A Graphic Designer’s Guide To Creating Print-Ready FilesMarcia AllenLTEC 3220Fall 201212/3/2012

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GettingStarted

Fonts &Graphics

FileManagement

Getting Started

To ensure that your software is compatible with your commercial print vendor’s, check with your print representative.

Get print specifications before you start designing your documents.

Software: Adobe Creative Suite CS5 – Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign.

Please do not submit print-ready files in Microsoft Word or PowerPoint.

Helpful Files

Templates: Are located on the network, and cover the main printed marketing materials used in our department. Slicks, brochures, website, emails, etc..

Page Elements

Page bleed: When graphics or color extend beyond the edge of the page it is referred to as a “bleed”. If you use bleeds, make sure they run at least 1/8” off the edge of the page.

Convenience

Master pages: In InDesign, master pages allow you to create standard page templates you can apply throughout your layout.

Master pages ensure consistency throughout your document and allow you to make design changes globally.

Convenience

Style Sheets: In InDesign, style sheets allow you to set standard headers, font sizes, etc., and apply them throughout your layout.

Style sheets ensure consistency throughout your document and allow you to make design changes globally.

Fonts & Graphics

Fonts: Use OS OpenType or Postscript Type 1 fonts. For bold or italic, select the named font with that attribute from the font menu.

Illustrations: Create your illustrations at final size to keep the line weights and label text sizes consistent. You can use the “Convert to Paths” feature in your software to outline the text, but keep a copy of the text without outlines for edits to be made later.

Fonts & Graphics

Photos and graphics rarely print well unless they have been adjusted specifically for use in print. Do not use images grabbed from the internet for print purposes.

Image Specifications: Grayscale and color images – 300 dpi, Bitmapped images – 600 dpi minimum, 1000 to 1800 dpi recommended.

Purchasing Images: Sites commonly used in our department to purchase images are; www.thinkstock.com, www.istockphoto.com, www.gettyimages.com, www.corbis.com.

Color

Using CMYK: Use CMYK for printing, files should be saved as CMYK or grayscale (not RGB). Remove any unused colors from drawing and/or layout applications before you send the file to the print vendor. Names of colors should match exactly in your layout, drawing, and image manipulation applications.

Thomson Reuters Colors: Color pallets can be found on the network, in CMYK (Process), RGB, and Spot Colors.

Logo

Thomson Reuters Logo: Different variations are located on the network, in different colors, with and without trademark symbols.

Trademarks: Are used on most printed materials, email, and web applications.

Bolding the ONE in ONESOURCE: Should be done in certain design situations.

File Types

Using different design software will result in different file types and file extensions. The file types we commonly use here are:

PDF, AI, PS, INDD, EPS, JPEG, TIFF

PDF: Portable Document FormatAI: Adobe IllustratorPS: Adobe PhotoshopINDD: Adobe InDesignEPS: Encapsulated PostscriptJPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Group TIFF: Tagged Image File Format

Package Files For Print

Adobe InDesign offers file, and font collection features to prepare your files for a print vendor. InDesign calls this feature “Package for Output” or “Package”.

Print-Ready PDFs: When exporting PDF files for commercial printing it is very important that you select the appropriate PDF Job Options.

Please check with your print vendor to ensure that you are sending the right file types.

File Locations On The Network

Please save all documents on the network, not on your hardrive: \\Cr-public-a04r\CSSMKTG \ProductionTemplates:\\Cr-pblic-a04r\CSSMKTG \Administration_and_Communications\Templates_GuidelinesColor Palettes:\\Cr-public-a04r\CSSMKTG \Administration_and_Communications\Templates_Guidelines\Color Palettes\Swatch PalettesLogos & Fonts:\\Cr-public-a04r\CSSMKTG \Administration_and_Communications\Logos & FontsKenesis Strands:\\Cr-public-a04r\CSSMKTG \Administration_and_Communications\Logos & Fonts\Thomson_Reuters\Logo\Kinesis_StrandsSecondary Graphic:\\Cr-public-a04r\CSSMKTG \Administration_and_Communications\Logos & Fonts\Thomson_Reuters\Logo\secondary_graphic\secondarygraphic_080416

Purchasing Images

Images Can Be Purchased And Downloaded From The Following Sites:www.corbis.com www.istockphoto.comwww.thinkstock.com www.gettyimages.combrand.thomsonreuters.com

The user name and password associated with all of these accounts are:User name: usernamePassword: password

If you need to purchase images, get the credit card information from Megan Rossman.