|
|
| Mac Format | Windows Format |
Control-Click ( Mac ) or Right-Click ( Win ) to save these files.
Before you start work on any design and layout, make certain that your Illustrator document is set at the appropriate trim dimension for your project (or download pre-made templates here). The “trim size” is the final dimension that your printing job will be cut to (before any folding, if needed). An additional 1/8” “bleed” is required wherever design elements touch the edge of your trim dimension. This means that any element that touches the trim edge must be allowed to extend past the trim edge by at least 1/8”. This assures a safety margin during the post production trimming of your project to assure that your bleed elements remain touching the trim edge without any white, unprinted gaps between the bleed element and the trim edge. If you have any design elements (including borders) that come too close to the trim edge, and you do not intend for them to touch the trim edge, then you must “back it away” from the trim edge by at least 1/8”.
One typical mistake is design is the use of type or hairlines that do not print well and thus wind up being illegible. To avoid this mistake, shy away from type sizes smaller than 6 pts and lines (rules) thinner than .25pt.
When using images within your design, it is very important that you use the best quality images and color spaces possible.
When using black elements in your 4-color design, it is best to you use a “rich black,” which is a black composed of all four process colors. This gives your black a deeper, darker shade of black on press. It is best to use rich blacks in larger areas of black, such as thick black borders, headline type and shapes. It is still preferable to use 100% black for body copy (text).
To achieve rick blacks, create a color swatch or assign a process color with the following CMYK combinations: Cyan = 60%, M = 40%, Y = 20%, K = 100%.
Even though a “normal” black may appear as dark as you wish on screen, it may not come out as dark and rich on press. Use the “rich” black to be certain. Here is an example of setting the CMYK sliders in Photoshop’s color palette.
For all vector graphics (non-bitmap or non-halftoned images, like images from Photoshop) in your design, we require an output resolution of 2540 dpi. This will help assure that the vector elements of your design, like type and shapes, output at the highest, and sharpest resolution possible.
From Illustrator 8 or 9: You will need to set the 2540 resolution for your document in two steps.
From Illustrator 10: You will need to set the 2540 resolution for your document in one step.
For Illustrator 9 and 10 users only. If you use transparency anywhere in your document, go to File > Document Setup > Transparency. Be sure that the transparency slider is set all the way to the right. This will help assure that your transparencies come out best as possible.
For Illustrator 9 and 10 users only. If you use transparency anywhere in your document, go to File > Document Setup > Transparency. Be sure that the transparency slider is set all the way to the right. This will help assure that your transparencies come out best as possible.
In order for your type to come out the way you intend on press, we require that you convert all type into “outlines.” This process converts type into vector shapes and discards the need to provide fonts with your file. Before doing this, it is recommended that you first save your file as a copy with a different name to identify it as a file that has been outlined. This will allow you to go back to your original document later if you need to make any text edits in the future. Remember, once you convert type into outlines, you can no longer edit the type. Make sure all elements are unlocked. Select All (Command-A Mac or Control-A Windows) and go to Type > Create Outlines.
All images placed into your Illustrator document must be “embedded” before sending. This assures that your images are “built” into the file rather than simply linked to another file. This will increase your file size though. To do this, go to the Links palette and pull down “Embed.” For layered Photoshop files, make sure to select “Flatten Photoshop layers to a single image.” Do this for each linked image until the picture icon is displayed at the right of each image thumbnail (see below).
We prefer that you save your Illustrator file as a “native” Illustrator file (eg: “filename.ai”). Be sure that you save to the version you are using. (ie: If you are using version 10, save to 10... if you are using version 9, save to 9, etc.)
Depending on the version of Illustrator you are using, you may have options to embed fonts and subset them (do this if you have not converted fonts to outlines) and to include linked files (do this if you have not embedded any of your images). To make it easier to track your job, name your file to include your PO# and a brief project description (eg: 1084_MyPostcard.ai). Keep the filename less than 23 characters long and avoid spaces if possible and avoid any characters other than letters, numbers, hyphens, underscores and slashes.