11. How to avoid problems and save money with your logo.
12. How to get the correct resolution with bitmaps.
13. The different types of colour format: RGB and CMYK
14. What are spot, Pantone and process colours?
15. Different types of paper
16. How does the paper affect the ink colour?
17. What to expect from colour matching.
18. Commissioning a designer.
19. How to save money by producing your own files for printing.
10. What computer programs are suitable to use for preparing "Print ready" files?
11. How to create a PDF for printing
12. File formats
13. PC or MAC
14. How to save time and money with proofs.
15. How to read and check proofs.
16. Who owns the computer files of your work.
17. The best way to place an order.
18. How to avoid mistakes.
19. Everything you need to know about international standard paper sizes
1. How to avoid problems and save money with your logo.
First of all decide upon the largest* size that you will need to reproduce your logo at and instruct your designer to work to this size. Such files can then be widely used without the need to refer back to the designer each time and thus saving you time and money. If your logo is designed in spot colour it is useful to have a version created in process colours too, and in all cases a single colour version for printing in black will be very useful. Keep these files to use as and when required. If you don't do this, and you rely on referring your suppliers to your designer every time a logo file is required expect to pay for this service either directly or indirectly. Say £25.
*If you require a maximum logo size above A4 it would be advantageous to order separate files for these larger sizes. These files may be very large and rather clumsy for general use. Only vector files, created in Corel Draw or Illustrator, can be enlarged up to any size without the files becoming overlarge or losing definition through bitmapping. Unfortunately many designs do not suit vector format. Back to top.
2 How to get the correct resolution with bitmaps.
Aim at 300dpi for a same size image. With bitmap files the resolution changes as you enlarge or reduce it. When you specify resolution you must always specify the image size or it is meaningless. For instance a high resolution image of a postage stamp will not enlarge to a poster without showing serious low resolution bit-mapping degradation. Resolution is always relative to the size. For instance a 300dpi file at A4 will only be 212dpi when enlarged to A3, or 150dpi at A2. Reduce the A4 file to A5 and you will get 424dpi, or 600dpi at A6. Web images are 72dpi, so you will have to reduce them by 75% to achieve a reasonable resolution for printing (288dpi in this case). Better to obtain a higher resolution original file than copy from the web. Back to top.
3. The different types of colour format: RGB and CMYK
Computers, inkjet & laser printers are optimised to work off RGB (red, green, blue) files. Printing machines work from CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and blacK) files. Some programs only work in RGB (Word for instance). Other programs can work in either format & convert from one format to another, but there is a loss of quality in doing so. Different programs convert the same colours differently. You will get the best print quality from files created in CMYK at an early stage. Back to top.
4. What are spot, Pantone® and process colours?
Although much work is printed by 4-colour process in CMYK colours there are occasions when special or "spot" colours are called for. In particular, certain bright oranges cannot be reproduced with CMYK inks and many other colours look better as "spot" colours. These are generally chosen from the Pantone® range of colours, which covers most requirements, but not all. Don't be afraid to ask for a "special" colour to be mixed to your requirements.
When specifying a Pantone® colour choose from the "Solid coated" colour swatch (with colours suffixed "C") if you are printing on a coated paper; and the "Solid uncoated" swatch (suffixed "U") if you are using an uncoated paper. The inks used in both swatches are the same but the resulting colour on the paper is frequently different. There is also a "Solid Matte" colour swatch for matt coated papers but this is not so readily available from printers. Back to top.
5. Different types of paper
Most paper is made from wood pulp. Some papers are coated with clays so that the print looks brighter.
Uncoated paper is known as cartridge, in heavier weights; and bond, in lighter weights.
Glossy paper is coated with china clay. "Matt coated" paper is coated with chalk. "Silk" and "satin" papers are between the two. Price does not vary between the different type of coating. (Although some printers get away with an extra charge for silk!) Back to top.
6. How does the paper surface affect the ink colour?
The main difference in paper is between coated & uncoated papers. Coated papers print with a brighter image. Uncoated papers absorb ink into the surface and print with a duller image. This gives less tonal range. It may be necessary to use hard dry inks (extra charge for wash up) if printing on uncoateds with a heavy ink coverage. If you wish to match colours between coated & uncoated papers, different inks or strengths may be needed, and in any case it will seldom match precisely. Advise your printer of your requirements.
Coated papers are further divided into gloss, silk and matt. The printed-colour difference between these surfaces is minimal compared with the difference between coated & uncoated papers. Gloss coated (also known as "art") paper prints the brightest and is the standard to which colour rendering is aimed.
