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Lab File Setup Recommendations
The Print Lab color strickly follows industry color standards, calibrates it's monitors, and utilizes ICC color profiles. We utilize the Adobe RGB (1998) color working space and recommend that all files be submitted with the Adobe RGB (1998) color working space embedded in the file. Not doing so can cause color shift. You can do this within the color settings of your application. If your file was created within the Westby Computer Art Labs, this profile will likely already be embedded.
Accepted file formats
The Print Lab only accept the following file formats:
- JPG – High resolution jpg sized to the final document size (lossy format)
- TIFF – High resolution lossless file format
- PSD – Photoshop (Flatten all layers)
- PDF – Postscrip Document File
See links below for recommendation on saving your file in an acceptable file format.
Image Quality
Jpg, giff, png, and BM are compressed file and generally will result in poor quality when printed.We highly recommend using:
The best image format for printing are:
- TIFF – High resolution lossless file format
- PSD – Photoshop (Flatten all layers)
- PDF – Postscrip Document File
Please note that if you start with jpg, giff, PNG, or BM format and then convert the file to Tiff or EPS, the image quality will still be poor. The only exception is when you start with a large (dimension size) jpg image and downsize it with re-sampling off.
Image
and Graphic and Digital Camera Issues
Internet
Images:
Never download an image from the Internet and use it for a printed piece.
Web site images are 72 dpi and printed images should be at a minimum of 150
dpi. Though 150 dpi is the minimum dpi you should aim for the maximum resolution
of the printing device.
Digital
Camera Images used in print:
When using a digital camera for pictures used on a printed piece, maximize
the camera's quality and size setting to a level that will provide acceptable
resolution for the image at the size of the printed piece. For example, Let's
say you need and image 2 X 1.5 inches at 300 dpi in an advertisement. An
image taken with a digital camera will be 72 dpi at the specified size selected
on the camera's size setting.
An
image at:
72
dpi @ 1600 X 1200 is approx. 22.25 X 16.5 inches
Take
this image into Photoshop and resize the image.
Photoshop > Image > Image
Size
Turn
off Resample image
Resize
the Width to 2" and the height automatically changes to 1.5 ".
The resolution then becomes 800dpi.
To
get your 2 X 1.5 inch image at 300 dpi, simply change the resolution
to 300.
Using PDF
The ability to produce reliable, consistent, and predictable output is vital for every graphic design professional. However, because of the enormous diversity of operating systems, printing devices, fonts, and software, it is becoming increasingly difficult to produce reliable, consistent, and predictable output. Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) can help address many problem areas making printing easier and more successful.
In the past, jobs were submitted to a printer or service provider with all images, fonts, and source documents. Often files or fonts were missing, causing the file to print incorrectly. Each occurrence cost time, supplies, and of course money.
PDF's can address this issue because they are stand-alone files that embed all elements needed to print the document. For example, when a designer creates a brochure using QuarkXPress, he/she imports a variety of graphics and may use a few fonts. These fonts and graphic files are needed in order to successfully print the document. However, if the designer saves (or exports) the files as a PDF document all the elements such as fonts, graphics, and images are saved together as one PDF file.
This file can then be transported either on disk or e-mailed depending on the file size. The benefits of PDF are as follows:
- They are highly portable
- They are stand-alone, meaning they contain all elements needed to print the document
- They are editable ( Only with the Full version of Acrobat )
- They can be opened and printed on multiple operating systems.
- They are platform and device independent.
- If you ned help converting your file to pdf, checkout our directions online.
Illustrator and Freehand Issues
Please flatten all layers, convert file to RGB, converted all fonts to outlines, and include all linked image files. It is generally best to place all files within one folder and then create a compressed file of the folder using compression software. If you save the file as an eps, please include all utilized fonts. VERY IMPORTANT > Be sure to set your application's color setting to utilize the Adobe RGB (1998) working space. Not doing so will cause your colors to shift.
Photoshop Issues
For color management purposes, when in Photoshop, it is generally best to work in Adobe RGB (1998). Doing this provides workspace consistency, in addition to a large color gamut. Once your image is complete and ready for printing, please submit Photoshop files with the Adobe RGB (1998) profile. If you are not already working in Adobe RGB (1998), please convert your image. To do this, once the file is open, go to
Image Menu > Mode > Assign Profile > Profile > Adobe RGB (1998)
Additionally, when submitting a photoshop document, please flatten all layers. Pixels per inch (ppi), should be a minimum of 150 ppi at the printed size, however, we recommend a maximum resolution of 300 ppi at the printed size. For example, an 8 bit, 24" X 36" image at 150 ppi, should be approximately 56 mb. An 8 bit, 24" X 36" image at 300 ppi, should be approximately 220 mb. Files this large should be burned on a CD and mailed.
QuarkXPress
Issues
As
recommended above creating a PDF is generally the easiest, fastest,
and most efficient method of creating a QuarkXPress document for output.
Create a QuarkXPress
PDF
Make
sure you provide all fonts and graphics needed to print your document.
Please keep in mind that we will not print your job
if it is missing fonts and/or graphics. Also if you copy a graphic
from another program, such as Photoshop, and then paste the image into
a QuarkXPress picture box, the image will not print correctly. When
inserting images into QuarkXPress you must do so from the "File > Get
Picture" Menu option.
Any
Illustrator EPS files placed into QuarkXPress should have the fonts
embedded into the EPS. Illustrator 8, 9, and 10 provides this option
and will allow you to convert type to outlines.
Package files with Compression Software
If you want to upload your files through our file transfer system, please use compression software to reduce file size and package the files. Compression software creates a single compressed file, with all of your files held within it. You can locate and download compression software at the following websites:
Allume Systems - Creator of Stuffit, DropStuff, DropZip compression software for both Macintosh and Windows.
Versiontracker.com - A great search tool to find freeware and shareware software. Just select your operating system and search for "Compression software".
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