For Corel files, see “Preparing files for printing in Corel”,
TIF files.
2. PREPARING FILES FOR PRINTING
Each order file should include a text file with the following information: contact phone, email address, net dimensions (after cutting off), additional colors used (please specify PANTONE number) and a mockup,
The fonts to be used should be written in default decorative and paragraph text and converted to curves,
You need to use bitmap images in CMYK mode (not RGB!) for the project,
Use standard color settings from the CMYK palette for the project. If others are used, such as PANTONE, you should add a note to that effect, because otherwise the colors will be automatically changed to CMYK,
Each order should also include a JPG file with a visualization of the project in question.
The file should have a resolution of 300 dpi,
If the background in your design reaches the cut line (prepared for bleed), you should add 3 mm on each side to the design. For example, a 90×50 business card should be 96×56 in the file.
The file should have cut marks according to the format according to the order,
All text and graphic elements should be less than 4 mm from the cutting line,
Thin lines and other graphic elements should be defined in 1 color,
To prevent line fading during printing, use lines with a minimum thickness of 0.1 pt,
Use the overprint option and print black texts on a colored background,
It is unacceptable to generate elements whose individual color components are less than 2%,
Generating text in 4 colors is not allowed,
In areas of black applique, include 50% Cyan, 50% Magenta, 0% Yellow and 100% Black,
Illustrations placed in QuarkXPress cannot be saved in EPS format with JPC compression,
Photos saved in Adobe Photoshop cannot be saved in DCS format,
Work done in Quark should be accompanied by all the fonts used,
Only Type I postscript fonts should be used,
To avoid problems when exposing the printing plate, convert gradients to bitmaps in the design,
In a PDF file, all pages should be arranged from first to last,
UV files should be in a separate file containing only those elements to be painted with 100% blackening,
Die-cut files (e.g., folders) should contain 3 files:i:
file proper for printing,
file with applied die-cut,
the file with the die-cut itself.
3. PREPARING FILES FOR PRINTING IN COREL SOFTWARE
The procedure for preparing files for CTP exposure (in Corel Draw).
In the prepared project, select the File -> Publish as PDF function…
In the newly opened window, select “PDF for print jobs” from the PDF Style list. Corel will set the optimal values for each parameter, you only need to change two things:
In the “Objects” tab, activate the “Export all text as curves” option – then all other text options will become inactive
In the “Advanced” tab, disable the “Use color profile” function.
After following the above steps, everything is set correctly, so you just need to save the PDF file by clicking OK. Pressing the “+” button next to the PDF styles on the first tab with these settings will save them as a finished profile. The program will remember the last created profile, so you only need to select the location, file name and set the range of published pages. Please note that a composite will be created on which you do not often see some necessary things such as overprints. You will need to manually set the “black always overprinted” option by right-clicking on the object and selecting fill/contour. In the past, when creating postscript files, Corel automatically provided this option, but now you have to select it manually.
Save the file in the program version no higher than 12.
4. PHOTOS FOR PRINTING
The most common image files are saved in .gif and .jpg formats, as they need the least disk space. At the same time, however, they simplify colors and reduce their resolution. Most such images with a resolution of 72 dpi can be found on the Internet, but they are not suitable for printing, where a resolution of 300 dpi is required. So please check the source of the materials and remember that what looks good on the monitor may not necessarily be so when printed.
Photos from the Internet are not suitable for professional printing.
Photos for advertising can be obtained by scanning. When using it, keep in mind that a scanned photo at 300 dpi makes it impossible to enlarge it in a typesetting program, as the basic sharpness will be lost.
Photos from cameras or digital cameras are also a good option. For printing, files saved in high resolution are sufficient. The camera takes photos at a resolution of 1024×768 (that’s 36.12 by 26.04 cm), so the size of the photo needs to be reduced by 24% to get a resolution of 300 dpi (since a 72 dpi photo is 24% of 300 dpi).
On the sites of websites, for an appropriate fee, in accordance with the source of the photo and the type of use, you can get files of appropriate resolution. These are usually the best photos, as they are most often saved in .tif or .eps formats.
5. CMYK AND RGB
For a given type of work, the appropriate color palettes are often required, so many typesetting programs give you the option to choose from many of them. However, in order for the work to be well prepared, it should be remembered that the color spaces of the different modes do not fully overlap. If the end result is to be satisfactory, it is not possible to make color conversions at a late stage of design or at the end. If we want our design to be printed it is necessary to convert from RBG mode, which is used by computer monitors, televisions or digital cameras, to CMYK. When converting, we may get a “color space alert” message, which informs us that there is no exact equivalent in CMYK mode. However, this is quite a rare situation, usually the change in graphic mode does not affect the photo, and the differences are small.
To avoid color surprises, it’s a good idea:
stock up on a CMYK color chart (Process Colors Guide), where you can see how changing the various proportions of paint affects the color you get in print,