To see the effect that different coatings have on ink, ask for printed paper samples that demonstrate this.
(Paper merchants produce these free of charge.) Back to top.
7. What to expect from colour matching.
If you require precise colour matching you must tell your printer at the start. If photographs are to be matched it is best to supply them as originals or digital originals. What you see on your screen and what your inkjet or colour laser produces is unlikely to match the printed result. Ask for a colour-correct proof. There is often (but not always) an extra charge for this. There will definitely be an extra charge if revised colour-correct proofs are requested from your files.
If Pantone® colours are to be matched by using Pantone® inks then ask to see Pantone® swatches (see section 4). This is the definitive guide to the colour. There is not a lot of point in seeing a colour-correct proof if you are using Pantone® inks because the proof will be created using CMYK colours and will therefore only give the CMYK conversion colour of the Pantone® shade chosen. To achieve a colour-correct proof of Pantone® inks you need to see a machine proof using the inks concerned. This is expensive & few people choose this option today. Usually people order a colour-correct proof and open a “Pantone® to Process” swatch when checking the colour. Purists could opt for "passing on machine". This may cost you nothing if you are quick, but if you are a long time adjusting the strength of colour, or worse still, you spot changes to the image which necessitate re-plating then expect to pay for the changes plus the second machine make-ready.
Most publicity material, especially larger quantities, is printed using 4 colour process (CMYK) colours, so you again you need see a “Pantone® to Process” colour swatch to check the conversion.
Lastly, you might think it simpler to leave colour matching to the printer. Avoid the pitfalls of techno jargon. Just say ”I want it to match this.” Back to top.
8. Commissioning a designer.
Talk to people who deal with designers (printers!). They are likely to know the capabilities of designers in the locality. Ask to see samples of work.
Besides any design advantages you may achieve by employing a designer, you avoid the additional costs associated with the technicalities of computer files for print. By channelling all your work through one designer you are more likely to achieve uniformity of design & quality. However you may wish to consider employing a printer's design department for smaller projects. Agree this at the start with your primary designer.
Most printers will be able to offer an in-house design service. Again, ask for samples of their design work. The advantage of using a printer's in-house designer is that there are less likely to be hold-ups due to technical problems.
You don't want to be forever stuck with a designer or printer just because of some logo or computer files. Agree file ownership at the start, (Section 14). Review your designer's work every 3 or 4 years at least. Some people change designers every 5 years or so a to keep new ideas flowing.
You can either buy your print through a designer or buy it direct from the printer. Decide and agree which route to take at the start. Buying print through a designer enables you to wash your hands of any technical problems, and leaves the maintenance of your house style in the hands of its creator. If you choose to buy direct, beware of frequent changes of printer (always buying from the cheapest) as this can easily result in a steady degradation of your house style and of the job specifications. But direct communication with your printer shortens the chain of command, and may result in faster turn-round especially when minor amends are to be made. Some printers are over-technical and may be difficult to communicate with. Back to top.
9. How to save money by producing your own files for printing.
There are three stages you should consider:
1.) Setting the TEXT ONLY. It is always worth doing this. Notepad, Wordpad, Word, Publisher. This saves the printer having to re-key the text. Check it carefully & correct it as the printer will assume that the text is correct & that it does not need to be read.
2.) Setting the TEXT & LAYOUT in an "office" program such as Microsoft "Word" or "Publisher". This enables you to show the printer what you want, by way of layout, even if the file needs re-formatting for printing. A .pdf can be made from a Word file for printing from; but frequently technicalities such as bleed and trap are omitted and the resolution is rather too low. Use high resolution (“High Res”) images if you have them, or send them separately. Ask your printer to re-format the file if bleed or trap present problems.
3.) PREPARE A PRINT-READY FILE. Would you like to do all the setting & formatting? . . .and save yourself some money? You may have to learn a new program. You will also need to learn about the some of the technicalities of printing such as colour rendering, trap, bleed, creep, overprint settings, bitmapping (prevention of) and folding allowances. Warning: By supplying "print-ready" files you are entering the printer's environment. Printers assume that "print-ready" files are ready for printing, so if you supply artwork that is faulty you may end up paying more than you intended. This is a minefield. Ask your printer to check over your files? Most likely they can still be used and just need to be amended, but perhaps at a cost. Allow time for this to be done.
Always keep a copy of your files. Back to top.
