Preparing your document properly is the most important part of the printing process. At Responsible Printing we want to make sure that you are completely satisfied with our work. For this reason, we are including the following guidelines that you must follow when submitting your printing work to us.

We recommend that you read this entire page and become familiar with all of our requirements.

 
Softwares

 

Responsible Printing accepts files from both Macintosh and Windows platforms. We accept files from the following programs:

Photoshop

Photoshop TIF, PSD 300 dpi, CMYK colors.  See the preparation guidelines below.

Illustrator

Set all fonts to outlines and be sure your job is saved as CMYK. See the preparation guidelines below.
Free Hand

Fireworks, Freehand EPS. See the preparation guidelines below.

inDesign

InDesign INDD, Set all fonts to outlines and Embed all Links (all colors and images in CMYK).  See the preparation guidelines below.

CorelDraw

Corel Draw CDR or convert to EPS, Set all fonts to curves (all colors in CMYK). Please make sure that you leave an additional 1/8th of an inch all around for bleeding if your document bleeds. See the preparation guidelines below.

PDF
 Make sure all the fonts are embedded.  See the preparation guidelines below.

We may or may not accept other file formats. For more information please contact our customer service: 713-722-0100 or info@responsibleprinting.com

PREPARATION GUIDELINES (please read in its entirety before creating your file)

  • Photoshop files, and bitmaps created by various applications: Color mode must be CMYK, not RGB. (CMYK mode uses the ink colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black). Resolution must be 300 dpi at 100% of the size used. Pantone and other non-CMYK spot colors will be converted to CMYK on your end when you create the file, as long as you output as CMYK. NOTE: jpgs, Photoshop files and some tiffs and bitmaps often are created as halftones, through consumer-based input devices such as digital cameras and scanners. They tend to save in RGB color format, which cannot be used for full color output. These files often come with halftones which compromise solid colors especially around the edges of lines, for example where black text meets white background. If your file has large amounts of black text on white background, please consider outputting it as a PDF with vector type (converted to outlines) instead. The type will be sharper and there will be no “halftone dot” effect on the edges, which is especially bad for small type. Photoshop files should be flattened before sending, but this also may cause a halftone effect of black type on white backgrounds. The workaround for this is to flatten all layers except the type layer, then create a PDF file; the type will remain its sharpness as vector type but in this case you will need to provide the fonts to us if half toning is an issue for you. If this is your choice, please call and discuss it with us.
  • Postscript files: Programs such as Microsoft Publisher cannot output as PDF or bitmaps, but can output as Postscript files. On our end we can convert postscript files to printable PDFs as long as your application is correctly configured for full color (CMYK) output.
  • PDF files:Many applications create PDF files, but not all PDF files are suitable for full color printing. Here are some guidelines to create printable PDFs.

NOTE: Printable full color PDFs must comply with the PDF/X-1a standard. Some programs including InDesign and CorelDraw allow this standard to be chosen when creating the PDF. If your program has this capability please use it, as our preflight program will reject any PDFs that don’t qualify. We have the capability to fix some problems on our end but it is better if you create a proper PDF from your end.

If your program does not specify the PDF/X-1a standard, follow the guidelines below and send us your file and we will check it for you.

In your layout program, before outputting a PDF:

  • convert all fonts to outlines/curves/paths. Some programs like CorelDraw can be set to do this when creating the PDF. In InDesign you must convert fonts to outlines before creating the PDF. Some programs like Quark let you embed fonts in PDFS but not convert them to outlines; if so, choose this option.

 

  • be sure colors of all objects, type and graphics are CMYK (For jobs using spot colors see below). Quark, InDesign and CorelDraw, for example, can be set to convert everything to CMYK during creation of the PDF but it is recommended you do the conversion before output to be sure there is no color shift when RGB photos are converted to CMYK. Illustrator, Photoshop and others can be set to CMYK mode before (or after) a job is created.

 

  • flatten transparency. Transparent effects are not allowed in printable PDFs, so if you have created transparency in Illustrator or Photoshop, flatten (rasterize) the elements affected by the transparency.

 

  • Bleed: Even though you may have created “bleed” for jobs whose graphics go past the edge of the page, when you create the PDF some applications let you specify the bleed. If so, do so, and use a bleed of .125”. If you do not allow bleed, the graphics will be cut off AT the edge of the page where our cutter must trim. This means we either have to trim slightly inside the edge or expend the image slightly so it prints a little over the edge (this can be a problem where important graphics or type are very close to the edge). The alternative is to risk a thin while line ON the edge, since our cutter cannot trim every sheet exactly where the image stops. The purpose of bleed is to avoid this problem.

 

  • Spot Colors: Spot colors can be used in PDFs but should only be used for 2- or 3-color jobs (for example, business cards and letterheads)  requiring precise coloring according to samples in a PMS (Pantone Matching System) book, or a PMS (Pantone) number supplied by your client. PMS colors should not be used in CMYK jobs, as conversion to CMYK by the output program is not always accurate for all PMS colors. Your spot-color PDF should be created in a CMYK mode whether or not any of the CMYK colors are used. NOTE: If you do not have a PMS swatch book or a PMS number from your client, do not choose PMS colors by looking at your monitor screen.

 

All monitors are different and they will not match the printed piece. Only using a PMS swatch book or looking at a color proof will let you know if the color is what you think it is.

 

 

 

 
Document Size

 

When you select the size of the document you need, please make sure that you leave an additional 1/8th of an inch of background art/graphics all around for “bleeding” on the page if your document has art the goes to the edge of the page. This will ensure that your entire art and text will be visible once it is cut to its final size. Make sure, however, that no important art or text is in the bleeding area. You should also have at least 1/8" inside the final size (see graphic below). When using a border, remember it may be unequal either top to bottom or side to side due to minor, inevitable movements in the press and in the cutters.

