should be labeling all your files in an understandable fashion. For example, if it is an image of a duck name it projectname_duck.tiff, a company The Prepress Toolkit

logo projectname_logo.eps. Simple and to the point makes locating files a breeze.

When you send off your project to a printer be sure to package your project. A packaged project should have a well labeled parent folder. This folder should contain all the printer will need to get your project produced and nothing more.

This basic folder should include the native file of your project, a project report (must package manually in package dialog), x1a PDF with trim and bleed, a folder of all the fonts used in the project and another folder containing all the linked images. Some print production departments may require a text directory as well.

1.

4.

2.

The Project Folder contains all the files you’ll need for your project to get printed and no more. It should be well organized and consist of these files and folders:

.indd

3.

5.

Report

.txt

6.

X1A

.pdf

The Basic Project Folder

1.

Project Folder

2.

Links Folder

3.

Fonts Folder

4.

Native File

5.

Project Report

6.

X1A PDF

The Preflight Process Check the projects wings before takeoff.

Before a pilot heads down the runway for takeoff with a plane full of passengers the pilot has a thorough preflight inspection. He makes sure that the plane is fully operational and safe for flight. Your project is no different. It should be checked through and through to guarantee no errors will surface in the printing process. The process of preflighting your project will ensure that your project will make a safe landing.

A Preflight Checklist File Organization: Check that all files are organized properly in project folder and labeled correctly for easy reference. □ □ □ □ □

Fonts Folder Image Folder Native File PDF X1A Report

File Formats:

Check for accepted file formats.

□ Raster .TIFF □ Vector .EPS □ Font .OTF

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How to Create PDF Separations (Indesign) Construction:

Examine your projects inner workings and be sure that all is correct.

□ □ □ □ □ □ □

Document Setup at Trim Size Bleeds (if applicable) Facing Pages (if applicable) Unused Duplicate Swatches Missing Links Correct PPI Images Have Correct Color Space

Separations: Make a seperation PDF to check for error □ Registration □ Overprint/ Knockouts □ Duplicate Spot Colors

1.

To create a PDF of separations choose File, Print.

2.

Chose Postscript File from Printers drop down menu.

3.

Chose Adobe PDF from PPD drop down menu.

4.

Turn all printer marks on in Marks and Bleeds menu.

5.

In Output menu chose Separations in Color drop down menu.

6.

Print file to location. This will create a .PS file.

7.

Using Adobe Distiller open the .PS file.

8.

The .PS has been converted to a PDF of Separations.

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The Prepress Toolkit Constructing Your Files Like a Pro Aaron Trigg