File formats we accept
- Press ready PDF – with fonts embedded, or converted to outlines for best results high resolution 300dpi.
- Illustrator CS5 or earlier – fonts converted to outlines and supplied as AI or EPS files.
- Or output ‘Press Ready’ PDF from Illustrator.
- Photoshop CS5 or earlier – layers flattened, at least 300 dpi. Remember to include bleed. PSD Layered file can be supplied but they will be large.
- Corel Draw – fonts converted to Curves then export as Illustrator AI file.
- InDesign CS5 or earlier – fonts converted to outlines. Save as a ‘Package’ and zip the fonts, images and inDesign file in one file. Or output ‘Press Ready’ PDF from inDesign
- JPG or TIFF – suitable for Images, supply in resolution as high as practical. Larger images need more resolution.
Different Formats
If you wish to submit artwork created using a program not listed above we will try to accommodate you but please call us to discuss first on 0437 446 243
Large Images
Images intended for large output (Greater than 4m2) are best set up to a specified scale, for example 10% or 25% of the final size at 300 dpi.
Please contact us if you have concerns about final output resolution.
Correct Preparation of PDF Files
- When creating a PDF in Acrobat Distiller, there are job options which must be set for commercial printing.
- These include default resolution, compression settings and font embedding.
- Where possible ensure a 300dpi PDFx1a ‘print’ or ‘press ready’ PDF is outputted.
- Please include a 3mm bleed, crop marks.
- Please ensure you choose high resolution.
- Compression settings for colour and greyscale should be down sampled to 300dpi with “auto compression” set on high.
- Bitmapped (monochrome: i.e. line art) images should be set at 600dpi. Font embedding should be set to “embed all fonts.”
Bleed
One of the most important elements in artwork for printing! Please ensure there is adequate bleed all-round, i.e. 3mm bleed, save the PDF with 6mm added to each measurement (i.e. for A4 usually 210mm x 297mm, save as 216mm x 303mm).
Generally bleed should be 1% of image height/width.
Include Crop Marks
If your artwork is supplied without bleed we may not always be able to add it on for you and you may have to amend and re-supply the artwork.
Cmyk Not Rgb Please!
Please ensure that all embedded images are CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) files.
RGB images may look good on your screen but final output to print is always in CMYK.
Be aware that files converted from RGB to CMYK may alter the colour composition significantly!
Microsoft Office Files
If you are creating a PDF from a MS Publisher or Word file, care must be taken to ensure spot colours are created correctly in your original documents. Do not set to RGB (Red, Green,
Blue) colours as they cannot be printed as such.
Fonts
Include all fonts you have used in the file., or convert to Outlines.
Whilst we have an extensive font collection, there is no guarantee the version you have used matches ours.
This can create problems with line lengths and spacing of the type.
Lineart and Images
Scanned colour and greyscale images should be 300dpi at the final size in the document submitted for output.
Images should be submitted as TIFF’s, JPEG’s or EPS.
Lineart (bitmapped) should be 600-1200dpi at the final size in the document submitted for output.
Sending Artwork
Sending Artwork By Email
Please address it to david@signsatthebay.com.au with any relevant information regarding the job.
Maximum file size preferred by email is 8mb. Files larger than this should be sent on disk or by using one of the many file sharing sites that are readily available and allow you to send large files normally free of charge, ie WeTransfer or yousendit.
Sending Artwork On Disk
CD Rom, DVD, and USB memory sticks can be sent to:
25 Amaroo Cr, Fingal Bay NSW 2315
Please include a hard copy of your artwork for reference with any useful instructions.
Please quote the order reference number and include a contact name, email address and telephone number in case of a query.
Don’t forget to keep a copy of your file, in case we need you to undertake changes or corrections.
High Resolution Digital Proofs
Our prices include a PDF proof. If you require a high resolution digital print proof these can be supplied for an extra charge.
Printed proof’s are printed with the same process/Ink/Calibration as final production run so you know exactly what colours you will get.
Notes
Pantone colours may be included within your artwork. However, you must notify us if you use any Pantone colours, otherwise they will simply be converted to CMYK.
We can match our printing to some Pantone colours, but we must be notified of these at point of order.
We can not guarantee accurate replication of all Pantones.
Artwork supplied at less than 300 DPI at 25% scale can be printed, although the result may be unsatisfactory.