Prepress Tips for Designers

[MacTwidget]

You spent all that time in Photoshop retouching and compositing an image. Save it as a TIF or PSD, not a JPG.

 

[Al Ferrari]

It needs to be explained that not only is the jpg format a lossy format, but also that the loss occurs during the saving process each and evert time the file is saved. This results in a progressive degradation of the image after multiple saves.

Al

 

[gordo]

It needs to be explained that not only is the jpg format a lossy format, but also that the loss occurs during the saving process each and evert time the file is saved. This results in a progressive degradation of the image after multiple saves.

Al

Actually it's not as bad as it's made out to be:

The Print Guide: JPEG images for print production - the facts

best, gordo

 

[KidBilly]

my favorite... (story from my supervisor).... client comes in with a full color brochure. He says "so its a 4 color job" and she screams "THATS A LOT MORE THEN FOUR COLORS!!!" I still crack up every time we joke about this.

 

[Al Ferrari]

Thanks for the informative post Gordon. I learned a bit from it. But a reader would have to be very motivated and willing to spend time thinking about what you wrote there to be able to decide when and when not to use jpg. I still think it's much simpler to advice against jpg in print production. Transferring large files these days, with services like YouSenIt or DropBox and others, is not as difficult as it used to be. I would only recommend your blog post to some one I determined was ready for it.

The last thing I need when discussing with someone why their job prints poorly, is for them to respond with "but Gordon's post said it would be alright to use jpg."

Your mileage may vary.

Al

 

[giant1958]

There's a Pitstop action that automates this - it deletes anything that is entirely outside of the Trim Box.

and it works good!!

 

[minch]

Gordo I agree without reservation on your comments.
My problem is that we have local authority clients whose staff send Microsoft Word documents and say get on with it.
The staff are overworked and don't have either the time or the energy or the inclination.
The local authority are not willing to invest in hardware, software or training.
We have tried to engage, but it was not a happy experience.
Maybe we need to improve our negotiating skills.
Was it an American President who said: "Talk softly, carry a big stick."
Appreciation minch.

 

[WishIWasScotty]

Actually it's not as bad as it's made out to be:

The Print Guide: JPEG images for print production - the facts

best, gordo

So, I just started reading your article and had a headdesk moment at "(Note: this level of extreme image compression would never be used in production work.)" as just two weeks ago I was given approved art to print that looked at least that bad if not worse. These are people doing laser eye surgery procedures though; I suppose their target audience has poor eyesight so they thought it wouldn't matter.

 

[gordo]

So, I just started reading your article and had a headdesk moment at "(Note: this level of extreme image compression would never be used in production work.)" as just two weeks ago I was given approved art to print that looked at least that bad if not worse. These are people doing laser eye surgery procedures though; I suppose their target audience has poor eyesight so they thought it wouldn't matter.

That's how you know it's a rule - there's an exception.

gordo

 

[CathieHarris]

And quit making me take a 3x5 PDF ad and resizing it to 8.5x11 then telling me it looks bitmapped. And while you're at it, don't think that an 8.5x11 will proportionately reduce to 5.5x8.5 for your convenience at printing at less cost!

 

[JoeatData]

It's not uncommon that we have to build covers here....

You spent all that time in Photoshop retouching and compositing an image. Save it as a TIF or PSD, not a JPG.

This morning, a client supplied Jpeg and PSD files.
FC, BC, IFC, IBC, and yes.....one for the spleen too.

 

[ChrisJack]

Do not MS Word for full-color newsletters because it is used for letter typing...

 

[patrick.mendyka]

........................

 

[dabob]

Callouts and Dieline need to be on their own layer and in a spot color that overprints . . . not magenta or cyan . . . .

 

[lynnic]

HA HA HA - These all bring back fond memories. In my 30 years of printing I have probably witnessed every one of these no no's and MORE. Oh the joys! and yet we keep coming back every day We have some customers who are more than willing to learn from our suggestions and some that get downright nasty that we find fault with their perfect files. We even have specs that we give them ahead of time, but I don't think anyone bothers to look at them. Prepress folks are miracle workers and mind readers.

 

[Duncan Hyde]

Love this one

Love this one

"white" type should NEVER be set to overprint

Yah had couple of these spoiled jobs too

 

[JoeatData]

We even have specs that we give them ahead of time, but I don't think anyone bothers to look at them. Prepress folks are miracle workers and mind readers.

I know I supply cheat sheets to clients all the time to have them come back and ask me... "how do I do this?"

How can we expect them to follow the specs we give them when they don't bother to proof-read the proof we supply to them?
Seriously, how many of us have had clients approve a proof, then come back after it was printed and say the job is wrong?

 

[WishIWasScotty]

I get that one a lot along with "Approved! Just change..." often three or four times (or something much more complicated than just add "Cell:" in front of my phone number). These people don't understand the approval process. The last approved with change I got was after we had gotten final approval on the product size, ordered a die, then got a please make .125" smaller with the approval. After reminding them they would have to fork over the money for a new die they decided to go with the size we already ordered.

 

[lynnic]

I know I supply cheat sheets to clients all the time to have them come back and ask me... "how do I do this?"

How can we expect them to follow the specs we give them when they don't bother to proof-read the proof we supply to them?
Seriously, how many of us have had clients approve a proof, then come back after it was printed and say the job is wrong?

TOO MANY times to count :-(

 

[minch]

We have a client who has labels printed digitally for them as the runs are very low.
The designer(s) sometimes use coated Pantones and sometimes uncoated.
Since we are printing a composite to a digital device the Pantones look different.
We have explained this to every designer this client has employed.
On average a new designer every month over six years.
Thats a lot of designers and a lot of explanations.
Still we have kept the client for six years.