Print Buying Direct

Welcome to part two of our ‘How to design for print blog’ click here for part one- covering some more areas that graphics designers should be aware of. Please be aware that this blog is directed at design for digital printing, and whilst litho (offset) print has similar requirements there are some fundamental differences, so please talk to us first.

SAVING GRAPHICS FILES
While you are working on files, you’ll want to save them in the application’s native file format (i.e., Adobe Illustrator Document). When you are ready to place them in the page layout application, however, you might want to consider the PDF format for the best portability.

SAVING ILLUSTRATOR CS2 FILES

• Use the Save As feature to save files as PDF.
• Consult your print provider to determine if your work should be submitted flattened or with live transparency. By selecting [Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3)] you will automatically flatten any transparency effects present in the file. Acrobat PDF 1.4 or higher formats will preserve live transparency attributes.
• PDF files can be edited later if the [Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities] option is selected.
• The PDF format can often provide better previews (than EPS) when placed in page layout applications.

SAVING FREEHAND MX FILES
Use the Export feature, not Save As, to export files as PDF from Freehand.

• Click the [Setup] button and use those recommendations shown in fi gure 3-13.
• In the [Convert Colors To:] pull down menu, be sure to select [CMYK and RGB]. Freehand will not modify CMYK images or RGB & CMYK native elements (note that it will, however, convert any RGB placed images to CMYK). Choosing [CMYK] will convert all RGB content to CMYK.
• Consult your print provider to determine if your work should be submitted flattened or with live transparency. By selecting [Acrobat 4 (PDF 1.3)] you will automatically flatten any transparency effects present in the file. Acrobat PDF 1.4 or higher formats will preserve live transparency attributes.
• Using a PDF format can provide better previews (than EPS) when placed in page layout applications.

SAVING GRAPHICS OR PAGE LAYOUTS AS EPS FILES
Though the PDF format is preferred, occasionally you may need to save files from Illustrator, Freehand, InDesign or QuarkXPress in the EPS fi le format. When saving graphics or page layouts, the following are recommended:

• Use TIFF 8-bit color preview.
• Do not assign a color space when possible and select [Leave Unchanged] or [As Is].
• Use [Transparency: High Resolution] when fl attening graphics with transparency.
• Embed all or complete fonts.
• Send all image data.
• Include CMYK PostScript in RGB fi les.
• Only use OPI if the printer requests it.
• Use Binary format.
• Use Adobe PostScript Language Level 3

IMAGE CONSIDERATIONS
OPENING IMAGE FILES
Though most images are either acquired through a digital camera or scanner, Photoshop is generally the first step in assigning the color space of an image.
If the Color Settings in Photoshop are set to [Ask When Opening] for Missing Profiles, you may encounter a window asking how to handle the color of an image being opened.

If no embedded profile is detected when the fi le is opened, you may choose one
of the following options:

• Leave as is—will not embed a color profile into the image. However, for operations that require a color space definition, Photoshop will use the RGB or CMYK Working Space defined in the Color Settings preferences (for example, when performing a Mode change between RGB and CMYK).
• Assign Working Space—assign the profile of the Working Space defined in the Color Settings preferences. Select this option when you want to consistently use one working space or if the working space matches the source space of the received file.
• Assign Profile—assign a specific profile if the source color space is known when the image fi le is opened.

Talk to us about which workflow to use. Assigning the right color space from the start will give you a better idea of how the file will look in print. Remember to implement monitor calibration and characterization as guided by your printer (hopefully us).

Things to consider in choosing a source profile:

• If the RGB or CMYK source space of the image is known, you can assign the profile that matches that color space or you can convert to the assigned working space.
• RGB images without the source color space information may require guesswork to determine the most appropriate source color space. sRGB has a smaller gamut but is a universal working space ideal for images coming from digital cameras and the internet (or destined for the internet). Adobe RGB has a wider color gamut and may work best for images that contain vivid colors.
• For unknown CMYK images, SWOP (v2) is recommended for US markets and Fogra or Euroscale for European markets.
• When working with documents that contain images from a variety of sources, discuss with us if one working space should be assigned to all the images or if the original source color spaces should be assigned individually.

If an ICC profile is detected you can either:

• Use the embedded profile. Photoshop will automatically use the embedded profi le when the Color Settings are set to [Preserve] under the Color Management Policies.

• Discard the embedded profile. If the embedded profile is believed to be
• inaccurate, convert to either an assigned profile or to the working space.

SIZE AND SCALE

• All images should be edited, rotated, cropped and sized in an imaging software application such as Adobe Photoshop. Do not re-size, crop, rotate or adjust images in page layout applications, if possible. Place images into the page layout at 100%.

• In order to obtain high-quality output, the recommended image resolution should be 300 dpi at the actual finished size. Scale images with bicubic sampling and crop all images in Photoshop. Do not use page layout applications such as QuarkXPress to make image size adjustments.
• Also note that submitting images with higher than needed resolution adds unnecessary processing time, creates larger files and may degrade image quality.
• For the best print quality, do not include transfer functions or screen angles unless directed to do so by the print provider. If the job requires specific screen angles or transfer functions, make sure to consult with us first.

SAVING IMAGE FILES
EMBEDDING COLOR SPACES
All images have a source color space. Whenever possible discuss with your print provider if you should embed that source color space (such as the camera or scanner profile). This can allow the RIP to perform the color conversion from the assigned color space to the printer’s color space. This workflow
can provide good color matches.

• Embed the correct source color space with each image saved in either TIFF or PS file format. Note that some printers may request images in JPEG format for jobs that are Variable or require faster productivity.

• ICC profi les in TIFF files generally cannot be embedded into the PostScript code on print. They are mainly used for output previews and to convert from one color space to another within applications such as Photoshop and QuarkXPress. The EPS format, however, can embed the color information (CSA) into the PostScript code and then be picked up by the RIP at the printer.

• Some printers opt not to utilize the embedded profi les and may end up stripping them from files. Be sure to talk over the color management settings and strategies with your printer.

SAVING PHOTOSHOP CS2 FILES— PHOTOSHOP EPS FORMAT

• If you want to embed the source color space of an image, use the EPS format.
• Embed both the ICC Color Profile and PostScript Color Management (PSCM) Color Space Array ( CSA) (see figures 3-18 and 3-19).
• Using the EPS format can also preserve colors that may otherwise be converted by an application such as Microsoft PowerPoint. When images are saved as TIFF or JPEG, the color may be converted prematurely in the page layout application. Colors in EPS format are generally preserved.

The CSA remains with the image when the EPS file is placed in the page layout application (or even with applications that are not color managed, such as Microsoft Word). The RIP can then be set to recognize the embedded CSA in the PostScript stream and perform the conversion from that embedded color space to the printer’s final destination color space.

Note:

• Always make your print provider aware that you have embedded color profiles in your files.
• When saving images as TIFF files, embed the ICC Color Profi le, if possible.
• Save the file in TIFF format without LZW compression.
• Check [Embed Color Profile] in the Save As window.

IMAGE COMPRESSION

• It is recommended that you do not use JPEG compression as it may cause unpredictable results.
• If upsampling is required, although this is not recommended, use bicubic.
• Images higher than 450 dpi should be downsampled using bicubic sampling.

Information supplied by The Printing House Ltd & Print Buying Direct, Crewe, Cheshire, UK

More to follow…