What's a bleed?
    The paper is trimmed after printing to insure the ink runs fully to the edge and not stopping short of it.
Why Bleed?
    The purpose of a bleed is to continue a color, image or design off the edge of the page.
Is it required?
    Yes. If there is a color, an image or design that goes to the edge of the document. A document with a white background with no image or design that goes beyond or to the edge does not require a bleed.

 

For Example

If your final size is to be 3.5” x 2” you may set your guides to 1/8” outside of the document bounds all around the document. Background colors and other designs may extend to these external bounds (bleed), but no important artwork or text should be in this area as it will be cut off. Important Art/Text should be kept at least ⅛” away from the trim. This is visible in the graphic below as the "SAVE TEXT AREA". This means that the area where important artwork (logos, text, etc.) and information will reside on a 3.5"x2" that has an actual size of 3.375"x1.875". Responsible Printing is not responsible if important artwork or text extends beyond these specifications and is cut off.

500 x 300

When exporting images to TIFF or any other formats,  always make sure the Anti-Alias setting is active. This will make the text look significantly better and the overall job look much nicer. Read more about Anti-Aliasing below.

 
Folding

 

When designing jobs that must be folded, the setup and positioning are probably the most important factors. When designing Half Folds the simple way to do it is dividing the page in half with a guide and then positioning text and objects where they should. This is simple because for example dividing an 8.5 x 11 in half is either 4.25 or 5.5. Now it gets a little interesting when you try to divide a Tri-Fold by 3, using inches. 11 divided by 3 equals 3.666.

100 x 130 100 x 130 100 x 130
Tri-Fold Half-Fold Z-Fold

 
Image Resolution

 

All images must be submitted at 300 dpi or higher at 100% scale (of the print size) and must be submitted in uncompressed TIFF, JPG, PSD format. They must all be converted to CMYK colors except for jobs that will be printed in Grayscale.
 Excessive image resolutions (beyond 300 dpi) will only dramatically increase your file size and will not improve the print quality. Furthermore, the extra time required to handle these larger files could delay your turnaround time.
Vector-based graphics suitable for type and logos should be submitted at 100% scale and converted to CMYK format with all fonts converted to outlines.

 

  • Images from Digital Camera

    Start with a good image. A good print starts with a high-quality image. One that merely looks good onscreen is not enough. Here’s what to look for in an image file:

    Before using images from a digital camera, make sure the camera is set at a high resolution to result in 300 PPI at the intended photo print size. Most cameras have various settings for resolutions. The highest resolution for your camera depends on how many Megapixels it has. You cannot increase the resolution of a photo after it is taken, except by reducing its dimensions.

    • Minimum image resolution
    Maximum print size
    1050p X 600p
    3.5" x 2"
    1200p X 1800p
    4" x 6"
    1500p X 2100p
    5" x 7"
    2550p X 3300p
    8.5" x 11"

    RGB colors are those used by most digital cameras. RGB is NOT, however, used for printing color output. They must all be converted to CMYK colors.

     

  • Images from Sanner

    Like a digital camera, a scanner must be preset to the proper resolution before image capture. Many scanners default to 150 PPI and RGB input. Set your scanner’s resolution so that it results in 300 PPI at the image’s final print size. Always save your pictures in the TIFF, JPG, PSD or PNG format, and they must all be converted to CMYK colors.

 

  • Images from Internet

    Images found on the Internet are typically at a resolution of 72 PPI. This resolution is much too low for quality printing. In addition, most images on the Web are protected by copyright laws. For these reasons, we do not recommend using images from the Web.

     

  • Anti-Aliasing

    To diminish the step-like lines in images that should be smooth, by surrounding the jagged edges with shades of color. Anti-alias should remain checked because it smoothes the contours of the elements, it makes bitmaps look smooth and not jagged (like steps) at the edges.

600 x 150

 

     

     
Color

 

The PMS and Pantone colors need to be converted to CMYK colors. Please, never submit anything using RGB, Pantone or PMS colors! We also cannot accept spot colors, only process colors. Our output programs will automatically convert Pantone, PMS, RGB and spot colors to 4-color tints, but the results are often undesirable. Avoid unexpected results by designing and submitting your files in CMYK only.

What are CMYK Colors?
What are RGB Colors?
       
     

Most color presses (including those used by City Colors) use the combination of these four colors (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) to create full color output.

RGB colors are those used by most computer monitors and televisions to display full color. It cannot be, however, used for printing color output.
  • Rich Black

To obtain the richest possible black, all heavy blacks should be configured with the following color combination:

 
Cyan: 80%
 
Magenta: 80%
 
Yellow: 70%
 
Black: 90%

Also remember that you should never set any color to overprint unless it is black. When a color is placed on top of a darker one, that darker one will always be dominant and will always overprint the light one causing the color to print incorrectly.

 
Font

 

If it is at all possible, please convert all fonts to outlines/curves.

 
Compression

 

We request that you send any pictures and graphics in either TIFF or EPS format. Do not use LZW, JPG or any other type of compression offered by your software (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.) for these types of files.

When you are ready to send your file to us, please compress all your files (document, fonts, images, etc.) into ONE archive. You may use either SIT for Macintosh or ZIP for Windows. You may use Stuffit Lite for the Mac or WinZip for Windows. Both are available free. Newer versions of Windows XP and the Mac OS include compression software as well.

 

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At Responsible Printing we want to make sure that your job comes out as good as possible. And we are here to help. If you find any of the information on this page difficult to understand or require additional assistance, please send us an e-mail at info@responsibleprinting.com or give us a call at 713-722-0100.

 
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