10. What computer programs are suitable to use for preparing "Print ready" files?
COREL DRAW: An easy to learn general purpose vector (see glossary) program that supports bitmaps. Suitable for smaller jobs, up to say a 4pp A4 newsletter, but beyond that loading & saving may take a long time if you have a number of pix as everything is loaded into RAM. A user- friendly program, although the latest versions have become increasingly heavy. However it is still easier than the heavyweight Mac programs (Quark, In-Design) which work by linking to files that are not loaded into the RAM. The latter method while not over loading you RAM and being more stable on large files you may find rather tedious for creating smaller ones.
MAC: ILLUSTRATOR: Similar to Corel Draw. This is a vector program too, but not suitable for page layout.
MAC: QUARK EXPRESS: Trade standard and excellent base program for large or complex jobs. Rather tedious for small files.
MAC: IN DESIGN: Adobe's alternative to Quark. It suffers from the handicap of not being able to back-save to earlier versions.
PHOTOSHOP: Good for adjusting pictures, but beware of creating colossal files that take an age to open. You could be charged for this. Type may show rasterization. Back to top.
11. How to create a PDF for printing
This is a convenient way to send a file for printing, as you will avoid having to send founts. You can create a file in an office program like Word and send a PDF to the printer. However it is essential to ask your printer the settings to use when creating a PDF and beware of colour changes which may occur when using office programs. Back to top.
12. File formats:
PDF: Used for sending files to printers without the need to send founts, or for the recipient to have the creation program installed. These files cannot be amended.
JPG: A popular high compression format for photos etc. Some quality loss every time it is copied
BMP: A monochrome bitmap file without compression, and no quality loss.
TIF(F): A colour bitmap file without compression, and no quality loss.
EPS: A vector and colour bitmap file without compression, and no quality loss. Good for logos.
DOC: A "Word" file
RTF: A "Word" file format used for importing text into other programs while retaining the formatting. Back to top.
13. PC or MAC?
Many printers are MAC only. We are MAC and PC. Never send MAC files email via a PC or vice versa. Files sent thus get corrupted. We have emails for both:
PC print@warminsterpress.co.uk
MAC mac@warminsterpress.co.uk Back to top.
14. How to save time and money with proofs.
Unless you require a straight reprint, it is usually advisable to see a proof. Most printers supply proofs without request, but it is best to request one and to specify the type of proof you require. Proofs can be submitted at various stages:
Text only
Preliminary designs
Colour laser proofs
PDF proofs (the colour accuracy then depends upon your VDU screen or printer)
When passing proofs it is helpful to annotate appropriately. For example:
“Passed for text only”
“Passed for layout only”
“Passed for approximate colour. Please submit a colour-correct proof.” (if you want one) or “Please proceed to print. Colours are not critical.”
“Passed for printing.”
Contract proofs, also known as colour-correct proofs. Customers are required to sign these proofs and return them to the printer. They form a part of the contract with the printer. Make certain that you check them thoroughly before signing as you will be liable for any mistakes missed and for any re-printing costs. Back to top.
15. How to read and check proofs.
Even if you have checked the text at an earlier stage, it should still be read at the final proof stage. This is best done by one person reading aloud from the copy, while the "Reader" reads and checks it. Sometimes those not previously involved in the job are the best for this job. Then check the other details. You may not want to be bothered with learning the proper "Reader's Marks", but be certain to make your instructions (which should be circled) clear. For instance a "?" or an "X" or a line drawn beside something or an area highlighted presents a puzzle to a printer unless instructions a given. Examples of instructions: "Delete", "Move up to align with text", "Replace with new logo", "Too pale, please darken image". Sign and date, and if necessary annotate, your proof and post it back to the printer. Please do this even if you have passed it by phone or email as well.
PDF proofs save time, but they are not accurate for colour unless your monitor is regularly calibrated for colour and any inkjet printer (laser won't be accurate anyway.) you use is calibrated to the printer's machine profiles. In practise nobody calibrates, but designers and printers. PDF's are used either for preliminary stage proofs or when precise colours are not important
RIP once, print twice proofing. This is ideal for final proofs, as no computer errors can come about after signing off a proof as OK. The file used for proofing is the same unalterable file that is subsequently used for creating the printing plates. Back to top.
16. Who owns the computer files of your work?
Unless otherwise agreed, files belong to whoever creates them. If you wish to have access to your files, especially your logo files, it is therefore essential to agree this with your designer or printer beforehand. Few people do so. Remember that .pdf files cannot be amended. While this has the advantage of avoiding text and file transfer errors, it means that the file cannot be amended. Best to have both. Always keep a copy of all files supplied to a printer, as he may not keep them. The policy of The Warminster Press Ltd is to supply files that have been paid for. Speculative work would not be supplied without payment. Back to top.
