Printing Tips and Best Practices
These are common things that happen in the print world. To ensure that time is used effectively and efficiently, customers looking to get a print job done should be aware of this.
1. Insufficient Specifications
The more the printer knows what you want, the better.
Include:
- finished trim size
- folding instructions
- any special printing methods
- how many colors the job will use
- type of stock for cover and/or text
- number of copies
2. Incorrect Use of Spot Colors
All spot colors that are not needed should be deleted.
A spot color should be used when:
- there are logos
- large fill areas
- small type
3. No Bleed
Include bleeds in your job.
Things to know about bleeds:
- they ensure the trim area
- typical bleeds are 1/8 of an inch
4. RGB or Low-Res Images
Make sure that all photos are in CMYK, if not, covert them.
Things to know about images:
- 300 dpi (dots her inch) are reasonable for high quality print
- what looks good on the computer screen does not necessarily mean it will look good on paper
5. Incorrect Document Size
Make sure to send in correct production size of the document.
Why?:
- saves time
- not having correct size can affect appearance and binding
6. Conflicting Fonts
Convert all fonts to outlines before submitting your document.
Why?:
- to prevent missing file links when the document is opened
7. Waiting Until Last Minute
Send over the document a few days ahead of time.
Why?:
- to ensure the printing will be finished in time
- to fix any mistakes or edit changes
- Josh Durham, PrePress from AmericanPrinter.com
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