Tips & Techniques

Ensure Your Files and Proofs Match
It can be frustrating when a proof comes back and it doesn't resemble the files you thought were sent to the imagesetter.

Here are several steps you can take to ensure you get the right results.

1. Call Pride first to review your document and layout questions [617-938-9338 ext 620]. Our suggestions may save you time and money.

2. Set your document up to trim size. Place all bleeds outside the page boundary by 1/8 inch (-.125" or - 9 points).

3. Determine a precise grid and set the numbers in the measurement. Just eyeballing text and picture boxes into place will lead to misaligned elements. You'll be amazed at how much sharpness you can add to the look of your document by taking the time to be precise.

4. Use PostScript fonts, Open Type or TrueType fonts. Do not use dFonts for production work. DFonts are meant only to be used by the OSX system.

5. Choose italic and bold fonts from the font menu. Fonts with generic styles (applied from the Styles menu or Shift-Command-I) do not print accurately because the imagesetter RIP must find an equivalent font to replace them with. The replacement may not be exactly the same as what you saw on screen and in laser proofs. If the RIP can't find an equivalent font, it may default to Courier or crash during processing.

6. Send both your screen fonts and printer fonts with your file.

7. Import your graphics as CMYK to your page layout program. Match names of spot colors in your illustration or retouching program to your layout program. Define your colors as process or spot. In Quark, you must go to menu Edit, Colors and check the Process Separation box if you want the color to separate.

8. Compose gradients in a bitmap program, such as Photoshop, as opposed to a vector program, like Illustrator. Add noise to your Photoshop gradients, especially if they are larger than 7". This will decrease the possibility of banding.

9. Keep your graphic paths as simple as possible. It is extremely difficult to edit paths once they have been split or simplified. Make sure your Photoshop clipping paths have the tolerance set between 6-8 to reduce the amount of control points.

10. Preflight your work. Run Collect for Output under the File menu to generate a document report to send with your file.

11. Send a 100% color separated laser proof with your files. Mark images as LIVE or FPO on your lasers. Our operators use your proof as a visual aid to review your files and film to ensure we process your job as you intended. Also, send a hard copy of the FINAL version.