FILE PREPARATION
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

Our mission is to provide you with quality printing, on time, every time. All supplied materials must be in digital format, CMYK, 300 dpi. All graphic links and fonts must be provided unless the type has been converted to outlines.

If you are supplying a PDF file it must be press-ready, fonts embedded, and with proper bleed if the project requires it. Files may be supplied by Thumb Drive, Email, Dropbox, or a third-party transfer website (ie. WeTransfer) Contact us for more information.

PLEASE NOTE: Microsoft Word and Excel files are acceptable for TEXT only. Images to be included in a job should be sent as separate files to be placed in an appropriate page layout program where needed by one of our designers.

Below is a list of acceptable applications from which we are able to output proper printable files We are Mac-based but are able to use cross-platform software.

  • Adobe InDesign
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Quark XPress
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Adobe Acrobat

CHECKLIST: (This checklist is also available as a downloadable pdf — click here to download.)

• Are all colours correctly defined? (note: only one version of each colour in the document for spot colours, also, no extra colours in the document that are not printed, also, ensure all spot colours are converted to CMYK for four-colour printing)
• Are bleeding areas extended 1/8” (.125) beyond the page edge (for all sides that bleed)?
• Are all photos at the proper resolution (300 dpi) and in the proper mode? (photographs: 300 dpi (at final print size), CMYK, grayscale, line art: 1200 dpi. ALWAYS use .tif, .psd, .eps or .ai formats for images. Scans printing in 4 colours are CMYK – NOT RGB.
• Set .tif background fills to “white” or “paper” unless you have used a clipping path to define the image.
• Are all graphics/images linked and NOT embedded?
• Are all strokes or rules defined as .25 (NOT hairlines)?
• Are folds accurately measured and panels set up accordingly?
• Have you done spellcheck and edited for typos etc?
• All type converted to outlines in any .eps, .ai or .psd file supplied?
• All Acrobat files should be provided WITH bleed, and WITH registration marks.

PLEASE PROVIDE:

• A final laser print of your file(s), at 100% size if possible, showing everything as you’d like it to print. (if your piece folds or is double-sided, please create a full mock-up)
• Separation layers, showing your file separated into the correct spot or process colours.
• Native files on disk including the following:

– All fonts used in your layout file.
– All fonts used in EPS graphics (unless you’ve converted the type to outlines)
– All linked graphics

OR send a PDF file (press-ready – contact us for further details or if you have any questions.)