Information
Preparing Files for Digital Printing
Please adhere to the following file preparation guidelines to enhance
results. Non-conforming files are subject to surcharges.
Supported Applications
We require all files be saved and exported as PostScript or EPS, except
QuarkXPress, and PageMaker, native applications which are supported.
Detailed PostScript Considerations
Layout/Printable Area
Maximum printable area is 12.4" x 18.9" including full bleed. Make
bleeds 0.125" (1/8").
Fonts
Use PostScript, Truetype, or Multiple Master fonts. Include all fonts on
disk. Choose the precise font. Do not use styles. Example: ³Times Bold
Italic² with font menu and not ³Bold² and ³Italic² in the styles menu.
Four Color Process
Digital printing is CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) process. RGB
images must be converted to CMYK. 100% black ink coverage and 280% maximum ink
coverage.
Pantone and spot color must be converted to CMYK equivalents.
Scanning/Images
Save all scans at 100% final size at 300 dpi. Minimum resizing is
acceptable, but use Photoshop or Illustrator to resize, rotate or skew.
Transparent backgrounds are not supported. Set path flatness to (Blank)
when using clipping paths. Save images as EPS or TIFF. Do not save TIFF with
alpha channels. LZW Compression is not supported.
Blends/Vignettes
For best results, produce or rasterize gradients in Photoshop. Shorter
blends from 1" to 4" perform best with minimum banding. Lighter colors
with a gradient change of 050% creates better with darker colors improves
consistency with less obvious banding.
Flat Tints/Large Areas of Color
Generally, lighter color areas perform more consistent than darker color
areas. Reducing solid colors areas to less than 50% screen tints
improves consistency. Adding ³noise 7 to 10² or textures enhances blocks of
color.
Black Area Fills
Richer and deeper black areas are achieved by combining 40% each cyan,
magenta and yellow with 100% black.
Trapping
Black elements overprint. Traps built in illustration programs are
supported. Trapping in layout programs are not recognized.
Highlight/Shadow Dots
The optical highlight is 5% cyan, 3% yellow. An optical shadow is 84%
cyan, 77% yellow and 82% black.
Page Positioning
Multiple documents must be provided reader spreads. Position
³multiple-ups² on 8.5" x 11", allowing for bleeds.
Illustrator/Freehand
TIFF and EPS should be placed in QuarkXPress and not in Illustrator or
Freehand. Set the printer Resolution to 2400 dpi and enable ³split
complex paths² before saving EPS. Placed TIFF and EPS files must be linked and
not embedded. Convert type to outline/paths/curves. Include Freehand
information in file when exporting to EPS files.
QuarkXPress
Keep picture box polygons simple. Always specify a picture box fill of
white or 0% of a color for TIFF files and ³none² for EPS or bitmap. Picture
boxes, themselves, may be rotated. However, do not skew or rotate inside a
picture box.
PageMaker
Set printer resolution to 600 dpi in Page Setup. Set Link Options to
link rather than embed graphics.
Variable Data
This is a Quark/MAC function, use the same specs as above. Data is best
supplied Excel Tab Delimited Text Files. Itıs very important that laser
copies are supplied also.
Corel Draw
To get the best results, properly do all image work in Photoshop
(Photopaint functions are not supported and most likely will not be applied to the
image) and import in to Corel Draw. For type, create outlines/make
paths.
Process all PMS colors again for best results.
Microsoft Word / Microsoft Excel /
Microsoft Powerpoint / Publisher
Be aware that these programs convert all colors to RGB. We can convert them
back to CMYK but we do not have control on the proper CMYK
color breaks. Again convert images to TIFF or EPS format,
and when importing graphics from Excel copy and paste them
rather than special paste.
Note to Designer:
Corel Draw/Publisher/Powerpoint have definite quality issues but we can
print them. Not recommended, but supported. It is best to convert as
PostScript/PDF.*
*PDF
PDF files must be created with correct high resolution specifications. Please
ask your digital printing representative for proper settings.
Please fill out forms below online; then print, sign, and
fax to CSA Graphics at (602) 254-2012.
- W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification
Number and Certification)
- Form 5000 (Arizona Department
of Revenue Transaction Privilege Tax Exemption Certificate)
- Form 5000A (Arizona
Resale Certificate)
- Credit Application
If you do not have the free Adobe Reader program necessary
to open these documents, click here.
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