17. The best way to place an order.
Aim for simplicity and clarity. Email or paper orders win over verbal instruction, because there is a record of what was ordered. Nevertheless a sample of the previous job annotated "5,000 more as this please." is even simpler & clearer. You could attach an order to a final proof, perhaps annotated for amendments and signed. If the job has been quoted, state the price on the order. Back to top.
18. How to avoid mistakes. The tempo of modern business tends to cut corners and it is increasingly likely for errors to occur. By providing a complete specification & and design to your printer at the start, you enable him to anticipate problems and hopefully avoid them. Communicate with the printer, and decide what kind of proofs are appropriate for you needs. Use proofs to avoid errors. Back to top.
19. Everything you need to know about international standard paper sizes
International "A" Paper Sizes use the "Golden Rectangle" discovered by the ancient Greeks. The defining feature of these sizes is that the sides are in the proportion 1:1.414 (= 1 to the square root of 2). This unique proportion retains its ratio whenever you halve (ie: cut of fold it once) the longer side. Other proportions only do this when you halve BOTH sides. By using "A" or "B" sizes one design will fit all sizes, simply by enlarging or reducing. All other proportions require two sets of artwork: one longer shaped than the other.
AO 1189 x 841mm
A1 841 x 594
A2 594 x 420
A3 420 x 297
A4 297 x 210
A5 210 x 148
A6 148 x 105
A7 105 x 74
These "A" sizes are trimmed or final paper sizes. Printers however generally use slightly larger sizes (the RA and SRA sizes) to allow for machine grip, colour bars, bleed and trimming to a clean edge. Generally it is more economic to use the A sizes.
B paper sizes are intermediate sizes between the A sizes. However paper supplied in B sizes is seldom printed & trimmed to a B size. Instead the B size papers are used for oversize A size jobs or unusual sizes. The exception is copier paper, which is sometimes used in B4, 250 x 353mm.
Printers may buy paper in the following B sizes for non-standard jobs:
B3 353 x 500 but is only supplied as 360 x 520mm
B2 500 x 706 but is only supplied as 520 x 720mm
B1 706 x 1000 but is only supplied as 720 x 1020 or 700 x 1000mm
C sizes are for envelopes to fit A sizes, so they are slightly larger than A sizes.
C3 457 x 324mm
C4 324 x 229
C5 229 x 162
C6 114 x 162
You can also buy envelopes (especially white) in a wide variety of unusual sizes
D sizes. There's only one, that's. .
DL 110 x 220
This is designed to fit an A4 letter folded into thirds. However the term "DL" has now come by common usage to mean the size of that folded letter itself (ie: 210 x 99mm). Leaflets are now frequently ordered as “A4 folded to DL” (ie: folded to a third), or compliment slips as DL.
Business Card sizes. Hardly anybody uses A7 or A8 (which would be 74 x 53mm). Instead, credit card (approx) size 85 x 55mm is used. You can have any size you like, but anything larger than 94 x 59 won't fit our plastic boxes.
American Quarto or "letter" is 8.5" x 11" (216 x 279mm) -- a little wider and a little shorter than A4. Should you require leaflets in both American Quarto and A4 this can be achieved from one set of plates because both sizes cut economically out of SRA sizes. However you will need to tell your designer to allow for this by including sufficient margins.
Envelope Terminology
Envelopes with the flap on the short edge are known as POCKET ENVELOPES
Envelopes with the flap on the long edge are known as BANKER ENVELOPES
Banker envelopes with a square flap are known as WALLET ENVELOPES
Printers measurements
UK printers generally use mm or cm, except when referring to continuous stationery, when the depth is measured in inches and by width in mm/cm
Type sizes are measured in points. 72 points measure approx 1 inch. But don’t think that, armed with a typescale, you can measure the size of a typeface from its printed image, unless you have two or more lines set “solid” or “unleaded” that is without spacing. It is difficult to know if it is set solid, but you might guess. If so you could measure the distance from the bottom of one line to the bottom of the line above/below. A better way would be to compare typesetting in the same fount of known sizes. A different fount is unlikely to print the same size because the length of ascenders and the descenders varies from fount to fount.
Why all this confusion? The size of a typeface is measured from its onetime metal body size, which no longer exists. Back to top.
